Buy an SV

 

 

What options does a 3rd Gen need to have gps tracking?

 

GPS, from the consumer side, is only used on the nav/map screen and for the 911/emergency button near the map lights. I am also [pretty sure it needs to be on if you use the Nissan Connect app as it needs to know where your ride is. Behind the scenes...who knows if Nissan or any of their 'authorized' third party cronies collect any info?? I'm sure they do. I know in my head-unit one of the options is to disable the 'collection' of data...however there is also some small print that stated Nissan CAN/WILL collect 'certain' information from time to time as part of their blah blah blah whatever. So even if you disable the location or collection of info feature, it STILL will be collecting info. Kinda like our cell phones do anyway.

Another point that was brought up was the battery use of the telematics when the vehicle is off? Some state that any vehicle info is only transmitted/received when the vehicle is on, others state it is available 24/7? How much voltage draw is there when the vehicle is off?

Again, just going off what the Ranger folks experienced, some of them heard their Ranger's wi-fi/telematics relays/electronic 'clicking' kick on and off at weird times, leading them to believe updates or data gathering was taking place 24/7?? Many disconnected the telematic fuses/relays and never heard the sounds again...leading to the assumption updates/data transferring was taking place 24/7. I am not saying this is exactly what Nissan or others are doing, but I would bet they are doing very similar updates/data transferring.

 

FYI: here is photo of a used telematics module that was for sale on flea bay. At least it gives you an idea of what it looks like.

 

FYI: here is photo of a used telematics module that was for sale on flea bay. At least it gives you an idea of what it looks like.

Notice the TCU is tied to VIN......

 

Here is a slightly older service bulletin. Frontiers did not not have this feature until 2022 forward. But the bulletin gives you an idea of what is involved and what the TCU does.

"The Applied Vehicles are equipped with a wireless communication device called a Telematics Communication Unit (TCU). With an active NissanConnectSM Services subscription, the TCU communicates with the NissanConnectSM Services Data Center to provide various security and convenience services."

 

 

 

I threw a newer model Nissan radio in my '97 Hardbody, and incidentally used an older antenna to get the XM radio signal. Signed up for my free 3 months 2 years ago. Somehow the radio is now incapable of receiving the cancellation signal.

Maybe the antenna could play a part in your tinfoil-hat schemes?

 

I know the Ford Ranger forum group found the fuse to pull for the telematics to avoid Ford from updating software over the air. I assume this would also pause the GPS pinging?? Other vehicles should have a similar set-up. Just need to test the waters is all.

Looks like a fuse pull will not be possible. It appears the TCUI is connected to multiple fuses. One of them is (Fuse 6 / 10A) that is shared with multiple things like CAN gateway, TPMS, DIff lock(if so equipped)..

I think our best approach is to knock out data transmission from the TCU.

Look at greyfox pictures above from the TCU on eBay, I see two obvious antenna connectors, blue and purple. One of these is GPS, one is GSM (cellular). Looking at the wiring diagram, it looks like it is a one piece connector labeled "M150". We don't want to pull the GPS portion, or we loose navigation ability using GPS. We want to disconnect 1 & 2 of M150 which goes to the TEL ANT. I'm fairly certain if you disconnect that, the TCU will lose the ability to phone home... Effectively cutting off big brother.

 

If you really want to be creeped out, know this....

The microphone in your truck (used for voice commands, phone calls) is connected to your TCU also!

This is normal in the auto industry, so don't go thinking it's a Nissan exclusive creep... I posted how to remove the TCU from VW Passat on VW vortex forums... And when I removed the TCU, I noticed the car no longer had a working microphone for voice commands and phone calls. I had to jumper the harness to reconnect 4 pins to get the microphone working again after TCU removal. That was in 2017...

 

Or you know, you can just simply opt out

Nissan Legal Privacy Policy | Nissan USA

😉

Opting out in software is supposed to be there by law and they have to abide to that. If not you will be rich. Default is always to get your data of course. Need to be aware and opt out if you want to.

 

This thread and the OP are asking how to disable it, not opt-out.

If you opt out they can still see and collect all your data. If privacy laws actually worked in the USA, we'd all be rich by now. The device is still connected even if you opt out, and can still be accessed and utilized. Just like a cell phone without a sim card, they can still track the 911 call made with it and activate the GPS. But hey, if you're comfortable with opting out, you pursue that path.

 

wonder how hard it would be to get at the antenna to disconnect it

 

We just need to trace the antenna wires from head unit to the TCU.

 

That unit is under driver side dash, right side.

Blue and Red round connectors are the antennea. Disco those if you wish. Mind you it may still get a signal. Also, the unit may tie in to more than just telematics.

 

question i have is will the BCM throw faults if disco'd ?

 

Possibly as the software has different options enabled between trims. We see this in the head unit, a/c and gauge cluster.

Head unit needs it for maps. If the unit is disco'd and the HU calls for it, the BCM will issue a fault of it not working.

If you take off the antennas then it will just see bad signal. Of course, again, it may get a signal here and there. Albeit a weak one, but enough to get those worried about it.

 

and, just to show how that is used, if you have an insurance company who wants to offer you lower rates by showing you follow the rules, they will track your vehicle using that type of thing.

back a number of years, i ahd a 93 chevy truck and had state farm insurance. they offered a discount for following the speed rules and not hot rodding off the line or late braking. i asked how do they know if you do that? the person on the phone said all new cars can be tracked by giving them the vin so they can see how fast you take off from the light or if you slam on the brakes last minute, or of course, if you are speeding. since my truck was older, they wanted to send me a little deal to plug into the odb (or maybe it was the cigarette lighter, that would allow them to track my driving.

i passed on the deal but you see how companies track you using your vehicles built in systems.

 

and, just to show how that is used, if you have an insurance company who wants to offer you lower rates by showing you follow the rules, they will track your vehicle using that type of thing.

back a number of years, i ahd a 93 chevy truck and had state farm insurance. they offered a discount for following the speed rules and not hot rodding off the line or late braking. i asked how do they know if you do that? the person on the phone said all new cars can be tracked by giving them the vin so they can see how fast you take off from the light or if you slam on the brakes last minute, or of course, if you are speeding. since my truck was older, they wanted to send me a little deal to plug into the odb (or maybe it was the cigarette lighter, that would allow them to track my driving.

i passed on the deal but you see how companies track you using your vehicles built in systems.

Yes, never use an obd dongle for insurance discounts. It gives them too much info. Instead I use an old phone with the app, this way I control when it collects info, and the phone has no connection to the vehicle so it can’t collect anything from the vehicle, it can only use the gps in the phone to determine speed and distances…

 

good idea on the old phone

 

Has anyone figured out a solution to this and if there is a "how to" (ie: disconnecting the cell antenna connector) for preventing the vehicle from transmitting my location and driving data to Nissan and the various partners and agencies they share it with?

I don't want big brother knowing my secret mountain bunker or my "carbon score" or whatever they decide to do with the data. And in theory, could these trucks be remotely disabled? They can push software updates right?

 

They can remote start, unlock, locate. So yes, it's possible. For you, only possible if you pay for it.

 

Have you located the vehicles sim card? you may can just remove this. of course that will disable a lot of things, like maps and any remote ability but this is the point.
removing antenna will give weaker signal, but like a phone it will just boost the signal output and like a phone does not need a big antenna anyway.
you are the product. this is not a feature saved for luxury vehciles, all vehicles have people and people are the product. data is more valuable than the car. all the data is encrypted. companies never talk about it. is worse than your phone for privacy, way worse than the dummies calling you tinfoil can or ever will imagine.

 

Have you located the vehicles sim card? you may can just remove this. of course that will disable a lot of things, like maps and any remote ability but this is the point.
removing antenna will give weaker signal, but like a phone it will just boost the signal output and like a phone does not need a big antenna anyway.
you are the product. this is not a feature saved for luxury vehciles, all vehicles have people and people are the product. data is more valuable than the car. all the data is encrypted. companies never talk about it. is worse than your phone for privacy, way worse than the dummies calling you tinfoil can or ever will imagine.

could you tell us all where that SIM card is located please and the 10 digit nissan pn#......

 

Looks like a fuse pull will not be possible. It appears the TCUI is connected to multiple fuses. One of them is (Fuse 6 / 10A) that is shared with multiple things like CAN gateway, TPMS, DIff lock(if so equipped)..

I think our best approach is to knock out data transmission from the TCU.

Look at greyfox pictures above from the TCU on eBay, I see two obvious antenna connectors, blue and purple. One of these is GPS, one is GSM (cellular). Looking at the wiring diagram, it looks like it is a one piece connector labeled "M150". We don't want to pull the GPS portion, or we loose navigation ability using GPS. We want to disconnect 1 & 2 of M150 which goes to the TEL ANT. I'm fairly certain if you disconnect that, the TCU will lose the ability to phone home... Effectively cutting off big brother.


View attachment 377093

View attachment 377094

^^This

 

Mind you, our less luxurious models don't have the same hardware

 

this is not related in any way to luxury or the price of a vehicle. If you were driving a skateboard they would still want the data just as much. this is the kind of answer a dim would give. you will want to start thinking for yourself.

 

Crutfields photos were taken with a potato, so it's really difficult to make out the cables and connectors with the dash removed. I'd like to think that if you have that removed, you've have access to the antenna cable that runs through there. Ideally, you unplug the connector (M150) if it's accessible. A more destructive method is to simply snip the cable there. The antenna itself looks like a major problem to remove; dash needs to come out, ac ducts need to come out, trim needs to come out, etc just to have access to the screws that keep it in place.

 

So is this diagram showing that the cell and gps connected to the TCU are actually under the dash and not in the sharkfin antenna on top?

Would that mean the sharkfin has XM and AM/FM?

I'm trying to figure out how to physically delete any telemetry that doesn't stay local as well as XM. That would mean any GSM and all GPS. Potentially Wifi and technically bluetooth but i'm not gonna go that far right now.

 

So is this diagram showing that the cell and gps connected to the TCU are actually under the dash and not in the sharkfin antenna on top?

Would that mean the sharkfin has XM and AM/FM?

I'm trying to figure out how to physically delete any telemetry that doesn't stay local as well as XM. That would mean any GSM and all GPS. Potentially Wifi and technically bluetooth but i'm not gonna go that far right now.

I would just make a little tin foil hat and glue it over your antenna.

 

FWIW, I saw a news story the other day and they mentioned you can look-up what data a particular car company supposedly collects and does with it. I don't know how legit the info is but, here's what it says about Nissan:

 

Ran across this article today. More intrusive (and unconstitutional) gov't over reach. Going forward, owners of newer vehicles that value their freedoms will need to disable this crap.

More Intrusive BS, for your protection, of course

 

Watchout, their watching us!!

 

look just because you are paranoid - it does not mean somebody isn't actually out to get you.

https://www.amazon.com/Dabbledown-Tinfoil-Conspiracy-Clothing-Size-Large/dp/B0B1P83WZM

 

HALT act passed in the Jobs Act. All the folks pointing fingers and accusing others of being conspiracy theorists. Yeah...