I'm about to purchase a new Durango. Does anyone know if any Dodge products use those nasty event data recorders (edrs)? If so, which models?

I want to make sure I'm buyin right by buyin Dodge. I seriously doubt Dodge would spy on its customers like GM & Ford.

Thanks.

 

I think I did see a deal in the owner's manual packet about my Dakota having an EDR. I'd say ask your salesman. Me I'm not planning to do anything too silly in this truck anyway, I want it to last me a dozen years

 

what kind of stuff does this thing track. if it is like speeds and stuff then...

 

Edr's record different things on different cars. Most record five seconds before airbag deployment and five seconds after: speed, throttle position, seat belt use, and various other things. This information is downloaded by the accident investigators, insurance companies (as soon as they buy the wrecked car from you) and by court order for whomever.
This information might be used against the owner to gain conviction to possibly send the owner to prison. As an example, just because you were speeding 57 in a 55 zone does not mean the drunk driver that turned in front of you was innocent of causing the death of others that might have been in his car. If he doesn't have an edr and you do, your edr might be used by a drunk driver to convict you of an accident HE caused. And YOU might go to prison.
Maybe prison is not a big thing to you, but it is to me.

 

I checked with my dealer (and all over the internet) about event data recorders and the dealer said Durango had none. I bought a new Durango and, you guessed it, once I got it home and had time to check it out, a yellow card in the owner's documents confirmed it had an event data recorder. I liked the Durango but now I'd just like to beat the crap out of it, burn it, and shove it over a cliff.....along with the Daimer/Chrysler exec. that decided to put an edr on an otherwise fine vehicle.

What should I do?

 

bring it bad and tell them you want your money back. They sales rep said it didn't have it right? Thats false advertising.

 

Don't drive any new cars!
Like it or not they(EDR) are here to stay. More new vehicles are being equipped with them.
Be glad you don't have ON-STAR because once activated you can be tracked 24/7. Speed, location, seatbelt use, etc. All available to whomever is watching!
EDR also helps the auto industry build safer cars, The info gleaned from them helps to reconstruct crashes and enables the engineers to design better safety zones.

On another note: just wait for mobile infrared emission technology to catch on. Nationwide mobile emission tests for All cars! Polluters won't be able to hide anymore.

 

does my 2004 Ram 1500 have one of these things?

 

BBIW! Big Brother Is Watching.

I'm sure that the information can be put to good use, but my privacy is important to me. I don't want or need every aspect of my life recorded and anylized.

Pretty soon they'll be collecting our DNA at birth to "make things better" by recording our personal information. Ever see Gaticka? Just ask Ethan Hawk.

 

Pretty much all OBD II vehicles over the last few years have this. It's all logged in the computer, and can be accessed by a technician. They also track every "irregularity" that is encountered, kinda like the stuff that sets off a check engine light, but not drastic enough to trip the light.

You want to hear something scary, Clinton mandated that the OBD III vehicle management systems must be in place on all vehicles by the 2008 model year. My information shows that part of the manditory equipment is that these systems be accessible by satalite at any time. This means that all information on your vehicle, including speed and location, can be instantly accessed at any time by the manufacturer and the government.

THIS is some scary **** if you ask me.