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Removing network connectivity from basically any new car is trivial, often as simple as pulling an easily accessible fuse. I'm guessing that you haven't actual

Removing network connectivity from basically any new car is trivial, often as simple as pulling an easily accessible fuse. I'm guessing that you haven't actually done this on "basically any new car". If you had tried, you would know that there is no fuse dedicated to "network connectivity". It is typically tied in with other, often essential functions like the engine control computer --- specifically in order to thwart a simple disconnect. What I have seen done is to tear into the right roof pillar and cut the wires going to the antenna on the roof. But this is usually not without consequences as well such as a perpetual error code display and/or the radio, navigation or entertainment functions stop working.

monerozcash 10mo ago
I've done this on a W222, a W223, a continental GT and an Urus. On each of those cars it was as easy as disconnecting the antenna, on none of them did I have to tear into the roof pillars. I've never seen an antenna that was difficult to disconnect, on the super simple end you have something like the W222 where you can literally just pop out the antenna cover on the roof and just remove the antenna module inside. >But this is usually not without consequences as well such as a perpetual error code display or the radio, navigation or entertainment functions stop working. Well sure, I do have cars without GPS because I was lazy. Carplay still works fine, so can't really bother to do anything about it.
- jen20 10mo ago
  > Carplay still works fine, so can't really bother to do anything about it. That largely depends on the specific vehicle. I’m surprised that there wer no negative effects in pulling the telematics fuse on a W223, less surprised on a W222.
  - monerozcash 10mo ago
    I just pulled the antennas on both of those, I don't think there's an easily accessible fuse that wouldn't cut off a bunch of other stuff.
- potato3732842 10mo ago
  Add a whole ton of Fords to the list. The cell modem is just a module you can unplug on a lot of them to no ill effect.
  - monerozcash 10mo ago
    Yeah, I seriously doubt that there's a single car with which this would actually be difficult to accomplish. Even if you can't pull the modem or the sim card (less common now) directly, you can certainly always find and disable the antenna connection. Any decent shop will be able to do this for a reasonable price.
bigfatkitten 10mo ago
> If you had tried, you would know that there is no fuse dedicated to "network connectivity". Depends on the car. On modern Fords, it’s the TCU fuse. > What I have seen done is to tear into the right roof pillar and cut the wires going to the antenna on the roof Nonsense. Only a fool would do this, rather than simply disconnecting the antennas from the back of the module. Manufacturers almost universally use FAKRA connectors for quick and error-free assembly on the production line.
- jqpabc123 10mo ago
  Only a fool would do this, rather than simply disconnecting the antennas from the back of the module. Depends on the car. It some cases, this is not simple. Accessing the connections means disassembling the dash.
  - bigfatkitten 10mo ago
    Yes, but no vehicle in the world requires you to go around chopping up cables.

monerozcash 10mo ago

I've done this on a W222, a W223, a continental GT and an Urus. On each of those cars it was as easy as disconnecting the antenna, on none of them did I have to tear into the roof pillars. I've never seen an antenna that was difficult to disconnect, on the super simple end you have something like the W222 where you can literally just pop out the antenna cover on the roof and just remove the antenna module inside. >But this is usually not without consequences as well such as a perpetual error code display or the radio, navigation or entertainment functions stop working. Well sure, I do have cars without GPS because I was lazy. Carplay still works fine, so can't really bother to do anything about it.

jen20 10mo ago
> Carplay still works fine, so can't really bother to do anything about it. That largely depends on the specific vehicle. I’m surprised that there wer no negative effects in pulling the telematics fuse on a W223, less surprised on a W222.
- monerozcash 10mo ago
  I just pulled the antennas on both of those, I don't think there's an easily accessible fuse that wouldn't cut off a bunch of other stuff.
potato3732842 10mo ago
Add a whole ton of Fords to the list. The cell modem is just a module you can unplug on a lot of them to no ill effect.
- monerozcash 10mo ago
  Yeah, I seriously doubt that there's a single car with which this would actually be difficult to accomplish. Even if you can't pull the modem or the sim card (less common now) directly, you can certainly always find and disable the antenna connection. Any decent shop will be able to do this for a reasonable price.

bigfatkitten 10mo ago

> If you had tried, you would know that there is no fuse dedicated to "network connectivity". Depends on the car. On modern Fords, it’s the TCU fuse. > What I have seen done is to tear into the right roof pillar and cut the wires going to the antenna on the roof Nonsense. Only a fool would do this, rather than simply disconnecting the antennas from the back of the module. Manufacturers almost universally use FAKRA connectors for quick and error-free assembly on the production line.

jqpabc123 10mo ago
Only a fool would do this, rather than simply disconnecting the antennas from the back of the module. Depends on the car. It some cases, this is not simple. Accessing the connections means disassembling the dash.
- bigfatkitten 10mo ago
  Yes, but no vehicle in the world requires you to go around chopping up cables.