Is RAM still charging for Uconnect?

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Lamarsh

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When I got my 2018 Ram, I activated the 1 year Uconnect app thing. It worked ok, was nice to be able to remote start my truck far away, and check it's locked, etc, but nothing I couldn't live without, so when I realized they wanted $30/month for it I just said heck no. Fast forward to when I got my 2020 Rebel, I didn't even bother activating it, and let the free 1 year just lapse.

Was just wondering if anybody knows whether Ram still charges for this BS? I recently developed a need for it, but not really enough to pay all that money, but it would be nice if it was available for free or nominal cost. Most other manufacturers don't charge for a similar app--I know Ford doesn't, my brother has it on his F150 at no cost forever.
 

mikeru

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Yes, they still charge for it. Mine just expired on May 1st, and of course they had been emailing me every day of the previous week to renew. It's too much to pay for what it is.
 

Stavinksi

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On my ‘17 I never activated it but I had clicked it to look at it a few times. They eventually sent me a cheaper rate offer. Still wasn’t worth it for what it is and I just suffered with the key fob. I’m surprised I survived without a therapist but here I am.
 

RDNKB34R

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On my ‘17 I never activated it but I had clicked it to look at it a few times. They eventually sent me a cheaper rate offer. Still wasn’t worth it for what it is and I just suffered with the key fob. I’m surprised I survived without a therapist but here I am.
Oh you poor thing. Do you need a fuzzy blanket and a beer?

( insert sarcasm)
 

crash68

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I recently developed a need for it, but not really enough to pay all that money, but it would be nice if it was available for free or nominal cost.
You could go aftermarket to be able to remote lock/unlock, start the vehicle, etc, look into the Viper Smart Start system.
There is two plans, a basic Secure plan for $70/yr or a GPS Premium plan is $120/yr
 
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Lamarsh

Lamarsh

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It's too much to pay for what it is.
Still wasn’t worth it for what it is
I have an issue paying for something this simple and paying that much when I look at my wife's car, 2016 Hyundai Accent, it came with it, for free.

Yeah, I find it pretty shocking. Nearly the same software/app is free in my brother's F150. What this app gives most truck owners may not be enough for this to matter, but it's still pretty shocking Ram has decided to make this an a la carte item to bone its owners on. I'm pretty sure most of the European manufacturers offer something similar for free as well.

of course they had been emailing me every day of the previous week to renew

The reason I didn't even activate it on my 2020 Rebel was because once my free year was up on my 2018, I kept getting emails from Uconnect stating my location and other things like that, and it took me like 4-5 phone calls to tell them I didn't want the service and wanted them to stop tracking my location and such. Not even sure they ever actually stopped the tracking or data collection, but I stopped getting the emails.
 

mikeru

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I got an email yesterday telling me my guardian service had expired, and offering 6 months of service for $60. At least I got a laugh from that. Even at $10 a month it's not worth it for me. And then of course, the price would go back to normal after 6 months. And knowing me I'd forget to cancel it until I'd been billed a couple times. I dislike disgusting tactics like this, designed to separate us from our hard earned money. :disgust:
 

GTyankee

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It does not matter if you pay for any Uconnect or Guardian Service or not.
They can get a call from the cops & they have the ability to connect to your vehicle & cause your vehicle to run on 2 cylinders
They can't just shut off the engine, because you need some power to steer & brake

If asked, they tell you that it is a function used to retrieve your vehicle if stolen.

Chevy started that with On Star, now everyone has it

To me, it is the real Big Brother
not the tv show
 
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mikeru

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It does not matter if you pay for any Uconnect or Guardian Service or not.
They can get a call from the cops & they have the ability to connect to your vehicle & cause your vehicle to run on 2 cylinders
They can't just shut off the engine, because you need some power to steer & brake

If asked, they tell you that it is a function used to retrieve your vehicle if stolen.

Chevy started that with On Star, now everyone has it

To me, it is the real Big Brother
not the tv show
You forgot to preface that with "I'm putting on my tin foil hat".

Theoretically all manufacturers would have that ability. That's one of the downsides of owning such a high tech piece of equipment. And if the cops call and ask them to disable 6 of 8 cylinders (I'm dubious that they even can do that), it would mean you probably did something to warrant it, and are fleeing law enforcement. At this point I'm wondering why you even own a vehicle newer than 1980.
 

GTyankee

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LOL
I thought that i would just throw in the bit about what they can do, if they had the need to

The thing about cutting the engine down so that a person can not get away is true.
It used to be that they would just shut off the CPU & stop the vehicle, but they had to many crashes.
So they had to leave the vehicle with just enough juice to run the steering & brakes

this just informs the owner of a Chrysler vehicle about using Uconnect & your GPS signal to try to retrieve your Stolen vehicle


If you think it can't be done

Can police use OnStar to stop a car?

OnStar, in cooperation with law enforcement, was able to send a signal to the car to bring it to an idle speed and allow law enforcement to stop the pursuit. Mar 31, 2021

This was far from the first time that power cut off was used by any company
 
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GTyankee

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you won't believe what car companies are mandated to do in 2026
A electronic kill switch will be mandated in all newly manufactured vehicles

Chances are that the technology won't be advanced enough to be ready by that time
But someone is trying to make it happen

 

mikeru

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LOL
I thought that i would just throw in the bit about what they can do, if they had the need to

The thing about cutting the engine down so that a person can not get away is true.
It used to be that they would just shut off the CPU & stop the vehicle, but they had to many crashes.
So they had to leave the vehicle with just enough juice to run the steering & brakes

this just informs the owner of a Chrysler vehicle about using Uconnect & your GPS signal to try to retrieve your Stolen vehicle


If you think it can't be done

Can police use OnStar to stop a car?

OnStar, in cooperation with law enforcement, was able to send a signal to the car to bring it to an idle speed and allow law enforcement to stop the pursuit. Mar 31, 2021

This was far from the first time that power cut off was used by any company
The tin foil hat comment was just for fun. :D

I never doubted that they can kill an engine remotely. I've read about that happening in recent years. Your claim that they can cut your V8 down to two cylinders is what I'm a little dubious about, and is certainly not the same as simply killing the engine. I don't believe they have the ability to do that, at least with the current vehicles on the road.
 

William Atherton

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When I got my 2018 Ram, I activated the 1 year Uconnect app thing. It worked ok, was nice to be able to remote start my truck far away, and check it's locked, etc, but nothing I couldn't live without, so when I realized they wanted $30/month for it I just said heck no. Fast forward to when I got my 2020 Rebel, I didn't even bother activating it, and let the free 1 year just lapse.

Was just wondering if anybody knows whether Ram still charges for this BS? I recently developed a need for it, but not really enough to pay all that money, but it would be nice if it was available for free or nominal cost. Most other manufacturers don't charge for a similar app--I know Ford doesn't, my brother has it on his F150 at no cost forever.
They got rid of the 3g adaptir and eeplaced with 4g att plug for the ODB poet. I paid $30 previously but jow it's $10/mo. Check iit out again.
 

Rzrbrn

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The Russians commandeered a great number of John Deere tractors and farm implements in the Ukraine and carted them off to Russia. Then John Deere remotely deactivated the units and now they are totally useless. If JD can do it for farm equipment, I'm thinking car companies can do it for vehicles.

I did not pay for Uconnect from the get go on my 2019 Laramie 2500. The problem is I just got an email that stated CarPlay and Google have been updated and greatly improved the app on the RAM. To do the update it appears I have 2 choices: 1 use Uconnect (which I have not activated) or take it to a dealership. I tried to use Uconnect without using the subscription service, but it did not seem to work to update CarPlay.
 
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Sheem2153

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I'll provide my experience regarding the new 4G adapter. Yes, it's $10.00 a month with a 1 year contract on the adapter. Cancel before the year then you pay full price for adapter. My vehicle stays at home all week long with rate usage on the weekend so after installing the adapter in November I never needed to use it. Fast forward to February I start getting emails stating the adapter needs software update. Followed instructions. Next month same thing. Needs software update. A few weeks later same thing. Called Uconnect to be told I need to drive the vehicle for at least 5 trips of 15 minute round trips in the coverage area. Did that to no avail. The adapter , uses T-mobile network which I have no coverage at my home. Tech support asked me to drive 26 miles away to go sit at a park in order for the adapter to get good enough signal for them to troubleshoot why it isn't functioning. Canceled the service because if it will not work from my home who is to say it will function in other areas that I may need the functions. They will not or cannot chance carrier's to remedy this issue. Verizon is the only cell service that works for Mr.
 
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