I Found a Weird Black Box On My Toyota Tacoma, and I Think It’s a Tracking Device, I’m Not the Only One Finding These

Toyota is up to something with the new Tacoma pickup. 

Mark (@zeluhs) recently purchased a Toyota Tacoma and found something strange while working on his truck. As he adjusted a latch on the door, he spotted a sticker attached to the door frame. "What is this?" he says on the TikTok video. 

As he reads the sticker, he realizes some transmitting device has been installed on his truck without his knowledge. He investigates further and checks under the dash of the Tacoma. He finds an OBD-II port (On-Board Diagnostics), which is not unusual since technicians use this to perform diagnostics and test the vehicle's computer.

What he finds next is unusual and troubling.

Mark follows the wires from the OBD-II port, and to his surprise, he finds a black cable leading to a hidden black box. 

Mark, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) technician with a strong background in electronics, immediately recognizes that this device is not something he's ever seen before. Its presence under the dash of his Tacoma pickup is highly unusual.

Here is what Mark says, and then I'll discuss this mysterious black box.   

He says, "So, I was out here fixing a latch on my Tacoma because I'll get stuck and they can't open the door. What is this? he says. I saw this sticker that says, 'All persons must keep a minimum separation of 20 cm from the transmitter's antenna when the device is operating to meet the current FCC RF exposure guidelines.'

Now, he is perplexed. 

"To me, current FCC exposure guidelines are like, that's weird. Being a technician for the FAA working on radio and that stuff, I remember, hey, some people with (Toyota) Corollas are finding GPS trackers in their cars."  

"One of them was in South Houston. I live in South Houston. That's where I bought my truck. (Mike Calvert Toyota). I'm not the only one finding these things."

Mark pulls out the OBD-II port from under the dash of his Toyota Tacoma. 

He continues, "So, I look at the OBD-II port, I'm like, huh? That's weird. Why are there so few wires?" 

Mark pulls the OBD port out further and says, "And, what's all this in the back? He finds a black cable and says, "This looks like an extension cable. 

He follows the cable further and pulls out a black box. "So, I go over here, pull this out, and I find this. I don't know what it is."

Mark pulls it all the way out and turns it around. "It's probably some Chinese MGPS tracker. It says Ming Ching. I think it's a tracking device." 

"But if it's got a SIM card in it, oh boy, you know, I'm going to be using that free data. Thanks Nerds."

The post has many comments, but no one knows what it is. 

One commenter Rhd.JonJon says, "I work at a (Toyota) dealer, and we install them on every car."

What is this mysterious black box?  

I recently reported that automakers, like Toyota and other manufacturers, use data they recover from your vehicle to give it to insurance companies. The insurance companies can then raise or lower your rates depending on your good or poor driving habits. 

A New York Times report says automakers and data brokers have partnered to collect detailed driving data from millions of Americans who say they do it without drivers' permission. 

Most Toyota owners may not realize that if they turn on these features, the automaker gives information about how they drive to data brokers like LexisNexis. The insurance companies then capture the information and can raise or lower rates based on monitoring their driving habits, which they collect wirelessly from their cars.

What does Toyota say about collecting customer data?

Toyota partners with dozens of the largest insurance companies. Toyota says, "We are working to bring additional companies on board to provide our customers with a wide variety of insurance options."

On Toyota's support website, where they explain its Insure-Connect feature, they say:

Usage-Based Insurance (UBI) differs from traditional auto insurance in that select customers who choose to share their driving data may have the opportunity to receive discounted auto insurance quotes based on safe driving behavior.

How is driving behavior data obtained?

Once a customer opts in to share their driving data with Toyota Insurance for consideration of a UBI offer, vehicle driving data transmitted by the customer's vehicle, often through the OBD-II port, is shared by Toyota with a Toyota Insurance affiliate or insurance partner for evaluation.

How long does Toyota Insurance collect vehicle driving data before I receive an insurance quote?

Toyota Insurance typically collects vehicle driving data for 60 to 90 days before making an eligibility decision. Vehicle driving data could be collected for additional periods depending on the eligibility standards for a particular UBI program. Data will only be collected by Toyota Insurance with your consent and can be revoked at any time.

Conclusion:

Toyota says they will only collect data from your vehicle (from this black box)  if you consent. So, make sure you read the fine print when you purchase your new Toyota Tacoma or other new Toyota vehicle.

You may have given your consent when you filled out the paperwork at the dealer, which gives your consent for your driving habits to be shared with insurance companies, and you only know it if the salesperson points it out. 

It's the world we live in now. Buyer beware. You are being watched. 

Have you had your driving data collected?

Have you had your driving habits collected by an automaker without your knowledge? Or were you told about the data collection device when you purchased your new Toyota? If so, we want to hear from you. Click the red Add New Comment link below and share your experience. It may help to raise awareness and encourage transparency in the auto industry.

Check out another amazing Toyota story:

I Brought My Toyota Highlander Into the Dealer For the 10th Time To Get My Moonroof Leak Fixed, They Made Me Pay $2,500 and It’s Still Not Fixed. Read my report here about Cassidy's remarkable story. 

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Greg LeBlanc Toyota