Does my radio have a cellular connection? - Uconnect3

[Kart20]

I have a 2021 Tradesman with the lowest level radio. I think it's a Uconnect3. I don't have GPS or Android Auto or any of that stuff.

I was offered to sign up for some Uconnect application on my cell phone so I could do some remote start or some other useless bunk. I didn't pay for it. But, it leads me to believe my truck has some kind of transmitter/receiver in it. The antenna on the roof is just a flat, black plastic piece. It is not a shark fin shape like I see on most vehicles these days.

I'm wondering if my truck/radio has any kind of connection to GPS or cell service or whatever other technology is out there. I really don't need or want my truck to have an antenna to the grid or whatever electronic wizardry is out there.

If my radio has some kind of antenna by which I can download Uconnect software updates or what not, is there a way I can disconnect the antenna or otherwise shut that stuff off? I'll admit that the Bluetooth connection is kind of nice when I want to stream some audio from my phone. But I can do plug a wire into my phone or .mp3 player just as easily. I'd really rather my truck "off the grid", so to speak. I really don't need it to download updates for the radio or upload vehicle information to Chrysler or anyone else. So, I'd like my truck to go dark if possible.

 

[Docwagon1776]

The app works through the SiriusXM antenna. See: SiriusXM Guardian if you want to learn how it works or it's capabilities.

 

[Kart20]

Thanks. I looked into the SiriusXM Guardian and UConnect 3. Sure looks like the truck has a satellite link of some kind.

So, if I could unlock the doors, start the engine, flash the lights, etc. using my cell phone account with SiriusXM, then other people could do the same thing if they could access SiriusXM or some other satellite signal.

I really don't need or want anyone else having access to my vehicle through a satellite link - I don't care who they are.

How do I disable that electrickery? I remember seeing instructions on how to disable the OnStar system on a Chevrolet. Does anyone know how to disable the SiriusXM antenna on a 2021 Ram?

 

[Kart20]

A little browsing turned up the following:

satellite/cell antenna info

Looks like my truck has satellite antenna only (no cellular antenna) with the puck on the roof - no shark fin. Disconnecting it seems to be as easy as pulling the inside cover off the passenger side A-pillar and disconnecting the blue wires. And easy to reconnect if I decide I want a satellite connection for some reason.

 

[tinkerbotstl]

I have a 2021 Tradesman with the lowest level radio. I think it's a Uconnect3. I don't have GPS or Android Auto or any of that stuff.

I was offered to sign up for some Uconnect application on my cell phone so I could do some remote start or some other useless bunk. I didn't pay for it. But, it leads me to believe my truck has some kind of transmitter/receiver in it. The antenna on the roof is just a flat, black plastic piece. It is not a shark fin shape like I see on most vehicles these days.

I'm wondering if my truck/radio has any kind of connection to GPS or cell service or whatever other technology is out there. I really don't need or want my truck to have an antenna to the grid or whatever electronic wizardry is out there.

If my radio has some kind of antenna by which I can download Uconnect software updates or what not, is there a way I can disconnect the antenna or otherwise shut that stuff off? I'll admit that the Bluetooth connection is kind of nice when I want to stream some audio from my phone. But I can do plug a wire into my phone or .mp3 player just as easily. I'd really rather my truck "off the grid", so to speak. I really don't need it to download updates for the radio or upload vehicle information to Chrysler or anyone else. So, I'd like my truck to go dark if possible.

Some notes for you and whoever else comes across this later on, I have a Dodge Ram 1500 2015 Big Horn model and it has both satellite and the cellular connection, they are not the same thing. The cellular connection is for the cell phone and for the remote control of the vehicle. The satellite is for the satellite radio. If you're lucky you can find things online, but with my version of the Uconnect syatem you can attempt to disable things. My generation of vehicle, the Gen 4 Rams are susceptible to hacking as documented in lawsuits against the manufacturer which you can find online. They claim to have fixed this with mandatory software updates, yikes I don't want them doing that either. I canceled uconnect cuz it's just creepy especially now that we know what's going on with the pandemic. I disconnected the cellular antenna which again is documented online and created a terminating connector out of the connector I disconnected and a apx 10 Ohm resistor. FYI my car has always made noises when it was sitting still and I thought it was the vacuum controlled vents preparing to open and close, but it's actually the radio/uconnect system attempting to communicate, just like if you put your cell phone next to some speakers you can hear noises in the speakers everytime the phone tries to communicate to the cell phone towers. It does this all the time even when it's been off for a while. Utilizing documentation I found online I put an on off switch in between the radio and the power wire that comes from the pigtail at the back of the radio so that I can shut the damn thing off completely when I feel like it. What first gave me the idea to do this was my Bluetooth would lock up on long road trips and I didn't want to pull over to shut everything off and wait for everything to settle out which takes like some ridiculous amount of time, but it has the added benefit of letting me know I'm not being tracked or listened to buy my radio still Broadcasting a week signal through the resistor. There's a lot of information available on this online in different places. Good luck finding some solutions that works for your make and model and is within your capabilities to do something about.

 

[GTyankee]

Your phone connects to your Ram radio through Bluetooth for calling people & voice messaging
I think that you can push the talk button on the left side of the steering wheel & say the word HELP, you may be able to send someone a 4 word text, i don't know, because i don't text anyone, i voice message

IF you load APPS to your phone & pay a Uconnect or Sirius monthly fee, then you are using Uconnect

If you don't pay that fee, you stay as DARK as possible

Your cell phone uses the regular cell phone towers like if you were in a mall or in the middle of a park

Once you pay that Uconnect Fee & use the cell phone in the vehicle, i am pretty sure that you are using Satellites or satellite towers or maybe some cell towers combination

I bought a Flip Phone in 2009, i don't pay anything but the cost of my phone service.

I have to use the FOBs to unlock my doors & start my Ram, unless i do it manually

 

[Kart20]

I unplugged the satellite antenna on my truck. It was easy to do. I just took off the cover from the passenger side interior A pillar and disconnected the wires.

The downside is that the internal compass no longer works. That kind of stinks because I really did like having the built-in compass. But for the time being, I'd rather disconnect my truck from the satellite network than have a working compass.

I do wonder if merely disconnecting the antenna is enough to prevent my radio from communicating with the SiriusXM satellites. It could be that even without the antenna, enough signal sometimes still reaches the "radio". I don't know how that works. The fact that the compass does NOT work makes me believe that no adequate connection is being made.