Mysterious Black Box

[lrb6805]

It only has power? No other wires look hooked up. Im suspecting this is a nothing post

Yeah I just don't know what it is. I suspect its a tracking device, but figured I’d ask before I pulled it. Didn't have any manufacturer names on it

Sponsored

 

[RHeinz]

Definitely not a factory ground connection…..

 

[lrb6805]

Did you purchase the Perimeter Plus security system? That’s what it looks like to me and I ordered it for my Bronco…whenever if finally ships.

Its not that. I do have perimeter plus now (i installed it yesterday) and that is actually a ford part that goes behind the glove box. This has no Ford markings on it

 

[BroncoDude]

No, I got 2.79% interest on my loan. They had to have put it on even before I arrived. Once I got there to pick it up, no one touched it

Very strange. I would definitely call the dealer and ask that they remove it. If they claim ignorance then you better rent a boat and “lose” all your firearms, hide your dog and don’t answer the door. You are on some sort of “list” is the only explanation.

 

[TrailRaider]

Updated my post, its a Spireon tracker, some say a "Kahu" model. Ditch it if its not required for your finance company. Return it to the dealer if they charged you and get a refund. If they didn't charge it, trash it.

 

[ByrdDogX]

Does your wife know about your girlfriend?

 

[DaveInSA]

As @TrailRaider said, it is a Spireon tracker.

Found another one installed by a dealer that still has it's label, but on a corvette:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forum...-s-the-dealer-installed-gps-tracker-kahu.html
Shady as <bleep>.
I'd be up in the dealer's lobby demanding to know what it is doing there.

 

[smahones]

Updated my post, its a Spireon tracker, some say a "Kahu" model. Ditch it if its not required for your finance company. Return it to the dealer if they charged you and get a refund. If they didn't charge it, trash it.

I paid cash for my bronco and found I had one of these installed anyways. It didn’t allow the computer to communicate with the car….I called and asked and they denied anything. After some googling and physically following the wires I realized it was just inserted in between the OBD plug and the unit. 2-3 minutes to remove and recoup the original OBD mount.

when I confronted the dealer they said Oh yeah, we put those in every car. Dumbasses.

 

[DaveInSA]

Sure they didn't say anything about it?

https://www.spireon.com/news-and-events/kahu-transforms-to-connected-car-provides-new-revenue/

This article says dealers use it for inventory management / stolen vehicle recovery, and can then leave it in the car for the buyer to get services via it too. And why you would do that on as connected a car as the Bronco is I don't know. BUT... those extra services would need more than just a power and ground. Like the one I linked from the corvette forum it went in line with the OBDII port. Power and ground says just tracking to me.

With Kahu, car dealers partner with Spireon for a one-time install of the GPS tracking device to use for their collateral and inventory management, and once the car is purchased the dealers can add-on the Kahu mobile app service for the car buyer, connecting them to the already-installed GPS tracking device. The GPS tracking solution cost is more than covered once the Kahu service add-on is sold.

 

[PSUTE]

Updated my post, its a Spireon tracker, some say a "Kahu" model. Ditch it if its not required for your finance company. Return it to the dealer if they charged you and get a refund. If they didn't charge it, trash it.

Sledge hammer in its future ...

 

[lrb6805]

Updated my post, its a Spireon tracker, some say a "Kahu" model. Ditch it if its not required for your finance company. Return it to the dealer if they charged you and get a refund. If they didn't charge it, trash it.

Yep, I just pulled it. Its a Spireon tracker. I do remember getting a text from Lo-Jack a few days after purchase and I believe spireon own lo-jack now.

Regardless, I wasnt charged extra for anything so no loss, but also dont want a 3rd party tracker without me knowing. So its out now.

 

[Havoc1]

Lol I remember yanking my fair share of these out of customer vehicles that were purchased from "buy here pay here" dealers

 

[Blitzjb]

Some finance companies use them to track the car if they need to repossess

 

[Dayton1984]

In all reality gov can track you via your cell, watch, facial recognition etc. however if you didn’t get charged and plan on paying for your vehicle not running from repot it can also have benefits. With my Acura, dealer gave me the option to remove it and I think total cost keeping it was maybe $250?
The reason I actually chose to keep it as because you can keep an app on your phone and in case you are parked on vacation or a shady area you can see on the app exactly where your car is. If your bronco ever got stolen the police can look that up as well, at least until it’s been removed. Gave me some piece of mind when I have been away to see it’s not been driven and where it is etc.

 

[Jawaburger]

In all reality gov can track you via your cell, watch, facial recognition etc. however if you didn’t get charged and plan on paying for your vehicle not running from repot it can also have benefits. With my Acura, dealer gave me the option to remove it and I think total cost keeping it was maybe $250?
The reason I actually chose to keep it as because you can keep an app on your phone and in case you are parked on vacation or a shady area you can see on the app exactly where your car is. If your bronco ever got stolen the police can look that up as well, at least until it’s been removed. Gave me some piece of mind when I have been away to see it’s not been driven and where it is etc.

The Ford Pass App does all that, so the OP should feel free to remove it since all of the "benefits" of the dealer installed tracker are redundant.

Sponsored