Awesome. Much appreciate the clear and detailed explanation. I'm sure you nailed it as there is a green led that blinks. I think I'll be removing it as an unknown "gps tracking" device plugged into my cars obd port goes against my libertarian sensibilities. Thanks a bunch for the detailed response!I know exactly what that is. It’s a GPS device that’s sold by dealerships thru a company called Spireon and the tracking service is called Kahu. It's a subscription based service that dealers charge car buyers so they can 1. get extra money by doing nothing and 2. track your mileage thru the gps device and the subscription service and then bombard you with reminders to bring the car in for maintenance.
How do I know this? A dealer (which I won't ever set foot in anymore) tried to sell me on this "dealer installed option" on my CR-V even though I told them I didn't want it. Including nitrogen filled tires. And a whole bunch of "value added" accessories that jumped up the price of the CR-V.
Long story short, they eventually took off the cost of these items (or in reality re-configured the pricing) so that the salesguy still got a commish on "selling" these things even though I never knew or wanted them in the first place. I told them to remove the device (exactly like the one that's pictured) and they told me that they couldn't and that it would mess up the car's electronics, blah, blah, blah. I still refused the service and wouldn't even sign a contract for the service.
I drove home with the CR-V, did some research (gotta love Google) and did some snooping and sure enough, I found the device attached and piggy-backed off the OBD port. And it was "ON".
If yours was as sloppily installed as mine (it looks like it), you can feel for the connector and just disconnect the damned thing. That's what I did. It's sitting on a shelf gathering dust now.
Edit: I should say, though, that if you wanted that service and you know what it does and you're willing to pay a monthly fee for it then you do you. I just didn't want or need a third party or the dealership to track me and hound me for maintenance or whatever.
Noice. Just for sheets and grins, you should dangle that over your rear view mirror when and if you show up to the dealership for service... hahaI took it out last night. An thanks again silver rascal for the identification of that thing. I was worried I may never know and don't trust the dealers enough to give me an honest answer.
You really don't want to know... I worked at 2 dealerships as a mechanic for almost 4 years doing recalls and aftermarket installs (heated seats, DVD players, ect).
