Uconnect, Is It Really Worth It?

[WillieG]

I bought a new 2025 Ram 2500 Limited in March of 2025. I am debating as to what I would lose by not getting the subscription to Uconnect when it expires. People use to get 6 months free or even a year free, now it is just 3 months. I have read a lot of articles about the privacy loss in any phone connection system and similar systems for newer cars and how they are really all about nothing more than a way to collect data on the driver/owner. Manufactures are now insisting and in some ways ensuring drivers purchase the subscription services, BMW turns off your heated seats function if you don’t subscribe. The introduction of AI and requirements to enable exact locations, sold as a 911 emergency location of your vehicle, is a tool for marketing. Recently Volvo decided on select models not to up date the electronics in vehicles sold as recently as 2022. Insurance companies buy the information of your vehicle to see your driving habits and in some cases so do the lawyers from other individuals involved in accidents. Does anyone else have any thoughts about the subscription services and loss of privacy? There was a huge PDF which discusses this issue in depth based on Canadian vehicles and more recently MotorTrend had this article:

https://www.motortrend.com/news/connected-services-app-ota-support-subscription-features-tech-cut-off

Just hear what people thought of the pros and cons and whether they experienced any loss or degradation of services related to Uconnect. Thanks for reading.

 

[mtnrider]

First off your phone and internet presence collects FAR more data then unconnect will, second the truck will collect data whether you subscribe or not, and lastly it's a complete waste of money, don't even bother


.

 

[Mojo88]

First off your phone and internet presence collects FAR more data then unconnect will, second the truck will collect data whether you subscribe or not, and lastly it's a complete waste of money, don't even bother

Yeah, the phone is even almost certainly LISTENING all the time. The 4th Amendment has been eviscerated.

 

[Docwagon1776]

Uconnect is garbage compared to Android Auto or Apple Carplay and just using your phone.

 

[Mlarv5]

Uconnect is garbage compared to Android Auto or Apple Carplay and just using your phone.

I will agree to disagree on this. I live in an area that has pi$$ poor cell phone reception if I go 5 miles from my house in pretty much any direction I lose coverage. I may start out my day up north then end my day a few hundred miles in a different direction. I keep an old school GPS in my truck for just that reason. If you always travel in an area with cell reception then yes Apple Car Play or Android Auto will work for you. If you are constantly in and out of areas with cell reception then keep an old school GPS or get on-board Nav. I was in AZ last Nov heading from Yuma to the Grand Canyon 90% of the trip I didn't have coverage.

I won't pay for the subscription to U-connect or any auto makers App. They collect the information anyway, even if you don't subscribe. I have a Ford and they have a program called Ford Pass, it allows me to unlock the doors, remote start, schedule a remote start, tells me the maintenance etc. I had the Ram App it did some of those things. It stopped working May 7th because I will not pay for an App or what ever that I can use the key fob for. When I was up north I would schedule my F250 diesel to start 20 minutes before I went to work, it was -10 degrees F. It was nice getting into a warm truck. If I had to pay for the App I would have gotten into a cold truck.

No mater what you do, someone is watching.

 

[turkeybird56]

U Connect worth it heck no. But some ppl like it for the remote capability. Really comes down to do U need the small extras provided and do U want to pay the price?

 

[Docwagon1776]

I will agree to disagree on this. I live in an area that has pi$$ poor cell phone reception if I go 5 miles from my house in pretty much any direction I lose coverage. I may start out my day up north then end my day a few hundred miles in a different direction. I keep an old school GPS in my truck for just that reason. If you always travel in an area with cell reception then yes Apple Car Play or Android Auto will work for you. If you are constantly in and out of areas with cell reception then keep an old school GPS or get on-board Nav. I was in AZ last Nov heading from Yuma to the Grand Canyon 90% of the trip I didn't have coverage.

I won't pay for the subscription to U-connect or any auto makers App. They collect the information anyway, even if you don't subscribe. I have a Ford and they have a program called Ford Pass, it allows me to unlock the doors, remote start, schedule a remote start, tells me the maintenance etc. I had the Ram App it did some of those things. It stopped working May 7th because I will not pay for an App or what ever that I can use the key fob for. When I was up north I would schedule my F250 diesel to start 20 minutes before I went to work, it was -10 degrees F. It was nice getting into a warm truck. If I had to pay for the App I would have gotten into a cold truck.

No mater what you do, someone is watching.

You don't need cell network coverage to use GPS on your phone, it works the same as the old school GPS via triangulating sat signals.

Additionally, if you're using Google Maps, download the area to your phone. Then you can drop pins to navigate to, enter most addresses, etc. You won't get real time traffic updates with no cell coverage, but the GPS and navigation work fine. I do this for places like Death Valley when I know I won't have coverage and for foreign countries just to save data so I don't hit my monthly abroad data use quota and get slowed down.

*edit* if you don't know how to download maps, its simple. Instructions here: https://support.google.com/maps/answer/6291838?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform=Android

 

[BossHogg]

Additionally, if you're using Google Maps, download the area to your phone. Then you can drop pins to navigate to, enter most addresses, etc. You won't get real time traffic updates with no cell coverage, but the GPS and navigation work fine.

I didn't make any changes to my phone or settings, but it automatically preloads map data for my surrounding area. Both Waze and Google Maps have the map data when I'm traveling in large areas where there is no cell coverage. I was recently traveling in the plains of the upper Midwest with complete map data and the ability to search for and plot a route to a POI.

 

[Mlarv5]

Yes I can pre download maps if I know where I am going to end up. Google/ Waze/ Apple Maps will work in an area without coverage until you stop for lunch or a potty break, then when you go to start back up they can't find coverage. At least this has been my experience with them.

I prefer to keep an old school GPS that I keep up to date with me in my Ram. My F150 has built in Nav so I don't need the old school GPS.

To each their own, but remember one size fits all, doesn't fit anyone.

 

[CanuckRam1313]

Yes I can pre download maps if I know where I am going to end up. Google/ Waze/ Apple Maps will work in an area without coverage until you stop for lunch or a potty break, then when you go to start back up they can't find coverage. At least this has been my experience with them.

I prefer to keep an old school GPS that I keep up to date with me in my Ram. My F150 has built in Nav so I don't need the old school GPS.

To each their own, but remember one size fits all, doesn't fit anyone.

And here I was thinking my speedo fit perfectly

 

[turkeybird56]

Have an ancient Garmin that I carry when I travel just in case

 

[RamDiver]

During my last experience crossing southern Ontario, the POS Uconnect NAV drove me nuts.
I was constantly directed to take the next exit for the entire trip, but fortunately, I knew the best route was to stay on the 401.

There were also many erroneous breakdown alerts, most of which I didn't see any impaired vehicles on the side of the road. The hassle with these alerts was that they monopolized the entire NAV screen until I acknowledged the OK with a soft button.

As much as I appreciate the functionality of using Google Maps, besides the hateful & crappy GUI and tiny screen available on my Uconnect 8.4C, using this service disables my non-Google SMS (texting) app, which I refuse to accept.

I also carry an ancient traditional TomTom GPS for larger trips. It performed perfectly on the return trip, crossing Ontario.


Another potential workaround for the POS NAV on our trucks is using Google Maps or Waze with a tablet. I purchased a bracket that holds a tablet in front of the Uconnect screen.

The GUI/display size on the tablet GPS is an enormous improvement over using Google Maps or Waze on Uconnect through an Android phone. Ideally, a Bluetooth connection is needed to connect the tablet to a phone.

This project is still under development for me. I tested the functionality using an ancient Samsung 10.1 tablet and was very pleased with the display attributes. I purchased a recent model 10" tablet with the above-linked bracket, but haven't had the time to install it yet.

.

 

[turkeybird56]

Not travel enuf to go all through dat. Just use maps not google maps through I phone and have Garmin for emergencies.

Even with maps sometimes they give erroneous instructions. I also find sometimes I am already past a point at highway speeds before app catches up. Especially in poor cell areas or overloaded cell areas where there is not enuf coverage to meet demand.

 

[Mlarv5]

During my last experience crossing southern Ontario, the POS Uconnect NAV drove me nuts.
I was constantly directed to take the next exit for the entire trip, but fortunately, I knew the best route was to stay on the 401.

There were also many erroneous breakdown alerts, most of which I didn't see any impaired vehicles on the side of the road. The hassle with these alerts was that they monopolized the entire NAV screen until I acknowledged the OK with a soft button.

As much as I appreciate the functionality of using Google Maps, besides the hateful & crappy GUI and tiny screen available on my Uconnect 8.4C, using this service disables my non-Google SMS (texting) app, which I refuse to accept.

I also carry an ancient traditional TomTom GPS for larger trips. It performed perfectly on the return trip, crossing Ontario.


Another potential workaround for the POS NAV on our trucks is using Google Maps or Waze with a tablet. I purchased a bracket that holds a tablet in front of the Uconnect screen.

The GUI/display size on the tablet GPS is an enormous improvement over using Google Maps or Waze on Uconnect through an Android phone. Ideally, a Bluetooth connection is needed to connect the tablet to a phone.

This project is still under development for me. I tested the functionality using an ancient Samsung 10.1 tablet and was very pleased with the display attributes. I purchased a recent model 10" tablet with the above-linked bracket, but haven't had the time to install it yet.

.

I use an I-pad mini when I go off-roading to run my OnX maps. I swapped it into my truck to use Google Maps for a few trips I took. I liked the big screen and interface. The only issue I had was volume. I turn up songs when I like them and turn down songs I don't, the I-pad mini was at one volume while I was jamming, and almost missed the turn.