Vehicle Data Transmission - How to disable?

Oh cool. That is less intrusive than what I was gearing up for.

I figured out how to get the headliner partially down, it turns out there's not much holding up the aft edge, and with some gentle prying I could get a hand partly in there. I was going to make a tool to help get that connector off, but hadn't got to it yet.

Another source suggested that I can find the DCM and remove the SIM. Apparently it's up under the dash to the left of the glove box. I can't see much up there, so will probably see if I can get the glove box out, and see anything useful that way.

One of these means will serve to shut down the data transmission from this beast.

Thanks . . .

 

Genuinely curious, but why would anyone want to disable these services? There are so many devices we use that track everything we do, I dont see why a vehicle's log data should be any more protected or secure than anything else we use on a daily basis. Hell, there are shoes that are connected now.

Honest question, because my parent's (80s) are the same way and I have never understood the worry. Their concerns are always the 'XYZ company COULD do this with your data...' but there are a lot of 'what ifs' that if I worried about all of them, I would never leave the house.

 

Because multiple OEMs (including Toyota) have been found selling your driving information to third parties. Think your insurance company buying your driving data and raising your rates because you speed too much or brake too hard.

 

I understand the 'threat', but has this ever happened? This is the kind of thing my parents would say but without any instance of it ever happening (here in the US at least).

My cell provider could show my work that I was at the casino on my sick day.
My cell phone (Samsung) has more data on distance/speed/distractions while driving than any car will. Isnt this a bigger threat than the vehicle knowing far less information?
My browser knows ALL the things i look at, even in private mode.
Hell, my TV knows my watching habits for suggestions/ads.

*edit - im not arguing for argument's sake. It seems like these worries means we should all live in caves and use cups and string to talk. The world we live in is collecting our data all the time. Weird to draw the line at a car. IMO

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/technology/carmakers-driver-tracking-insurance.html

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a60175396/connected-cars-driver-data-tracking-insurance/

 

Following to see if there is actually a solution to end data transmission!

 

Appreciate the info! Looks like the second links back to the first, but that's a good way to lose customers. Seems like a desperate move by OnStar to become relevant/profitable again.

 

I had the App the other day ask me if I wanted to continue having them collect data. It asked me if I wanted to enhance it, drop it, or leave it the same. However, there was not a way to answer except yes or no, so I dropped it all.

 

Straight from Toyota.

https://support.toyota.com/s/article/How-do-I-optout-of-sh-10033?language=en_US

Yes, they're saying you can turn it off on the app, but will they actually stop? How many times has Google been found collecting data they said they wouldn't. Hell they were sued for saving data from incognito sessions where the browser tells you it doesn't save anything. Point being companies lie when it comes to making money.

 

Finally decided to delete the app from my phone. After the trial subscription expired, I see no reason to keep it.

 

I did some digging and saw that this truck uses an eSIM, so it can't be removed.

 

If the manufacturers collected data solely for the purpose of improving the vehicle performance and reliability I would have no problem allowing them to "Watch". The problem is they get greedy and find money to be made selling information to others and some of that data sold, in my opinion is a downright invasion of my privacy.
Your cellphone is your worst enemy in this regard. There have been apps that are proven to sell your driving information to insurance companies. I'd bet not one of those insurance companies have even volunteered to lower your rate because you are a better than average driver.
I also don't like that there is no easy way to defend your driving that they deemed dangerous. Try driving the speed limit on today's interstate and tell me that's safer than staying with the flow of traffic. Stop for an improperly timed red light and get dinged because you stopped to quickly or blow the red light and they are none the wiser.
The whole thing just pisses me off.

 

Do you know what year trucks that allow Toyota transmit the data?
I've been looking at the TRD Pro and the 2015 -1018 have basic functions on the Electronic Instrument Cluster(EIC). While, the 2019 TRD Pro received more functions for the EIC. However, it still retained the FM/AM antenna on the passenger's fender, and the small GPS antenna on the passenger side roof. It wasn't until 2020 where the trucks were produced with the shark fin antenna and SOS button.

Can Toyota pull information prior to 2020 with the other antennas and entune?
Instead of disconnecting the antennas, is it possible to replace the radio without entune and not using the GPS antenna in trucks prior to 2020?

I'm not trying to high jack this thread, but it could serve as good information in the future.

 

Not an altruistic bone in their corporate bodies. If you get injured in a wreck and sue them, you can bet their corporate lawyers will have all of this data to vilify you and exonerate the company.

 

The point is to LIMIT risk as much as possible. Think about it this way, your house already has a front door, garage door, and back door. Then along comes Google to install a door, Facebook installs a door, Verizon installs a door, Candy Crush installs a door, Toyota installs a door, etc etc. The more doors you have the easier it is for people to sneak into your house without your knowledge/consent. No we can never delete all doors, and there are some doors that we accept the associated risk from, but allowing anyone and everyone to install doors is foolish. The fewer doors we have, the lower our risk of someone taking things they shouldn't.

The fewer data sources we allow, the more we retain our privacy.
And the mantra if "you have nothing to hide you have nothing to worry about", funny how that only ever applies to people being transparent to the government and never to the government being transparent with the people.

 

I pulled the shark fin off the roof to install a custom antenna for my radio & Cell Amp but for some reason the truck is still transmitting data. There is an additional antenna somewhere that it's using to transmit the diagnostics. More research is required, I'll poke around with tech stream and see if its something we can disable.

 

Good update. How can you tell it is still transmitting data?

 

The Toyota website dashboard has the latest mileage on the truck. So it's getting it from somewhere. I don't have the Toyota app installed on my phone either.

 

Is your phone still connecting to the truck through wifi? Had this conversation with a friend and he thought that's how Toyota is still getting my truck's data. I do still have the Toyota app installed (Toyota connect app is expired though) so I'm sure that's how Toyota is still getting my data. Just wondering in your case if it's possible Toyota is getting data through CarPlay or Android Auto? I realize it's a long shot but you never know.

How about taking a drive without your phone and see if the mileage still updates? Not sure how long you'd have to wait to see the results but might be worth a try before digging around for another antenna.

 

I've actually got a USB -> Android Auto Wifi adapter running right now so I don't Wifi to the head unit, even if I was the phone would block the data flow to the internet. The USB Android wifi adapter is because my head unit keeps disconnecting the wireless AA. Wifi on the headunit is disabled and it doesn't have access to any of my wifi networks.

 

Understood. I guess if you can't locate another antenna I'd disconnect all that stuff and leave the phone at home to see if it still updates the mileage. Pretty crappy that Toyota makes it so difficult to figure this out. Good luck and let us know if you find anything.

 

Did anyone find a fuse related to the radio that transmits?
These unelected bureaucrats make all these stupid regulations and lobby law makers to come up with all this illegal surveillance.

 

It's going to be an always hot fuse if it exists, my truck usually transmists after shutdown.

 

So I opted out of sharing when I bought the truck. Wonder if you can sue if the data is use or sold. IMHO, it definitely illegal surveillance.