For some odd reason, the one on mine wasn't the same colour as the ones that you find in photos online.
I'm also pretty sure that the light grey/white ones that one finds in these photographs aren't connected to a box with blinkenlights on it like the black one on my car is.
Yes, I'm a bit slow on the uptake, I should've investigated earlier why there was a sticker with an IMEI in the doorjamb.
Find a way to power the box from a little 12v battery, use a magnet to stash it on a railroad car, let hilarity ensue.
GPS tracker? Buy it at some shady place?
It's a bit hard to get a pic, but here's my 21 that I've owned since brandy-new, I think it had 62 miles on it when I picked it up?
Mr_Asa said:GPS tracker?
That's what the part number on the label I found (the one with the IMEI) resolves to, yes. Can't tell if it's active - it's not supposed to be.
Buy it at some shady place?
Major, nationwide chain that only deals in used cars. The only shady part of the transaction was the buyer 
.
To be fair, they did mention a tracker and that there was no need for one because I paid cash for the car. I did interpret that such that they'd remove/not install the tracker, but I'm sure they're going to mumble something about "but we didn't activate it". Given the aforementioned blinkenlights, I wouldn't be surprised it was still talking to someone at some other end, but they probably didn't activate the actual tracking functionality.
I'm currently very tempted to remove it, drive back to their store, ask them if they want it back and ask for proof that monitoring was never activated since they sold me the car. The trick is going to be able to do that without going full angry Hun on them and meeting some people in uniform as a result, 'cos that's not my kink.
That said, I'll probably need to spend some time checking and documenting the install very carefully, because if this thing is more than just plugged into the OBD-2 port - there's some additional mystery cable I wasn't able to trace yet - I may have to cut my ownership of this car short as I utterly, utterly despise wiring that's been berkeleyed about with.
I get that they need to protect themselves when the cars are in transit and out for test drives, but unfortunately this somewhat sours my otherwise very pleasant experience with this company.
In reply to WonkoTheSane :
Thanks - it looks like that white connector is buried and plugged into a few inches deep into the dash.
How long ago do you think it was installed ?
it might still be 3G which is being replaced
In reply to californiamilleghia :
I'm assuming fairly shortly before I bought the car earlier this year. I think the part number points at a current Spireon/Verizon tracker.
BoxheadTim said:In reply to WonkoTheSane :
Thanks - it looks like that white connector is buried and plugged into a few inches deep into the dash.
Yeah, sounds like it's a pass-thru thing then, probably getting 12v from the obd plug.. likely didn't activate it then, but I'll bet standard procedure during the delivery inspection is to install one if this chain generally uses them.
That mystery cable could simply be an antenna. I'd trace it down. If it goes into a wiring harness, give me a location and colors and I'll see if I can tell what it's doing. The OBD-II port is almost definitely supplying B+ and GND to power the thing.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Thanks - it looks like the wires might be more than a simple antenna, and it's folded up and tucked in behind the cover for the fusebox. Guess I'll be spending a few minutes during the week trying to carefully remove said panel and have a gander behind it.
BoxheadTim said:In reply to Keith Tanner :
Thanks - it looks like the wires might be more than a simple antenna, and it's folded up and tucked in behind the cover for the fusebox. Guess I'll be spending a few minutes during the week trying to carefully remove said panel and have a gander behind it.
Can you download an installation manual for the part #? That would probably tell you what it's connected to if anything.
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