For those that no longer have an MBrace subscription,.. and find it a tad creepy that it keeps data-mining your car and sending the data to a server in New Mexico or wherever and not even paying you for it, ... here's how to disable it.

This is done in the Voice Control Module (which GM calls a VCIM (Vehicle Communication Interface Module), also made by Continental. They way they work is it compiles data from the car, such as location, speed, braking, accel, etc and creates data packets. Then every so often often it sends out that data over the Spring cell phone network to MBrace (or OnStar, Sync, U-Connect, etc, etc).

If you just unplug the module, you'll get a error, and perhaps some parts of the vehicle will cease to work,.. as the can-buss loop runs through it. So everything downstream on that loop will stop getting signals.

And unplugging the antenna won't work either. The data still goes out,... you just need to be closer to a tower. Two miles instead of forty? But 10 x a day most of us are within 2 miles of a tower.

And because the cars are sold in different markets, which have differing types of cell service,.. the actual cellular device exists on a separate circuit board.


Step one, remove the trunk carpet. I am fortunate to have folding rear seats in this 2012 E Class, so it's easier.
Just pull up on the front of the trunk carpet, and the 2 plastic push clips will pop out.



Next, remove the plastic covers over the 2 front tie-down loops to expose the two T-40 torx bolts and remove them. The plastic cover will now slide out to the rear.


Now we see the module in question.
Remove the two T-20 screws in the circles, and the unit will come out to the rear. Unplug the cables.


(This job could be done with the module in the car,.. but getting that plug off on the left would be tough, as the release is on the bottom).

Now remove the six T-15 screws on the module. (I use a drill here,. but you definitely want to put those screws back with a hand driver).



Remove the main board.



Under it you will see the Sprint cell phone. It is also held on with T-15 torx screws. Three of them.
Remove it (I re-installed the 3 screws so they won't get lost.


Now reverse the steps to put it back together. Start to finish it's about a 10 minute job.



Your MBrace system will still compile data, and send it out to be transmitted,.... it just won't go anywhere.

 

Update;

It DOES issue a small message in the gauge cluster letting you know the SOS system is inoperable. Goes away with a push of the OK button on the steering wheel,... but that's just one more button (besides the Sport button) to push every time you enter the car.

Working on a solution.

 

False. Thanks for the write-up though.

 

Can something (MBrace, SOS, whatever) just be flipped from "Present" to "Not Present"?

 

I'm curious how you know data is being transmitted? Wouldn't it require the cell service to be enabled. It wouldn't surprise me, as data could be valuable for usage based analytics...

 

Can you back up your definitive statement?
Hey, why all the deleted posts?

 

OK, I find this very interesting. I can believe this is happening also.

I'd be interesting in knowing if there is another way to disable the system. Regardless thank for the "heads up"

 

Wow. I can't even tell if you're joking.

Your previous response sums it up. Best I just sit back and observe, interject/compliment here and there, and leave it at that. I value my sanity.

 

Can't really grasp the problem here. If my Mercedes were stolen, I would hope the authorities could track it down, somehow.

Even after you cancel your Mbrace accout, if you happen to press the "panic" button by mistake (I have), the voice from MB in the sky will answer. That suggests to me that the cell card remains active.

 

I don't really grasp the problem here, either. But I feel exactly the opposite if the car was stolen.. don't bring it back!

 

ROFL,.. yeah, no doubt.

I was speaking with a friend of mine who's the CIO of the world's largest auto manufacturer.

In the USA all these systems DO send data packets out to the manufacturers, and the companies DO monetize the data. But in the US at least that info is anonymous, and It's just used to track issues with cars and car systems, so manufacturers can improve the breed, issue recalls etc. The systems are also optional.

In other countries, the system is mandatory, and the info is not anonymized (All of Europe and China for instance). In Europe, it all goes to the manufacturers I believe, and in China it goes to the CCP of course.


However, even in the USA it's not hard to figure out who a car belongs to when you know where it's parked 7 nights a week, and where it's parked 5 days a week. I could figure it out in 5 min with Google, and a computer programmed for such could do hundreds a second I'm sure.

A new law is coming through the Cali legislature now that would ban such data,... and what happens in Cali would immediately become de-facto across the US. This after all the big-tech privacy scandals.


If I lived out in the sticks,.. where after a crash I might not be noticed by a passing car for some time,.. I'd want the SOS system. Especially for the wife. But I live in the city,.. and if I have some huge accident, I'm sure a number of people with cell phones will call 911.

Who knows what info they gather,.. and what it might be used for in the future. Best to just not have it go out in the first place.



As to whether the system can make a call with the antenna simply disconnected,.. I can't say for sure. But I've worked with these systems (Both LG and Continental) in other platforms,. and in every case the OnStar, UConnect or whatever would still make a call with the Fakra antenna connector unplugged. So I "presumed" it was the same here. In these cars you can't cancel an SOS call. The call has to go through, and then the operator cancels it after checking that everything is OK. So I didn't do before and after tests. That said,.. with the Sprint CDMA board re-installed and the antenna simply unplugged, I still get the same message about the SOS system being inactive. (Goes away when you press OK on the steering wheel). So Senecan may very well be correct. (Or perhaps it can't just can't reliably make a voice call from my garage,.. but can push out a data packet when driving past a Sprint cell tower?) Can't say.

 

Is this really worth worrying about while we're all carrying smart phones?

 

Probably not.

If one has decided to lug around a smartphone, they've already forfeited any inkling of privacy. (And on average, 5.4 waking hours of each day.)

 

speaking of mbrace.... 2nd hand car, bought remotely... If we wanted it, how do we reactivate MBrace? I couldn't figure out how from Mercedes website, is this something we have to go to a dealer for?

 

Press the button on the overhead console... I'm sure someone will answer willing to take your money.

 

 

Oh yes, they're more than happy to take your money. My free trial ends on October 11th this year. I pressed the button like a year ago - just messing around - and a woman was trying to sell me on paying like $700 for so many years. If this car could be remote started via the app (and there is no excuse for the lack of support there) then I might have investigated, but for what it does now, they'll not be getting my money.

In reality, the only thing I'd want would be the crash notification. I think that comes bundled with like stolen car tracker which I would not want. Truthfully, Kia and Mazda have the crash notification thing figured out and it is how every car company should work. In the event of a crash, it uses your own cell connection (assuming you have your phone paired to the car I guess) and dials 911. No subscriptions necessary.

 

Big Brother.....

Orwell was right

 

In terms of connected cars in general (not just MB W212's), is there any security concerns?
Are all the connections initiated FROM the car, and you can't proactively connect TO the car?

Also, most of the cellular cards that were installed were probably 2G/3G.
What will happen when carriers start phasing them out?
They'll just stop working?

 

yup, they just stop working if they are based on old tech.

my 1990 vintage Mercedes had come originally with AMPS analog cell phones, useless now. and cassette decks, also useless now.

 

Welpers, the cassette deck in my 2001 C-Class still works fine when you insert a music cassette. Not that I have for years, now.