The "how to disable the data link to Ford" thread

[hlh1]

Well, I'm hoping that with Fuse 10 pulled, on my 19GT, that the modem is disabled and FordPass is only able to pull info when connected via BT. With the modem "Dead" no one will know when I'm at the track with the car.

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[Snoopy49]

The 2020 GT/EB manual shows telematics at no. 8. You may want to check that, too.

The 2019 Mustang Owners Manual says Fuse 10.

Passenger Compartment Fuse Panel
Fuse or Relay Number - 10
Fuse Rating - 5A
Protected Component - Telematics.

 

[hlh1]

The 2019 Mustang Owners Manual says Fuse 10.

Passenger Compartment Fuse Panel
Fuse or Relay Number - 10
Fuse Rating - 5A
Protected Component - Telematics.

Exactly.

 

[Vlad Soare]

Yes. It used to be no. 10, and in 2020 it was apparently moved to no. 8.
But we don't know when exactly they made the change. It may not necessarily have happened right on January 1st, so I guess it's not impossible to find cars made in late 2019 which have the new layout.

 

[hlh1]

Good point. Mine does match the "old" layout.

 

[Snoopy49]

Yes. It used to be no. 10, and in 2020 it was apparently moved to no. 8.
But we don't know when exactly they made the change. It may not necessarily have happened right on January 1st, so I guess it's not impossible to find cars made in late 2019 which have the new layout.

In a 2020, there is no fuse in number 8 and in a 2019 there is no fuse in number 10.

 

[Vlad Soare]

Come to think of it, the change must have happened when they started using the new antenna, which was in early 2020. That would make most sense, considering that the new antenna also incorporates wi-fi and 4G, which the old one didn't, so that looks like the most likely moment for a change to the modem fuse to take place.

So my assumption was likely incorrect - there are probably no cars built in 2019 with the new fuse layout.

 

[Snoopy49]

I just looked at the 07/19/2020 (1st edition) Mustang Owners Manual and the fuse information is the same as the latest manual. No difference between Job 1 and Job 2.

 

[Tomster]

I just looked at the 07/19/2020 (1st edition) Mustang Owners Manual and the fuse information is the same as the latest manual. No difference between Job 1 and Job 2.

But that is where the differences stop. I wonder if Ford documents the differences in the system between job 1 and 2. The workshop manual is job 1.

 

[Vlad Soare]

This is what the manual on the Ford website shows for my VIN. It's in Romanian, but the idea is clear.

I don't have the car yet. Hopefully I'll have it sometime this month. I will come back here and confirm whether the fuse is indeed at no. 8.

 

[Snoopy49]

But that is where the differences stop. I wonder if Ford documents the differences in the system between job 1 and 2. The workshop manual is job 1.

I wonder if they have updated the service manual?

 

[Snoopy49]

This is what the manual on the Ford website shows for my VIN. It's in Romanian, but the idea is clear.

I don't have the car yet. Hopefully I'll have it sometime this month. I will come back here and confirm whether the fuse is indeed at no. 8.

You probably won't have to worry. I don't know if the car can access an AT&T phone system. Check with your dealer and see if they have FordPass.

 

[Tomster]

You probably won't have to worry. I don't know if the car can access an AT&T phone system. Check with your dealer and see if they have FordPass.

@Caballus had a similar situation. He is over in Europe and was not able to activate his US car over there. If the car was built for the market that it is in, then yes, the equivalent network and Ford app will work.

The differences are such that it should work over there in a roaming state being that the system runs off the GSM cell network. I do believe caballus was unable to accomplish this due to not having the ESN.

 

[Caballus]

@Caballus had a similar situation. He is over in Europe and was not able to activate his US car over there. If the car was built for the market that it is in, then yes, the equivalent network and Ford app will work.

The differences are such that it should work over there in a roaming state being that the system runs off the GSM cell network. I do believe caballus was unable to accomplish this due to not having the ESN.

Correct. Neither Ford nor AT&T could figure it out, which was a blessing in disguise now that I know the data it pulls.

@Vlad Soare
Everything should work over here on European spec cars.

Problem: Since the GT350 is not exportable, all systems are built solely for the US--can't use nav, no SIRIUS, and the 2019+ modem is proprietary for AT&T, with no roaming capability other than CAN and MEX.

If it were European spec, it could work on Verizon/Vodafone, T-mobile, or whatever system has the deal with Ford in that given country and then use roaming in neighboring countries (note: most, if not all, of the 48 2019s that show as "exports" were sold through military sales). Same is true of the GT500.

Also, the SIM cannot simply be removed and replaced--at least according to Ford and AT&T. I am not sure how true that is, but am no longer interested in exploring it further. AT&T also said that unlike a cell phone, the sim could not be unlocked, even though I gave them all the magic numbers to do so--finally got the ESN. As best I could tell, in order to unlock it, it had to have been registered on their network in the past.

When I had a 2016, I found a couple places that could modify (or replace parts of) a US-spec Sync 3 to enable Nav use--one in CH and one in UK. Never pursued, but they may also be able to crack the modem code.

Final thought, if you can get it to work over here, you are likely safer from "big brother," given the EU's stricter data protection laws. Still not worth the risk, in my personal opinion.

 

[Vlad Soare]

Cars built for the European market use Vodafone. I will have the modem, and it will certainly work. It will come with a free two-year Vodafone subscription, which will work all over Europe.
But thanks to Tom's exquisite work, I now know how to get rid of it.

I don't mind sharing some personal data if I get something worthwhile in return. But FordPass Connect gives me nothing. Oil life and fuel level on my phone, plus the ability to unlock the doors remotely (why on Earth would I ever need to do that?). That's rubbish.
The remote start would be useful, but I won't have it because of the manual gearbox. Besides, I'm not sure I'd want it implemented like that. If I could easily start the engine over the internet, then so could somebody else (we've already had proof that FordPass is not secure).
And even if it were useful, I would still not want it because I resent the obtrusive way in which Ford forces us to share personal data with them whether we like it or not, without the ability to turn it off, as if they were somehow entitled to it and it were up to them to decide. That's downright despicable. I can choose to share personal data with them, but they have absolutely no right to take it for granted.

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