What's this, Quiz?

[ripan]

Decided to put this in the generals section. It came with the car and the delaer was a bit vague on the purpose and scope. However some scrabbled notes of him from previous owner concerns ... (decide not to give you any presumtions).

Any ideas, there is a LED diode blinking, huuu....., scary....

The picture shows two identical lying in the coin compartment, mid console, of my GS.

So guys and gals, what is it?



PS When wiewing the text "Pass Port" upper right corner is the LED and lower right corner is a micro switch DS

 

[Emtee]

I assume they're tracker 'tabs' Ripan. Do you know whether the car comes with activated tracking?

 

[ripan]

Emtee, the assumption you make corresponds to that vaguely indicated by the dealer. There is a subscription conncted to the "transponder" (specificallly mentioned in the scribbled notes), so there is nothing activated right now as I understand it.
I was just curious if anyone really have come across an equal looking device(s).

Thanks /ripan

 

[Emtee]

Hi Ripan,

Yes I have them with my GS also. In the UK, they're issued by Cobra Navtrack. The subscription here is about £300 per year and I have to say when I had it activated, the service was very good, but there's little or no discount on your insurance nowadays, so it's purely personal preference as to whether the service is worth it or not. I guess it just comes down to your circumstances and risk of theft.

Regards, Miles.

 

[Danny]

Did you buy your GS in Italy? My experience is that trackers are a real pain in the bu.. if fitted to a car that was purchased abroad. Each country has it's own suppliers/dealers and I never came across an Italian, UK or Spanish tracking device for which I could get a subscription in the Netherlands. Personally, I don't like a device fitted to my car which is doing nothing but using power, so I prefer to have such a tracker removed immediately

 

[ripan]

Thanks Miles. So You really recognize the pictured transponders and associates them with the Cobra system?

Could yuo please explain the purpose of the pictured Transponders?
I assume there must be a hidden device in the car which includes a GPS module and means to communicate the positions accquired from the GPS module wirelessly, most lightly a GSM/GPRS module. But what is the purpose of the transponders?

I found a Swedish distributor to whom I showed the pictures but he did not accknowledge them as "Cobra Connex" devices. He said that I colud take over the contract if I could get access to the original contract. If not I have to install a new "Cobra connex" module (GPS/GSM).

 

[ripan]

Thanks for the advice Danny.
See some more info below.

 

[Emtee]

Thanks Miles. So You really recognize the pictured transponders and associates them with the Cobra system?

Could yuo please explain the purpose of the pictured Transponders?
I assume there must be a hidden device in the car which includes a GPS module and means to communicate the positions accquired from the GPS module wirelessly, most lightly a GSM/GPRS module. But what is the purpose of the transponders?

I found a Swedish distributor to whom I showed the pictures but he did not accknowledge them as "Cobra Connex" devices. He said that I colud take over the contract if I could get access to the original contract. If not I have to install a new "Cobra connex" module (GPS/GSM).

Hi Ripan,

Yes, very similar in look to those issued in the UK.

There is a device (hidden) in the car that recognises the presence of the transponder. If it's there (in your pocket, attached to your key ring, etc) then all is fine, however if the car is driven without the device finding a transponder, it assumes it's being driven by someone other than the owner and sends a signal to the service provider. The service provider then calls you (very promptly from my experience) to check wether the car is being stolen or not and if yes (God forbid) will call the authorities and track the movement to guide them to the car.

 

[ripan]

Hi all. Want to finish this thread with my findings all according to your advice. Many thanks!

This is what was hidden under the rear shelf. EuroSat marked GPS/GSM functionality.


My concern now realtes to the massive number of cables entering the unit. My assumption was that it was self contained functionality needing only power from the car. The fuse can be seen (red) on the cable harness.

Do you think I can simply remove it, by disconnecting the cables, or is it integrated to the immobilizer system of the car?
I could always try but I would like to hear your opinions. It obviously pulls current because there are LED's blinking in the device and during my wait for registration administration I have had to charge the battery several times.

 

[conaero]

That is the tracker for sure, we have a different one here in the UK called Navtrak.

The only way to find out is to pull it and give it a go.

If the engine fails to then start, turn the battery off, plug it back in and leave off for half an hour do the ecu resets, then it should be fine.

We have all sorts of issues in the UK with the Navtrak unit running our batteries flat, they are best disconnected if not used.

 

[ripan]

A little update on this subject after a long halt, been to busy driving! A total of 5000 km so far. Next weekend another 800 will be added.

Tried disconnecting the GPS Tracker unit completely. Car started and was drivable, no problem. Then I discovered that it was really integrated with the car alarm system so I figured best put it back, reset the ECU, and for now at least live with it connected with the fact that if standing unused for about 4 days it need to have external battery charging. Fortunately, and probably for the same reason, the car came equipped with the CTEK (Maserati branded) charging module and quick connectors.

Will check with the local Maserati service, when it is due for next service interval, how it can be removed.

 

[stradaman]

Its funny not finding any Italian Tracking. Most alarms. tracking systems, are made in Italy!
As for it being part of the Alarm system, you need to find the 'loop' live, that goes to tracker, and back to alarm. Just take the tracker, out of the 'loop'.

Andy