My DCM disconnection odyssey.

thank you

 

anything else? I had to use sharpy on one because the camera couldn't pick up the white on white lettering. Happy to take more pics.

 

Thanks. You’re the best. The idea is to find some of those connectors and make up some terminators. The idea of that is that terminators might prevent cellular connection for the folks who have unplugged the wires but noticed the DCM can still call home when close to a cell tower.

 

Glad I could help. Wrap it in Faraday fabric and put the antennas on relays in case you need it? That would be ridiculous.

Edit: or just add a switch to cut power. for both battery and main power.

 

I also wanted to say thank you to all who participated in this thread - posting pictures, experiences and insight. I called the connected services number (800 331-4331) and was able to have them disconnected and a confirmation email received in a span of five minutes. That's as far as I'll take it for the time being.

 

Hello! New member here, came over from Tacoma world. We will be buying a used 2020-2023 4Runner to compliment my Tacoma in the coming year. THANK YOU VERY MUCH for posting these photos. I HATE the tracking stuff they put in these vehicles and the first thing I did on my new 3rd gen Tacoma was rip the entire DCM module out of the dash using it as a paperweight inside the house, many miles later the truck works fine. They do have battery backups so people here who pull fuses don’t realize if you get close to a cell tower it can still send a packet of info.

I’m assuming based on the photos you didn’t just disconnect the DCM but removed it from the vehicle entirely? That’s what I’m planning on doing. Also only have a “dumb” flip phone so nobody use that stupid “dO yOu HaVe A cElLpHoNe ThOuGh??” line on me. We have a friend who does cyber security for the military on a pretty high level (doesn’t/can’t talk about it) and if you knew the things they could do, not military just anyone good at computers, you’d understand why we want to rip this stuff out. Anyways thanks again! Let me know if there’s anything else I should know before pulling it out entirely but I’m going to keep reading the thread.

 

just so you know, this was attempted on the Tacoma forum. Users tried creating terminators and I even bought a set from a user! The idea was to keep the DCM installed but disconnect it from the antenna and have the signal terminate. After testing it turns out when you get close enough to a cell tower it still connects and transmits a packet of data. We also tried wrapping the entire thing in tinfoil etc lol the only solution that worked 100% to ever prevent any hacking attempt or communication with Toyota was to physically remove the DCM module, and replace the head unit with an aftermarket (Tacomas have two receivers, one in head unit too) and that worked. New head unit came with a microphone too so rewired it through where the old Bluetooth one was and you now have Bluetooth functionality again if you’re needing that.

 

Did it throw a code removing the dcm?

 

I have had my antenna unplugged for almost a year now and live in the densely populated North East.
I have never once seen my DCM get a connection and I see zero info on the Toyota app. A packet or two randomly is not gonnna give much info to worry about.

 

Negative. But again that’s on Tacoma, and it seems even Tacomas vary. For instance removing the DCM made some peoples passenger side speakers go out, so they had to rewire them into the rest, when I pulled mine the speakers still worked all around. No one who pulled it complained about codes being thrown though. Maybe though that’s because we also kept the DCM fuse pulled as well. If you put the fuse back in, and it tries to communicate with the DCM only to realize it’s not there then maybe it would throw a code. We removed fuse first, then backup battery, finally the entire DCM no codes have come up in 40,000 miles

 

Once that battery runs flat, how would it get recharged with the fuse pulled (i.e., no power to it)? It will continue working for some indeterminate period, but cell data transmission if very power-intensive operation, that small battery would not last more than a month.

Sure, nuke that DCM from the orbit, but is it absolutely necessary?

(I contacted in-writing and oped-out with Toyota and then pulled fuse. This fits my threat assessment level.)

 

^I can't remember, did you lose your microphone and/or passenger side speaker in the process? Some did and some didn't IIR. Additionally, can you think of any scenario where by the flat (and presumably irrecoverable) battery could come back to haunt you? I'm not making claims here, just asking for opinions.

 

Don't know about microphone, but I did not lose any speakers on my Limited 4Runner with JBL sound system.

 

Welcome to the forum, beachboy90. After searching for the Kyocera chip number just a day or so ago I found those threads and posts by our brave Tacomaworld brethren, who have gone further than we have along this road. I’m still digesting the immense amount of material there. But I’ve learned a few things.

1. There is more than 1 power source feeding into the DCM so merely removing the DCM fuse may not totally incapacitate the DCM.

2. The DCM may have its own antenna inside. This would mean that while unplugging the external antenna would reduce the broadcast range of the DCM, it wouldn’t prevent broadcast.

3. And as DaCrow’s efforts have shown, there’s a backup battery inside the DCM.

Here’s a summary of the various efforts of our intrepid friends at Tacomaworld.

Unplugging the 3 antennas from the DCM:

• FAIL. Transmissions are still possible when close to a cell tower.

Unplugging the antennas and adding terminators:

• FAIL. Transmissions are still possible when close to a cell tower.

Wrapping the DCM with tinfoil. Or faraday tape. Double layered. With all cables wrapped a within a few inches of the DCM:

• FAIL. Transmissions are still possible when close to a cell tower.

These results were provided by a very persistent and aptly named Tacomaworld member, Disgruntled Scientist. His methodology was as follows. With a Connected Sevices subscription and the Toyota app on his phone he discovered that his truck’s mileage would update on the app a few minutes after he shut off the truck. After he tried adding terminators he thought he had succeeded in preventing data transmission but then noticed when he parked in a certain parking lot near a cell tower that the app updated the mileage. So he removed the DCM and wrapped it with foil, and then performed the parking lot test. And the app still got the updated mileage. And then he repeated the process with more tin foil. And then faraday tape. The upshot is that no iteration of the faraday method seems to work.

Disassembling the DCM, desoldering the SIM card, reassembling and reinstalling the DCM:

• SUCCESS. Removing the SIM card prevents any transmission of data. The hands free microphone and speakers still work. Apparently there are no codes thrown as a result. There are two downsides to this method. First, I would consider it to be irreversible, which one may or may not consider a downside. Second, while no signal is getting out, data is still being recorded and might be retrieved by persons with physical access to the vehicle.

Completely unplug or remove the DCM and regain speaker and microphone functionality using jumpers.

• SUCCESS. Whether or not this throws codes is unclear, but there was no mention of a check engine light. Benefits: it’s reversible. No data is transmitted. No data is collected. Downside: in the thread that I read about this, it was not explained simply or clearly enough that I could do it with any confidence. Also, the pinouts described for the Tacoma might not be the same for the 4Runner.

It would be great if the collective 4Runners.com brain trust could decode and transfer the methodology and pinouts of the Tacoma success story and post a nice how-to.

Footnotes:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...the-dcm-telematics-silencing-antennas.821649/

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/disabling-the-dcm-not-another-tin-foil-thread.825734/

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...e-i-can-find-the-trucks-3g-lte-module.660426/

 

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2024/0...iled-driver-behavioral-data-is-shutting-down/

Not quite Toyota but pertinent to the topic at hand.

 

I think it is Google Maps.

 

I just declined my connected services consent through the app, will report back how things are looking on the head unit

 

great summary, but have no fear! This will be resolved when I get my 4Runner. I will be a sacrificial lamb and document all my findings, I will completely remove the DCM (after pulling fuse) and note if there are any disruptions to Bluetooth/speakers or anything else, then I will figure out how to rewire it all so everything works. I will then post here when the time comes. I can’t f*ck it up bad enough to where I ruin a $50,000 SUV so I’m comfortable enough having done it to my more expensive taco already.

 

Outstanding. I think I read two versions of how to install jumpers. One involves adding jumpers to connectors on the head unit. The other involves adding jumpers to the biggest connector that goes into the DCM. Which did you do?

 

Captain Spalding, much thanks for your efforts! Most discussion on this thread concerns transmission, i.e. privacy. But isn't reception potentially worse? Can't "hackers" of all ilks access CAN linked systems via the DCM?

 

Dumb question:
Does calling Toyota to disable the SOS tracking keep my dash from displaying what road I'm on?
I rather like that feature.

 

No. GPS and maps remain operational after SOS is gone.

 

Reasonable people can differ on which is potentially worse. But as I see it the point is moot. If you solve the transmission problem you solve the reception problem.

Nope. The Nav system has its own GPS.

 

Hey what’s up with the “WiFi Connect Accepted”?

 

Yesterday I called the 833-611-1749 number from earlier in the thread and was told they couldn't turn it off since my WiFi was active on a trial period and gave me a number (866-595-1242) for AT&T to have that turned off first. I found that odd since I never signed up for anything but went ahead and called that number.
Spoke with AT&T and when I gave them the VIN they said they couldn't turn it off because it had someone else's name and number tied to it so couldn't turn off the WiFi without talking to them so they left that contact a message. Considering I paid cash for my 4Runner and am the only person on the paperwork I'm genuinely curious who is on the account and I now want to run up a huge hotspot bill.
Today I decided to call the 800-331-4331 number listed above as it seems most people have had luck with that one. The person I spoke with there said only the dealer can disable the DCM and contacted the dealer to make an appointment. While I know that is not true I think I'll show up just to see what happens.....

 

Yeah, cannot decline it tell me I need to call provider. 90 day trial has expired long time ago, also got this. IIRC I received a similar mail when my trial expored.

 

Before making a trip to the dealer I would call the 4331 number again and see if a different representative will be more cooperative.

 

Yep, I’m learning Representative Roulette can be the way to go as annoying calling repeatedly can be.

 

Dang this technology! Thanks!

 

Agreed. However it adds incentive to disable this pathogen if one realizes that it's about more than just privacy. Many con-views use the "you already have no privacy" argument to denounce disabling efforts.