Disabling FordPass & Telematics

[ARCOgraphite]

If you own a 2019+ Ford product then it likely has FordPass, an integrated telematics system which allows you to start the engine from your phone but also does questionable things such as reporting to Ford your current location, odometer reading, even oil life and how much fuel is in the tank. Models with Sync "may" record voice commands and send those in as well.

I, for one, value my privacy and don't think my car's data is anyone's business but my own, so I decided to do away with it.

Step 1: Locate the telematics module. You'll have to locate the telematics module in your car, in this 2019 Escape it is under the trunk floor. In F-series trucks the modue is on the driver's side rear wall of the cab, behind the back seat.
Step 2: Unplug the telematics module.
There are three connectors, two for antennas and one for power/data
Step 3 (optional): Discard the telematics module, preferably into your Ford dealer's parking lot.

Thanks for posting this! I have been leery about what data ford is playing with. If they gave me a list, I would "allow" them to use it for say a fee of $150/mo. I may just unplug the antenna and reconnect once in a while to get updates. I don't know if they reprogrammed my EPS it used to be way too light - a one pinky drive - and now its almost too heavy.

 

[MCompact]

That is a case of you tracking your own property, which is one of the benefits of these systems. Now, if a BMW advisor had called you randomly and said "Excuse me MCompact, but we noticed your i3 left your house and is parked at the U of L game right now.", you probably would have grabbed a tinfoil hat and crawled under a park bench somewhere.

My dealer has emailed me when my car gets a CBS notice or a MIL code.

 

[kschachn]

My dealer has emailed me when my car gets a CBS notice or a MIL code.

Same here with my Tiguan. If the Car-Net module in the VW fails in any way a whole lot of "stuff" on the car quits working especially with the entertainment system. That happened on the Tiguan a few weeks after we got the car.

 

[MCompact]

Same here with my Tiguan. If the Car-Net module in the VW fails in any way a whole lot of "stuff" on the car quits working especially with the entertainment system. That happened on the Tiguan a few weeks after we got the car.

When I worked at BMW I wasn’t able to set up a wi-fi hotspot in a loaner X5 we had just sold. I ended up obtaining a new X5 for the customer to drive until we sorted things out.
Long story short, AT&T had assigned the vehicle’s phone number to another customer. My research revealed that the telematics used a virtual SIM card, but no one at BMWNA or BMWAG could tell us how to change it. We ended up replacing the main telematics module.

 

[ryster]

My dealer has emailed me when my car gets a CBS notice or a MIL code.

Onstar does the same with my Chevy anytime there is a CEL or TPMS issue or other error. Then they offer the opportunity to schedule an appointment with my preferred dealer. However the dealer never contacts me directly based on telematics data.

 

[jagdriver727]

SO-does this mean that the code isn't stored anywhere else in the vehicle? So did the OP just create a problem in the name of "perceived privacy"? So the vehicle acts up-he takes it in and the dealer can't see any codes?

Codes are still stored on-board in their respective module. Just not sent to Ford.

 

[jagdriver727]

Thanks for posting this! I have been leery about what data ford is playing with. If they gave me a list, I would "allow" them to use it for say a fee of $150/mo. I may just unplug the antenna and reconnect once in a while to get updates. I don't know if they reprogrammed my EPS it used to be way too light - a one pinky drive - and now its almost too heavy.

It’s only a matter of time until we see manufacturers sell data such as mileage to insurance companies in bulk, like Carfax already does. As far as over-the-air updates, I’d rather not have them without knowing. If there is something that needs programmed, I can either flash it myself or visit the dealer.

 

[CKN]

It’s only a matter of time until we see manufacturers sell data such as mileage to insurance companies in bulk, like Carfax already does. As far as over-the-air updates, I’d rather not have them without knowing. If there is something that needs programmed, I can either flash it myself or visit the dealer.

You probably can't flash it yourself.

 

[jagdriver727]

You probably can't flash it yourself.

I have the equipment to program pretty much any module I want to; getting the software to write onto it is a different story. You used to be able to get the SYNC updates on a USB drive, I don’t know if that’s still a thing. If I really wanted to I could pull it from another car that’s already been updated.

Whether it’s worth the effort or not is up to the individual... I like to keep myself out of big data as best I can.