How to disconnect the tracking telemetry on the 5th gen 4Runner

This is one of the first things I plan to do when my order comes in at the end of August (hopefully). Thanks for the info, I'll let you know how it goes. Any pointers for removing the panels without breaking clips?

 

No idea what you're talking about. I replaced my entire audio system over a year ago on my '20 and it's just fine.

 

Tape some Faraday fabric around or over the DCM module you can make a little pouch for your phone as well. Works.

You can disable location tracking on your phone; don't forget to go to data and personalization - select timeline, that's where Google keeps a log file from all your data (all the locations you have been are stored in their database) Select the delete button in the bottom right, tick the box, and agree to delete. Apple has the same thing.

Besides the Faraday fabric other solutions are available, hence, faraday fabric is easy & inexpensive; you can put a double layer.

Oh, one discrepancy; in case your car is not paid in full, you can’t tamper with the DCM or try to ruin it, hence, the law doesn’t say you can’t protect the tracker from getting dirty.

Don't let them intrude, history proves we have to fight hard for FREEDOM!

 

Oh, i forgot the link in above post. "Besides the Faraday fabric other solutions are available, hence, faraday fabric is easy & inexpensive; you can put a double layer."

Amazon.com: Faraday Fabric Emf Protection Fabric NEWBEAU Radiation Blocking Fabric for Signal Blocking Copper Nickel RFID Shielding Fabric 1 Yard, (1 Yard, 44'' 36'')

 

As an example of how this technology is not cool, I received my monthly email from OnStar today about the status of the vehicle I traded in a month ago. It's got about 1,200 more miles on it and the oil has been changed recently. Tire pressures and all that look good. If I still had the app loaded on my phone I could see exactly where it is located and lock, unlock, and start the engine, etc. Not that I would do any of that, it's not my vehicle anymore. Not everyone has ethics, especially these days. As a matter of fact I think I'll call OnStar and have them disassociate me from the vehicle. Just to be on the safe side.

 

Hmmm, in less than 2 hours from me calling OnStar to get my account cancelled, I get an email from Toyota Connected Services asking me if I want to set up my Safety Connect Trial. I'm sure that's just a coincidence. Things like that happen all the time!

 

5 pages and 127 posts before mine and not one person has given a valid reason for disconnecting the factory tracking. If you are following the rules of the road, making your payments on time, and not committing any illegal activity then there is absolutely no reason to worry about it. This is no different than the tracking of your cell phone.

OTOH, I understand why someone who regularly drives like a goofball over the speed limit recklessly, misses payments, committing violations and criminals are worried about it. I for one can care less if I'm tracked. I have nothing to hide so have at it.

 

I guess this might be a reasonable attitude to take if you are uninterested in the ways tracking data could be used against your own interests. And if you are unconcerned who holds, controls, and sells this data (and for what purpose they control or sell your data). Only a serious lack of imagination can make one disregard how unlimited tracking data collection over years (phone or car) could be used against you, even if you are an upstanding, law-abiding citizen, who scorns appropriately at deadbeat ruffian scofflaws.

Besides the data, you also seem unconcerned about the fact that other people you dont know have actual physical control over your vehicle. Not only yours, but millions of other vehicles as well.

Just because you willingly offer up and relinquish your right to privacy in your private matters doesnt mean others should not fight to try to retain their right to privacy.

Suppose you take the position of devil’s advocate... In a world of imperfect humans, why might you think others value privacy, as a right (even if you dont)?

Do you think that expecting privacy in this imperfect world is an illicit expectation?

Do you view those that are collecting immense reams of information from you, and hold physical control of your privately held property, as your authorities?

 

Do you didn't read any of the thread, did you?

 

Personally, I couldn't care less if government is tracking me. If I'm breaking the law I deserve to get caught, and they'll get enough info to do what they need to do and that's really it. It's the lifelong, unregulated data collection by our corporate overlords that bothers me. Especially since they have MUCH more influence over my daily life than the government.

I don't need vehicle or medical insurance rate increases based on some arbitrary metric they devised using data collected about me without permission. I don't need warranty work denied because Toyota misinterprets information they collected, again, without permission. On the annoying side, I am not a heavy consumer, so if I stop at a store, I don't want to be advertised products at that store I don't need or want. Again, all of this data collection is unregulated and continuous (lifelong) for not only advertising (as if we're all not advertised to enough already), but who-knows-what-else.

And yes, cell phones track everything much more efficiently, but I can choose to leave my cell phone behind when I go places, and have done this (sometimes because I just forgot it). But a vehicle collecting/transmitting personal data, without any user control, is on a whole other level. There's no escape from it.

When my 4Runner comes in (hopefully beginning of September now), I plan to pull the DCM fuse before leaving the dealer lot. When I get it home, I plan to look into unplugging the cell antennas and then plugging the DCM fuse back in. Seems easy enough, and I really am grateful for the folks who contributed so much useful info in this thread.

Edit: Sorry for the long rant

 

I read every single post. It was a lot of ranting on "right to privacy". Why else would someone want to disconnect the "tracking telemetry"? Anyone who posts on this or any other forum or social media platform has already given up their right to privacy. Stressing about tracking your personal vehicles should be the least of your worries.

My personal opinion is every single vehicle manufactured have the ability to be tracked and shut off at will by creditors and law enforcement. As a law abiding citizen so I have no expectations of privacy while on a public highway nor care about it.

What does concern me is when you have a criminal who steals a vehicle and risks the lives of our friends in law enforcement and innocent public. Having the ability to shut off the vehicle would be a game changer and I would vote for it.

The gathering of data of vehicles is a good thing and will help technology move forward. I delivered fuel in tankers for 18 years and it's amazing how much a company can gather about a driver just by his/her driving habits.

Shift points, idle time, steering input, speed, braking pressure at pedal, sudden decelerations, etc etc. Also having a drive cam facing not only outside (front, sides, behind) the vehicle but inside showing the driver as well. This has been a proven deterrent for poor driving habits and distracted driving. Also the ability to regulate the speed and HP of rigs down to 55mph is a game changer. It makes everyone safe on the road.

 

So it's just a matter of you not liking the reasons given, so you deem them invalid. Got it.

 

Best thing too do is by a car/truck from the 60's

 

You keep citing safety, as if Toyota and the entities they're selling your data to are looking out for unsafe driving and trying to correct it or reporting to LEO. That's not what's happening. That data is continuing to make money for the company after you already pay for their product, you become a cash cow. Are you against right-to-repair as well? It's a similar situation.

 

On the contrary i have "no skin in the game". I would deem any reason for using social media as a platform for instructions to disconnecting this fantastic technology invalid. Just for the fact anyone posting on this forum has already chosen to relinquish their right to privacy.

Heck man, within a few minutes someone easily track down the IP address of any member of any forum and follow that activity to find out about them. And as long as it's used for a B2B purpose it's perfectly legal.

Trying to hide it via VPN or proxy server is next to impossible unless you are changing it every millisecond. That gets expensive and very difficult to do.

I do not like to be the bearer of bad news. It's the world we live in today. I have come to embrace it and move along with my life.

That is completely different and has already been addressed and was signed off by our Commander In Chief earlier this month under Executive Order 14036. I personally to not agree with the right to repair if it means patent infringement to components. I do agree with the executive order as far as being able to repair and access replacement parts.

 

So it’s not so much you havent seen any valid reasons to shut this off, but rather you have a fundamentally different opinion regarding this whole deal, and prefer to grant government and creditors access to your stuff, and the stuff of others to help keep you, others, and LEOs safe.

This is a fundamental difference in opinion... it has shades of the argument regarding peace and safety. How much freedom are we willing to give up to guarantee it? Although, as Franklin I believe said, we’ll end up with neither peace and safety, nor rights in the end. Not a great trade. Our governent is not perfect, nor are they always guaranteed to be benevolent (I speak of the U.S.). Other parts of the world know much better than to trust goverment.

Again, you disagree fundamentally (you have a right to have and express your own opinion). I, OTOH, believe there is serious risk entrusting government (not to mention anybody willing to buy access to this data) with this much immediate power over individuals. I hold this opinion as a matter of principle, due to the faults of human nature that lead to abuse and corruption of anything they get their hands on.

 

The internet is voluntary. I have no internet at home except my cell phone. When I am online, I can choose what sites I visit or what I post on social media platforms (I am not on any except a few forums). I can leave my phone at home to avoid location tracking, move it to another room if I don't want conversations heard. I have control of what the internet "sees" about me. With a connected vehicle that has GPS capability, proximity sensors, and a microphone, I don't have the aforementioned choices unless I just don't use the vehicle. I see this as fundamentally wrong because the tools used for data collection in the vehicle are irrelevant to getting my butt from point A to point B, but I don't have a choice to have them not installed for this model vehicle, which meets all of my criteria for transportation purposes.

It's similar in that, once you exchange money for a company's product, their involvement with you should be over unless you opt to use their services. Forcing people into continuous data collection, or bringing a product back to be repaired, takes choice away from consumers.

 

Again, you deem anyone's contrary opinion about this 'fantastic technology" to be "invalid." You must be a real hoot at parties.

 

Now you are trolling. Please stop. I have made my opinion clear and am in no way preventing someone else from doing the same.

By purchasing the vehicle you are opting into using their services if they have them. No one is forcing any of us to buy the vehicle. Toyota is mild compared to the big equipment manufacturers such as CAT and John Deer. I feel bad for the farmers who are stuck without equipment due to electronic issues that only the manufacturer has the available software to repair.

This is a good discussion. We are all just giving our points of view. Having a military background and working in the haz mat field has made me impervious to something as mild as a data collector on a vehicle.

FWIW, I would never even consider doing what this thread title suggests. If it is that big of a deal or bothers someone then they simply purchase a vehicle that does not have it.

 

Ah, now you're changing the subject. Nobody, including me, ever said you were preventing someone else from stating an opinion. What I said is that you've stayed in this thread criticizing anyone else's contrary opinion by calling it invalid. The thread is full of very legitimate concerns over a variety of things associated with data gathering. You are dismissive of them. And now you resort to calling "troll" on someone who points it out.

 

If you’re concerned about Toyota’s DCM keeping track of you in the 4Runner, you might be more worried about the possibility of Pegasus on your phone.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegasus_(spyware)

 

Chris,

I'm a Dinosaur (old guy). I agree to a certain extend; sure, we live in an era where technology is moving faster & faster every minute, in times where Moore's law will become obsolete and processor speed will surpass. Hence, AI databases are in the hands of big Corporations & Governments foreign and domestic growing in size by the second. The danger of accelerated privacy invasion is very real.

Most of us are using the web, cellphones, apps and more, in other words, we can be tracked, analyzed, categorized, and some of us driven into make decisions that we might regret making; this already has become a part of daily life.

Now, are the car tracking devices going to make a lot of difference? Analyzing the way we drive and maybe where we going, are insurance companies going to benefit? To all this, there is good & bad, to what extend? Nuclear power has proven tremendous benefits, as well tremendous destruction. Some of us are pro and others not. We have still the choice which vehicle we want and Btw. The grass is not greener on the other side. This is still the best Country in the World.

 

From the article:
“NSO Group has published sections of contracts which require customers to use its products only for criminal and national security investigations”

Ironically, even they draw a fairly stark line regarding how their products should be used. Not that I am in the habit of trusting spies or spy agencies (no offense to friendly spooks, lol).

 

I cant disagree with that Roland. It's just something I don't factor in when making a vehicle purchase. Heck, I have been carrying a SPOT tracker with me on my motorcycle adventures and trail rides for close to 10 years now. Now of course that is by choice and for my safety.

 

The NSO Group figured out the techniques to to this, and the story has gone public. They’re not the only smart hackers in the world and other bad actors have surely developed similar tools and are using them now or are actively working on it. And we’ll probably never hear about it.

 

Hi Everyone,
If it's ok with everyone, I'd like to move beyond the privacy discussions ( thank you all for your opinions), and get back to the issues at hand.
I'm not a techie or that comfortable doing hacks, but I need a simple solution to the privacy issue with my 2020 SR5. . Can I cover up the microphone with tape or Faraday material and basically stop "the listening?" Thanks to all who might reply!

 

Simply cut the wires and heat shrink them if it's a concern to you. I'm pretty sure you also will be unable to make phone calls or use any of the hands free features such as Alexa, Echo, Siri, etc through apple car play or head unit.

Please do not get caught up in the internet/forum drama concerning "the listening". It is getting blown way out of proportion and being made out to be worse than it is. The bottom line is this technology is being used in our favor do diagnose issues in the vehicle and used for law enforcement/insurance companies in accident investigations and in the case of tracking phones, criminal activity.

Concerning faraday pouches you have to be cautious when ordering. You also have to realize your phone is rendered useless and cannot receive or send data or msgs. And the hackers know this. They have sophisticated tracking software that simply waits and instantly tracks your device as soon as it's removed from the pouch.

 

Thanks so much Chris.
1)But is there a less drastic approach to disabling the mic other than cutting the wires. I was hoping I could "tape over" the mic or in some way to cover it, also
2) I can't even locate the mic on my 2020 SR5. Do you know where it is? I've looked everywhere! Thanks much!

 

In most OEM vehicles it's in the overhead upper console neat the headliner. You should be able to see a screen or grate that covers it.

 

Since their discovery, Faraday cages have been used in various places ranging from chemistry labs where precise and sensitive measurements are required, to US Military and NATO computer centers where any unwanted radio emission must be blocked for security and equipment precision considerations.

The popularity of these EM (electro-magnetic) and RF (radio frequency) shields is so great that they spawned the “tin foil” internet meme.

https://www.wired.com/2013/12/this-...e, those Wi,would be rendered totally useless.