iFixit piece on "hacking" your car

[Longbridge Apologist]

Having recently had some tussles with a dead BMW ECU, I thought this was really interesting:

https://www.ifixit.com/News/52123/the-coming-battle-over-hacking-your-own-car

Especially how the guy managed to update to a newer version of Ford Sync enabling CarPlay.

I am tempted to really learn this side of 'shiteing' as well as mechanics.

 

[beko1987]

I do keep waiting for it to happen. It can't be beyond the wit of current man or woman to make a raspberry Pi or other SOC device into an all in 1 obd plug in job then nice software on a laptop.

The big job is hacking, cracking and not being sued to fuck for the car's software. Would need custom work by a full on ghost dev and they'd probably need to want do it it enough to make a good job of it etc.

@SiC has a brilliant app for Renaults, got me out the shit a good few times to get lights off the dash and fix* my electric handbrake issues

[Rod/b]

5 hours ago, Longbridge Apologist said:

Having recently had some tussles with a dead BMW ECU, I thought this was really interesting:

https://www.ifixit.com/News/52123/the-coming-battle-over-hacking-your-own-car

Especially how the guy managed to update to a newer version of Ford Sync enabling CarPlay.

I am tempted to really learn this side of 'shiteing' as well as mechanics.

 

I want to update Sync on my truck, as far as i can make out i would have to replace the screen, module and the usb connectors. If there’s a way to do it software only, i’d be well happy! 

[maxxo]

got a thing for dads 2018 civic

enabled a fair few US spec features

automatic locking of the doors at 10 mph

going to have another play around, curious now if i can get a fob from the US...program it and then have remote start

[UltraWomble]

RossTech has VCDS for VAG platform cars - you can tweak and alter quite a bit of the car with this and a few firms offer unlocking of the Car Play feature with some additional software that they charge a small %age of what VAG charge for the function.

I keep tweaking the wifes Alhambra much to her annoyance "It bloodywell beeps now when you unlock it" and "why do the needles go all the way round when you put the key in"

[bub2006]

I've had a play about with things like this in lexia and Peugeot planet. Enabling cruise control on my 406,drl on the 406 and betlingo I have now,auto door lock etc. I'm looking for the multi function display from a berlingo or 206 for my berlingo to have a trip computer. Can enable things like that on the citroen/Peugeot software along with stereo install and engine data and diagnostics. 

[St.Jude]

On 8/16/2021 at 12:19 PM, beko1987 said:

I do keep waiting for it to happen. It can't be beyond the wit of current man or woman to make a raspberry Pi or other SOC device into an all in 1 obd plug in job then nice software on a laptop.

Well, it exists in terms of the ECU. The Speeduino project is really something! Lots of people are using it to configure their cars either replacing the existing ECU or using it as a new ECU if adding fuel injection to it.

As for onboard entertainment, it's a bit trickier as most of the time people want to keep what they have and just add features. Which is difficult, as you either rip the whole lot out and lose features or just stick with it with some hodge podge of wires. My incoming Land Cruiser LC5 had a single DIN unit along with a double DIN touchscreen, and I wanted to take the tape player out and stick in a Pioneer unit. Can't do that, and while I can replace the Double DIN with something, I would lose the ability to change the vent direction (as in selecting the air to come out on the floor only, or just the windscreen etc) as that's controlled on the touchscreen. The rest of the heating is controlled with physical buttons - but no buttons to select the wind direction or any indication of the temperature of the car.

[Rod/b]

19 hours ago, maxxo said:

got a thing for dads 2018 civic

enabled a fair few US spec features

automatic locking of the doors at 10 mph

going to have another play around, curious now if i can get a fob from the US...program it and then have remote start

Check the key radio frequency is the same US and UK. I have two remote start kits and six US market keys for F150s that are absolutely useless on GCC trucks 😩

[juular]

4 minutes ago, St.Jude said:

Well, it exists in terms of the ECU. The Speeduino project is really something!

Internet rabbit hole opened and future life goals changed. Thanks!

[Rod/b]

6 minutes ago, St.Jude said:

Well, it exists in terms of the ECU. The Speeduino project is really something! Lots of people are using it to configure their cars either replacing the existing ECU or using it as a new ECU if adding fuel injection to it.

As for onboard entertainment, it's a bit trickier as most of the time people want to keep what they have and just add features. Which is difficult, as you either rip the whole lot out and lose features or just stick with it with some hodge podge of wires. My incoming Land Cruiser LC5 had a single DIN unit along with a double DIN touchscreen, and I wanted to take the tape player out and stick in a Pioneer unit. Can't do that, and while I can replace the Double DIN with something, I would lose the ability to change the vent direction (as in selecting the air to come out on the floor only, or just the windscreen etc) as that's controlled on the touchscreen. The rest of the heating is controlled with physical buttons - but no buttons to select the wind direction or any indication of the temperature of the car.

Have a look on Ali Baba at some of the chinese Android powered head units with the built-in fascias for Land Cruisers, they are  programmed to specific specifications and will include ventilation controls. They’re also not that bad either. Considering…

[St.Jude]

23 minutes ago, Rod/b said:

Have a look on Ali Baba at some of the chinese Android powered head units with the built-in fascias for Land Cruisers, they are  programmed to specific specifications and will include ventilation controls. They’re also not that bad either. Considering…

I haven't lived with it yet, but I'm tempted to retro-fit the the HVAC controls from the LC4 (which are all buttons etc) and do that instead. I've seen the Tesla screen too but I want to step away from touchscreens.

That said, I change the positioning of the air vents twice a year. Feet + Windscreen for the winter, Face only for the summer. Because I'm special. 

27 minutes ago, juular said:

Internet rabbit hole opened and future life goals changed. Thanks!

It's going in my Lada!!!

[Rod/b]

Won’t the LC4 vents and air mix doors all be cable controlled vs the LC5’s motor driven gubbins? Not sure but could be a right job if it is. 

[Rocket88]

6 hours ago, UltraWomble said:

RossTech has VCDS for VAG platform cars - you can tweak and alter quite a bit of the car with this and a few firms offer unlocking of the Car Play feature with some additional software that they charge a small %age of what VAG charge for the function.

I keep tweaking the wifes Alhambra much to her annoyance "It bloodywell beeps now when you unlock it" and "why do the needles go all the way round when you put the key in"

Ross Tech is good stuff

[UltraWomble]

4 hours ago, bub2006 said:

I've had a play about with things like this in lexia and Peugeot planet. Enabling cruise control on my 406,drl on the 406 and betlingo I have now,auto door lock etc. I'm looking for the multi function display from a berlingo or 206 for my berlingo to have a trip computer. Can enable things like that on the citroen/Peugeot software along with stereo install and engine data and diagnostics. 

If you work out how to add one touch drop to the passenger side of the 206 do let me know please

[bub2006]

It's to do with the motor. No function for it. I tried to enable it on my van but no option. Also tried a spare one touch switch from a breaker drivers side on my passenger switch and still no dice. The motor has either a microswitch or delayed cutoff thats why when battery is off you need to relearn where fully up or down is. My berlingo is one touch down only and I also attempted one touch up too but no option or way to enable. 

I'll have a look at my motors and let you know my findings as one touch passenger side would be useful. 

Edit to add

It may also be through bsi too but I'd have thought if it was bsi related then there would be an option in pp2000 or lexia. My van is a 53 plate bsi controlled van too. 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

22 hours ago, UltraWomble said:

RossTech has VCDS for VAG platform cars - you can tweak and alter quite a bit of the car with this and a few firms offer unlocking of the Car Play feature with some additional software that they charge a small %age of what VAG charge for the function.

I keep tweaking the wifes Alhambra much to her annoyance "It bloodywell beeps now when you unlock it" and "why do the needles go all the way round when you put the key in"

I've seen the RossTech thing, but it's all a bit too complex for the Borat....although I think there's a facility to make it recognise LED exterior lighting.

[Longbridge Apologist]

With this in mind, is there a recommended ODB2 reader?

I'm pretty geeky so happy to either run a Windows one with a cable or Bluetooth one with an iPhone.

[cort16]

Does that Carly app not have a lot of functions for enabling hidden features on cars etc? I have heard that it's bricked a few ecu's with people fiddling around with stuff.  Not sure if that's true or not,

[dome]

1 hour ago, cort16 said:

Does that Carly app not have a lot of functions for enabling hidden features on cars etc? I have heard that it's bricked a few ecu's with people fiddling around with stuff.  Not sure if that's true or not,

I bought Carista for the MK2 Octavia I had, it could read all the modules and enable tweaking of various options. It's been pretty limited on the non VAG stuff I've tried it on though, not that that's been much.  

[Tartan58]

Carista is pretty good in my experience and dead easy to use, done loads to my last 3 Skodas, enable DRLs, cornering fogs, MFD features stuff like that, . There's a monthly subscription if you want it do do anything more than read codes but it's something like £10 so just cancel after a month once you've done what you want to, or do as I did and sign up as a Beta tester and get it for free along with some additional features that haven't been released on the subscription app.

Best one was changing the throttle response on the current Karoq, totally transformed the way the car drove, felt like I'd had a remap. Can even change the way it splits power to front and rear axels to make it more bias towards the rear wheels which I thought was pretty clever but not bothered with that as let's face it its a big lump of and SUV not a sports car!

[Dave_Q]

On 18/08/2021 at 10:01, cort16 said:

Does that Carly app not have a lot of functions for enabling hidden features on cars etc? I have heard that it's bricked a few ecu's with people fiddling around with stuff.  Not sure if that's true or not,

There's a few similar, Carly, carista, obd eleven. They seem to be selling you an ELM type dongle for an inflated price then, for VAG at least, charging you credits for coding operations you could do unlimited with VCDS. 

Also they are not as widely compatible as a one make tool, eg Carista claims not to be compatible with my B7 A4, B8+ only, so check carefully if your model is supported.

VCDS all the way for VAG, I am running a snide hex-can which was £40.