Uconnect fees

[CanuckRam1313]

What unit did you buy

I went all in an purchased a Kenwood Excelon Reference DMX957XR.
I personally prefer the head unit to be in dash as opposed to the larger floating screen.

Check out Crutchfield as they have many head units within a good budget.

If you want all out, they have that too.

 

[RamDiver]

Wasn't talking about irregularities. That is where you can set preferences for shortest distance, or shortest time.

I was certain that I had configured the Nav for the shortest time because I've always set my GPS' that way. To be honest, I can't find that setting anywhere and have toured the settings many times.

Could you please provide the exact path to this setting for shortest time?

I've used a GPS in all of my vehicles before the Ram (for the past ~ 18 years) and have to wonder if I was thinking of those units and my Ram doesn't have this configuration option.

.

 

[mikemal57]

I called uconnect and I was told the one time activation fee was $600 and since I have a 2016 ram the maps that are that old and the map update would be $140. This is driven by Chrysler - unbelievable

 

[RamDiver]

I called uconnect and I was told the one time activation fee was $600 and since I have a 2016 ram the maps that are that old and the map update would be $140. This is driven by Chrysler - unbelievable

Before I'd consider spending that kind of money for a Uconnect device, I'd look at aftermarket replacements first.

I went all in an purchased a Kenwood Excelon Reference DMX957XR.
I personally prefer the head unit to be in dash as opposed to the larger floating screen.

Check out Crutchfield as they have many head units within a good budget.

If you want all out, they have that too.

Kenwood Excelon DMX957XR

Digital multimedia receiver (does not play CDs)

www.crutchfield.com

Kenwood Excelon Reference DMX957XR at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

.

 

[JW2 Innovations]

I called uconnect and I was told the one time activation fee was $600 and since I have a 2016 ram the maps that are that old and the map update would be $140. This is driven by Chrysler - unbelievable

I bought a 2016 2500 with 8.4 Nav radio in it and the radio itself was on the original version of firmware from the day it was sold (map version 2014). I found the updates across several different forums and slowly version by version updated the radio to the newest version - for free. Not the NAV maps, but the version of firmware the radio runs on which is required to be on the latest in order to update the NAV maps data. Once I was on the latest version of firmware, I then went online and ordered the latest Nav maps. Last fall there was a sale for $99.00 for up to 2022 NAV maps which I was able to update since I was now on the latest firmware for the radio. Did it all my self out in the driveway with battery charger on the truck while it was in the run position on push to start button.

Is there a risk to doing this? Yes, if you skip too far in versions on the radio firmware in updating it you could brick your radio. But I also found many that before me had done this successfully, so I gave it a try and it worked out fine. Your truck, your call certainly.

I will also add this.....when I contacted UConnect to see if they could straighten out my ability to download the firmware software myself via their website (because their website indicated I was fully up to date - and since version was pretty old I knew that wasn't true). And with the call and emails that followed a few things became apparent to me:

1 - UConnect reps I spoke to are just following a script. And know absolutely nothing about how updates to older trucks work. Remote radio updates for UConnect (which I am guessing is what they are trying to charge you $600 to get hooked back up to) do NOT work any longer for radios that are older than 2018. The reason they stopped working is due to the wireless technology being sunset - 3g. So there isn't any way possible today for remote downloads to work, because your truck can no longer get to their system now that 3g is dead. But anyone you talk to at UConnect can't speak past the script in front of them, including who they go talk to when they put you on hold. Clueless.

2 - They can't seem to reset your account with your connected truck's VIN to allow you to download all versions of firmware necessary to get to the newest one. Remember, you have to take the updates step by step so you will need as many as how old your firmware version is. So that leaves you searching forums like this one to gather up each one, once you figure out how many you will need. Get your radio type, P/N, version of FW currently on, etc to start the journey. And if like me where my truck was sold in Canada, well there's a completely different set of FW files you'll have to get as US and Canada FW files were different on some of them.


I'm now all up to date with FW and NAV Maps to latest versions. All for my time, a USB memory stick, and $99.00 for latest NAV maps when it was on sale AND AFTER I got all FW updates completed.

BTW...dealer told me they would charge $185 per FW update version to upgrade me, which was like 6 versions old - which I obviously declined.

 

[jejb]

Before I'd consider spending that kind of money for a Uconnect device, I'd look at aftermarket replacements first.

Kenwood Excelon DMX957XR

Digital multimedia receiver (does not play CDs)

www.crutchfield.com

Kenwood Excelon Reference DMX957XR at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

.

I have an Excelon in our diesel pusher and had a Pioneer NEX in another vehicle. I much prefer the NEX. Easier to operate, much more intuitive user interface.

 

[Marshall]

JW2, I am still running the 2014 Canadian maps, in my 2014 truck.
I think It will just stay that way.
I don't mind fiddling with this stuff, but I don't really care and don't want to bugger it as it works fine and as I said before, I don't ever get lost, just take the long way for the scenery sometimes.

 

[JW2 Innovations]

JW2, I am still running the 2014 Canadian maps, in my 2014 truck.
I think It will just stay that way.
I don't mind fiddling with this stuff, but I don't really care and don't want to bugger it as it works fine and as I said before, I don't ever get lost, just take the long way for the scenery sometimes.

Totally understand. I held off for a bit tpo till I towed the boat a few hours away that we'd never been to before and ended up on long dead end road...off map. Was just long enough for me to say screw it and start the firmware update path when i got home. Other than each one taking a bit when updating, the most time was in research and finding the right FW versions for my setup since Canadian.

 

[Mohican69]

There may be something wrong with OPs opening statement. Nobody's ever heard of a 600 activation fee. Who would pay it anyway?

Not sure what vehicle he has but in my month old 24 Laramie there was no activation fee. Hum.

I did check with uconnect and they say their map update fee is $149, and of course you can put that off for as many years as you like.

You're right. Uconnect is $750 for my 2014 1500. They are constantly sending me emails with a discount coupon for $150 discount to activate their ****** navigation on my truck. Mine didn't come with navigation but I can have it activated at the dealership as long as I pay their extortion fee for it. Sure I would like to have the convenience of it but no way in hell is it worth $500, discount or not. When I got the first email I thought they were offering to activate it for $150... Not giving me $150 off. When I checked with the dealership what the cost was I couldn't control my laughter as I was leaving.

 

[clifford15]

This link to eBay is an RA3 nav activation for $160.
eBay LINK
Back is 2018 I activated the Nav on my RA3 from Navi-expert-UK for $125 but it looks like he is out of uconnect updates right now.

 

[markabby]

find your 12" screen information:

Ram 1500 Things You Might Not Know #3 - Dealer Mode on the 12 inch Screen

You can access the Deal Mode through the 12 inch screen on your Ram 1500 by holding the first and last button on the bottom of the display for about 6 second...

www.youtube.com

 

[man n black]

I called uconnect and I was told the one time activation fee was $600 and since I have a 2016 ram the maps that are that old and the map update would be $140. This is driven by Chrysler - unbelievable

Honestly...for that kind of money you should just get one of these that is compatible with your year and be done with it: https://phoenixautomotiveinc.com/pr...or-dodge-ram-2009-2018?variant=42611170934970

Ch