Just got Alpha OBD, have some questions about what features I can add and how to add them.

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corneileous

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I posted this in the sticky Alpha OBD thread but haven’t gotten any replies so I figured I’d create a new thread.

Anywho, I finally jumped on the Alpha OBD train. Got my security module bypass from kaodtech.com and was instructed from someone at alphaobd.com to use the OBDlink EX USB cable for my laptop which is a MacBook Pro that I’m running Windows 11 on via Bootcamp. Seems to work fine.

So far i’ve disabled the fog light drop out with high beams and enabled the global windows down function just for grins and giggles but I don’t know what else I can change right off hand. My truck is a 2018 limited 1500 so I don’t really have to have it to add all the other stuff to it like most people do when they get a base-model truck and add the features they want.

My turn signal DRL‘s was already activated from a dealer but how do I set it up to where I can have the option to turn it off from the Uconnect settings, or is that even possible? I’ve seen where some people have that option but I don’t know how to do it on my truck. Yesterday I completely deactivated the DRL’s and saw another entry under the BCM that I assumed meant the customer could activate and deactivate the DRL’s at random without hooking up to the computer but it didn’t seem to do anything being that I think it was already enabled but before I changed anything, the DRL configuration was set to optional DRL and the location was set to dedicated rather than turn signal but the turn signals was still my DRL.

Is there anyway that I can completely disable the weather alerts on the screen and is there a way I can use alpha OBD two make my navigation to where I can enter text on the keyboard while the truck is in motion? I responded to an old thread yesterday were somebody replied and said that you pretty much have to disable the whole TravelLink feature but upon disabling that, I don’t think it did anything but I guess I’ll just have to wait and see the next time we have a wind advisory or anything like that to see whether or not that weather alert keeps popping up.

Right now, I have some canbus-friendly LEDs in my license plate lights but if I was to ever put in just plain LEDs back in there, I would have to change the settings to where the truck knows that the bulbs that are in there are LED, correct? Also, I have an aftermarket third brake light/cargo light that is all completely LED so is there a setting that needs to be changed for that as well?

If I’m not mistaken, I think I found a video on YouTube that shows how to change the values for the ride height sensors for the guys who have the air ride suspension to where basically they can lift or level the front of the truck without having to use those aftermarket adjustable links; is this true?

If I was ever to go back to LED highbeams and fog lights and if I could find an LED bulb that works OK in the factory projectors, would setting all of those up for LED still require me to use all that extra stuff that comes with those lights like the igniter‘s and the anti-flicker things?

As far as the security module bypass cable goes, as long as the dealership didn’t have to do anything underneath the steering column, can I leave that bypass cable hooked up under the dash to where the dealer can still access my computer and all that stuff being that the factory OBD II port is plugged into the security module bypass cable? I guess it’s no biggie if I have to take it out but if I don’t have to, I’d rather not.

If I was ever to replace my thermostat with like a 185 or a 180° thermostat, is there any way to change what temperature the condenser fan turns on at? And if I was to say, delete the whole entire active grill shutter, can alpha OBD turn that off so that it won’t cause a check engine light if it doesn’t see it present anymore or would I still have to buy that kit from that guy that still allows the AGS motor to work the way it needs to?​


Thanks.
 
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corneileous

corneileous

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NAV in motion = Nope
Oh well, even though it was something I wished I had on previous vehicles and was thrilled at first to have on my new truck but after only using it less than 10 times in the 4 1/2 years I’ve had this truck, I guess I can live without that.

What about that other stuff?
 

18harvest

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Isn't there a weather alerts on off thing in the nav menu?I haven't noticed any settings for fan temp or active shutters.for the most part if you have a loaded truck other than tire size,tpms,axle ratio and a few other things I think thats it with alpha obd.its awesome for us with a tradesman or express though.
 

Atcer2018

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As far as the security module bypass cable goes, as long as the dealership didn’t have to do anything underneath the steering column, can I leave that bypass cable hooked up under the dash to where the dealer can still access my computer and all that stuff being that the factory OBD II port is plugged into the security module bypass cable? I guess it’s no biggie if I have to take it out but if I don’t have to, I’d rather not.
I have the same bypass cable in my 2018 BigHorn from when I installed keyless-n-go. I’ve had my truck in for warranty work including replacing a delaminated 8.4 radio and my dealer never said a word about the bypass cable. I’m assuming it depends on the individual dealer.
 
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corneileous

corneileous

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Isn't there a weather alerts on off thing in the nav menu?I haven't noticed any settings for fan temp or active shutters.for the most part if you have a loaded truck other than tire size,tpms,axle ratio and a few other things I think thats it with alpha obd.its awesome for us with a tradesman or express though.
Yeah, there is but well, I guess untill we get another wind advisory or other severe weather alert, I see if whether or not turning off the travel link fully disabled it or not.

But yeah, you can go into that and de-select all those options on the right of the screen but for wind alerts, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, there is no option.

If I could ever get the re-writing of the suspension ride-heights to work, I’d be happy with even the little stuff I’ve done.
 
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corneileous

corneileous

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I have the same bypass cable in my 2018 BigHorn from when I installed keyless-n-go. I’ve had my truck in for warranty work including replacing a delaminated 8.4 radio and my dealer never said a word about the bypass cable. I’m assuming it depends on the individual dealer.
That’s good to hear and I spose it could be dependent on your dealer but being how it looks like how the bypass cable works, all the original terminals in the original OBD port are still used in the new port with the addition of the new 4 wires that come out of it and connect to that green and white thing up under the dash.
 

crash68

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My turn signal DRL‘s was already activated from a dealer but how do I set it up to where I can have the option to turn it off from the Uconnect settings, or is that even possible?
Copied from the Known Working List:
CBC Features: DRL Configuration
Select “Optional DRL”
CBC Features: DRL Lamp location (several to choose from, high beam, low beam, fog lamp, dedicated and SRT Light Bar) Known working high beam, low beam, turn signal and fog lamp.
CBC Features: DRL Dropout Enabled
Select “yes”
ECU 3: DRL Customer Setting Enable/Disable
Select “yes”
Customer Service Menus: Daytime Running Lights CSM
Select “yes”

It's probably just the last two but these are the ones I changed for my dedicated DRLs. There is an option in the radio to turn the DRLs On/Off.
The DRL Dropout is to turn the DRL off when the turn signal is active, this is noticable when the DRLs are white. People have had problems when using the Dropout if the Low or High beams are selected as the DRLs
 

Jim BB

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i have a 2019 classis express with 5.7 Hemi 8spd trans what can i change or add with a alpha odb Ie alarm settings rain sensor mirrors and audio? these are things i would like to add ! will i need dealer codes?
 

G-Ride990

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i have a 2019 classis express with 5.7 Hemi 8spd trans what can i change or add with a alpha odb Ie alarm settings rain sensor mirrors and audio? these are things i would like to add ! will i need dealer codes?

Post 1 has all the info you need
 

crash68

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i have a 2019 classis express with 5.7 Hemi 8spd trans what can i change or add with a alpha odb Ie alarm settings rain sensor mirrors and audio? these are things i would like to add ! will i need dealer codes?
Go read through the first post of this thread: https://www.ramforum.com/threads/alfaobd.123982/
Some things have changed but pretty much the what and how of making changes are still the same.
 

PaleFlyer

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Isn't there a weather alerts on off thing in the nav menu?I haven't noticed any settings for fan temp or active shutters.for the most part if you have a loaded truck other than tire size,tpms,axle ratio and a few other things I think thats it with alpha obd.its awesome for us with a tradesman or express though.
As someone with a Rebel, which seems to be a "loaded" truck... I'm still looking at Alfa (or a competitor) to be able to do things. RAM (Fiat/Chrysler) really missed the ball on things we should be able to do in our trucks IMHO. I actually wish I had started with Alfa, instead of starting with LED's, as I feel dumb for buying all these CANBUS compatible LED's (they add a resistor IN the plug area, so extra heat IN the plug itself to "trick" the CANBUS system, by increasing the power draw to be equivalent to the old Halogen/Incandescent bulbs). If I had started with Alfa, I could have just set LED mode, and bought cheaper LED's.

They "want" us to come in for them to do the work (which I understand from a business perspective), but from what I have heard, most of the dealers can't/won't do half the stuff we know is possible. (IE basically help us take a base/lower model truck, and convert it to a higher model.) And GM is no better from my sister trying to get Tow Mirrors on her Sierra. (She has auto folder standards, but they tell her she can't have auto folder tows, which they actually seem to have, unlike RAM.)
 

Justthebutler

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I posted this in the sticky Alpha OBD thread but haven’t gotten any replies so I figured I’d create a new thread.

Anywho, I finally jumped on the Alpha OBD train. Got my security module bypass from kaodtech.com and was instructed from someone at alphaobd.com to use the OBDlink EX USB cable for my laptop which is a MacBook Pro that I’m running Windows 11 on via Bootcamp. Seems to work fine.

So far i’ve disabled the fog light drop out with high beams and enabled the global windows down function just for grins and giggles but I don’t know what else I can change right off hand. My truck is a 2018 limited 1500 so I don’t really have to have it to add all the other stuff to it like most people do when they get a base-model truck and add the features they want.

My turn signal DRL‘s was already activated from a dealer but how do I set it up to where I can have the option to turn it off from the Uconnect settings, or is that even possible? I’ve seen where some people have that option but I don’t know how to do it on my truck. Yesterday I completely deactivated the DRL’s and saw another entry under the BCM that I assumed meant the customer could activate and deactivate the DRL’s at random without hooking up to the computer but it didn’t seem to do anything being that I think it was already enabled but before I changed anything, the DRL configuration was set to optional DRL and the location was set to dedicated rather than turn signal but the turn signals was still my DRL.

Is there anyway that I can completely disable the weather alerts on the screen and is there a way I can use alpha OBD two make my navigation to where I can enter text on the keyboard while the truck is in motion? I responded to an old thread yesterday were somebody replied and said that you pretty much have to disable the whole TravelLink feature but upon disabling that, I don’t think it did anything but I guess I’ll just have to wait and see the next time we have a wind advisory or anything like that to see whether or not that weather alert keeps popping up.

Right now, I have some canbus-friendly LEDs in my license plate lights but if I was to ever put in just plain LEDs back in there, I would have to change the settings to where the truck knows that the bulbs that are in there are LED, correct? Also, I have an aftermarket third brake light/cargo light that is all completely LED so is there a setting that needs to be changed for that as well?

If I’m not mistaken, I think I found a video on YouTube that shows how to change the values for the ride height sensors for the guys who have the air ride suspension to where basically they can lift or level the front of the truck without having to use those aftermarket adjustable links; is this true?

If I was ever to go back to LED highbeams and fog lights and if I could find an LED bulb that works OK in the factory projectors, would setting all of those up for LED still require me to use all that extra stuff that comes with those lights like the igniter‘s and the anti-flicker things?

As far as the security module bypass cable goes, as long as the dealership didn’t have to do anything underneath the steering column, can I leave that bypass cable hooked up under the dash to where the dealer can still access my computer and all that stuff being that the factory OBD II port is plugged into the security module bypass cable? I guess it’s no biggie if I have to take it out but if I don’t have to, I’d rather not.

If I was ever to replace my thermostat with like a 185 or a 180° thermostat, is there any way to change what temperature the condenser fan turns on at? And if I was to say, delete the whole entire active grill shutter, can alpha OBD turn that off so that it won’t cause a check engine light if it doesn’t see it present anymore or would I still have to buy that kit from that guy that still allows the AGS motor to work the way it needs to?​


Thanks.

NAV in motion = Nope
You can disable Navigation Lockout with Alpha OBD, then you can use full input Nav in motion
 

Highway

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As someone with a Rebel, which seems to be a "loaded" truck... I'm still looking at Alfa (or a competitor) to be able to do things. RAM (Fiat/Chrysler) really missed the ball on things we should be able to do in our trucks IMHO. I actually wish I had started with Alfa, instead of starting with LED's, as I feel dumb for buying all these CANBUS compatible LED's (they add a resistor IN the plug area, so extra heat IN the plug itself to "trick" the CANBUS system, by increasing the power draw to be equivalent to the old Halogen/Incandescent bulbs). If I had started with Alfa, I could have just set LED mode, and bought cheaper LED's.

They "want" us to come in for them to do the work (which I understand from a business perspective), but from what I have heard, most of the dealers can't/won't do half the stuff we know is possible. (IE basically help us take a base/lower model truck, and convert it to a higher model.) And GM is no better from my sister trying to get Tow Mirrors on her Sierra. (She has auto folder standards, but they tell her she can't have auto folder tows, which they actually seem to have, unlike RAM.)
Are you saying that if the headligh LED bulbs are CANBUS compatible then you do not need to use alphaOBD to change LED ?
 

1SloRam

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Are you saying that if the headligh LED bulbs are CANBUS compatible then you do not need to use alphaOBD to change LED ?
Before I had AlfaOBD I bought LasFit canbus license plate lights, it did not throw any codes. The canbus lights are designed to prevent those codes, hence the price difference. So, to answer your question, yes. But if you have AlfaOBD, it wouldn’t hurt.
 
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