Help please - is this a tracker I don't know about???

[LeylandVCDS]

Trying to find an annoying rattle behind the dash, and I've noticed this mounted immediately behind the driver's side end panel on the dashboard- it has a green flashing LED live all the time, and a mini USB port. It is a part of the car, or a tracker fitted by the previous owner??? Wanting to know if it can be removed. The earthing point does not look OEM to me.
Thank you.

It's a TEXA TMD MK3 Edr module.

 

[Richiepoos]

A quick google says its some kind of black box - could be insurance purposes for a younger driver?

 

[CosmicBlue]

Most likely your car was ex-company fleet - its a gizmo that provides data on the use of the vehicle.

 

[Richiepoos]

On second further look - it is a tracker used for fleet services. Is the car an old company car or hire car?

 

[LeylandVCDS]

Yes the vehicle was an ex-Arval lease hire. I've spoken to Arval and they have denied any knowledge of it, and say they do not fit them to their vehicles.

My main issue is that the green LED light is constantly flashing, so obviously transmitting data to someone at somewhere unknown. As I have owned the car outright for over 12 months, obviously any data it is logging is private and should not be getting transmitted to anyone unknown or unauthorised.

Question is how is this fitted - can it simply be unplugged and removed, or it is integrated into the car's systems. Last thing I want is to remove it and have the car disabled and undriveable.

Many thanks

 

[R3k1355]

It won't be integrated into the cars systems, does that cable go anywhere else or connect to anything else?

It might not be transmitting data, it might be trying to pair with a control module that's already been taken out?

 

[LeylandVCDS]

I've had a look, and its simply an ignition live, a constant live and a ground. So the lot is now out! Many thanks for your help

 

[LeylandVCDS]

Quick update - Arval have again confirmed in writing that the tracker was not fitted by them, and the single user of the vehicle under a PCP deal from Arval that had the car before me also denies any knowledge of it being there. A copy of the email from Arval with the previous user's details removed says that he never had or authorised a tracker to be fitted, and that he himself is looking into the privacy legality of it all (GDPR etc), seemingly with the go-ahead from Arval to do just that. Only feasible place this had been fitted was one of the fleet workshops it had visited in its early life.

Don't know what capacity the internal battery is in the thing, but the LED on the unit is still flashing away 5 weeks after removing it from the vehicle - its sat in a tupperware box in the garage at the moment. Still hoping that someone, somewhere is getting a constant tamper alarm on their system for the thing being disconnected from the car!

But no issues with the car since removing it and it seems to have solved the battery drain issue I was having whilst it was parked up not being used.

Thanks again for the replies and suggestions, much appreciated.

 

[tracktoy]

Just saw this http://docs.texatmd.com/man/TMD_MK3_EDR_en-GB.pdf

10 CONFIGURATION
In order to use the advanced functions of the device, you must carry out a
configuration procedure.
You can configure the device through:
• the MK3Starter software,
• the on-line portal.
10.1 Configuration through MK3Starter
You can carry out the device's configuration using the specific MK3Starter
software.
The software consists of an app for Android devices that can be downloaded
free of charge through Play Store.
For a proper operation of the MK3Starter, the device the app is installed in must
connect to the Internet and be enabled to install apps coming from unknown
creators.
For further information consult the MK3Starter operating manual.

and

13 BLINK CODES
The device uses the flashing of the LEDs to indicate its status.
The status LEDs are: green, red and blue and can flash with different
frequencies.
13.1 LED flashes with the Instrument panel On
During normal operating conditions, when the device must connecting to the
server to send the data, the notifications are given through a continuous cycle
of 3 flashes.
Each series of flashings is approximately 2 s after the previous one.
The three flashings indicate respectively the status of:
1. The reception of the position signal from the GPS satellites.
2. The connection to the GPRS network.
3. Connection to TEXA Cloud.
Below is the explanation regarding the correct reading of the flashes of the red
and green LEDs: Flash Red LED Green LED
1st Invalid GPS position*. Valid GPS position.
2nd Invalid GPRS connection**. Valid GPRS connection.
3rd TEXA Cloud connection not valid. TEXA Cloud connection valid.

 

[rWind]

Trying to find an annoying rattle behind the dash, and I've noticed this mounted immediately behind the driver's side end panel on the dashboard- it has a green flashing LED live all the time, and a mini USB port. It is a part of the car, or a tracker fitted by the previous owner??? Wanting to know if it can be removed. The earthing point does not look OEM to me.
Thank you.

It's a TEXA TMD MK3 Edr module.

I realize this is an old thread, but I wanted to confirm that the tracking/diagnostics device was 100% installed by Arval - no matter what they claim. I also purchased a used Arval-fleet car directly from Arval in Hungary and discovered the same tracking device in my vehicle (see image below). It’s still connected because I haven’t taken the time to remove it yet. That said, you can be absolutely certain that Arval installed it.

 

[LeylandVCDS]

I realize this is an old thread, but I wanted to confirm that the tracking/diagnostics device was 100% installed by Arval - no matter what they claim. I also purchased a used Arval-fleet car directly from Arval in Hungary and discovered the same tracking device in my vehicle (see image below). It’s still connected because I haven’t taken the time to remove it yet. That said, you can be absolutely certain that Arval installed it.

View attachment 45801

This is very, very interesting - I sent an email to Arval about the tracker, and received a reply stating they knew nothing about the car having any tracker fitted. I have attached both my email to them, and the reply.

I did not believe them when they said they were unaware of the tracker, and I am now even more certain that Arval do fit trackers having seen your reply. It is too much of a coincidence that both my car and yours are ex-Arval fleet, and both have had this exact same brand of tracker fitted.

The question that now needs answering is this - why is Arval deliberately lying? I want to know if these trackers hadn't been found and disabled, would they still be transmitting our personal data, and would that data be still collected by some unknown and unauthorised third party??? If the answer to that one is yes, then this is a clear breach of GDPR regulations.

Thanks for reponding to this thread, much appreciated

As far as removing it goes, you'll find that there are only 3 wires - an ignition live, a permanent live and an earth. It is not connected into the canbus or other wiring, and is perfectly safe to disconnect and remove.

 

[rWind]

This is very, very interesting - I sent an email to Arval about the tracker, and received a reply stating they knew nothing about the car having any tracker fitted. I have attached both my email to them, and the reply. [...]

It’s entirely possible that the person who replied had no clue about this. Chances are, the response came from some poor sob in a shared service center in the Philippines, working for peanuts and focused on one thing: closing your ticket as quickly as possible to hit their KPI metrics.

That said, this does appear to be a clear breach of GDPR, as you mentioned - unless there’s some fine print in the sales contract designed to cover them from any fallout. I would have to dig it up from my archived papers. The devices are probably used by contracted workshops for routine or emergency remote maintenance, and of course geolocation. I highly doubt it was left there with any nefarious intent; more likely, it’s just a massive oversight on Arval's part.

Here is the website of the manufacturer/service provider: https://www.texatmd.com/

P.S.: I've disconnected the device and the car didn't blow up I also found the user manual - attached.

 

[Craig.]

All hire/lease companies have asset tracking. Enterprise, Europcar, Sixt, Hertz, Avis, Zipcar etc etc etc... I used to fit/service/remove the trackers for most of the national brands.

The trackers are used for asset recovery if the vehicle is stolen/not returned and mileage data.

Just cut and chuck. 99% of people in the companies won't have a clue about the trackers. Some will know more than others but generally they won't know as they are fitted by 3rd parties on behalf of the companies when the cars are new at PDI centres before the cars even get to the hire depots.

Here I am at an undisclosed location with a team fitting units into a fleet of Mercs that are fresh off the boat

and another undisclosed location for VW Group/JLR Tracker fits

The data doesn't identify the driver, just the vehicle info such as Reg, VIN, Mileage, colour... Basically, only the info needed for recovering a stolen vehicle.

 

[LeylandVCDS]

All hire/lease companies have asset tracking. Enterprise, Europcar, Sixt, Hertz, Avis, Zipcar etc etc etc... I used to fit/service/remove the trackers for most of the national brands.

The trackers are used for asset recovery if the vehicle is stolen/not returned and mileage data.

Just cut and chuck. 99% of people in the companies won't have a clue about the trackers. Some will know more than others but generally they won't know as they are fitted by 3rd parties on behalf of the companies when the cars are new at PDI centres before the cars even get to the hire depots.

Here I am at an undisclosed location with a team fitting units into a fleet of Mercs that are fresh off the boat

View attachment 45813

and another undisclosed location for VW Group/JLR Tracker fits

View attachment 45814

The data doesn't identify the driver, just the vehicle info such as Reg, VIN, Mileage, colour... Basically, only the info needed for recovering a stolen vehicle.

Thanks for the info, much appreciated