Disable Telematics with AutoHarnessHouse AHH-DCM77

[bkw]

Some background: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...the-dcm-telematics-silencing-antennas.821649/
TLDR: Disconnect 3 antennas from the DCM module so it simply can't hear or talk to the world.

And what seems to be the final proper reversible clean full answer:

Toyota DCM/Safety Connect Bypass Harness - Fits 2020+ Toyota Vehicles

Adapter kit for Disconnecting the Data Communication Module (DCM) on a Toyota vehicle without disabling the front right speaker or handsfree bluetooth microphone

www.autoharnesshouse.com

TLDR: Disconnect the DCM module from power and bus entirely.

Anyone done this yet? I have the AHH-DCM77 kit on the way but in the mean time I simply disconnected the 3 antennas a few days ago. No baluns (50 ohm terminators) since I'm not worried about burning out the transmitters and I already knew I was getting the bypass kit which obviates the need anyway.

The Launch Creader code reader I used to disable the fake engine sounds actually reports the antennas as open circuit now.

With the DCM still connected and just those 3 antennas disconnected, I can report that everthing I care about still works:
* Android Auto / Apple CarPlay working (bluetooth audio, gps, apps, phone calls using the cars mics & amp.)
* Key fob remote start and all other key fob functions. (auto lock, auto unlock, etc)

You do NOT need the app or any subscription service to use android auto / apple carplay, or the key fob-only short range remote start.

But I had one problem which is I tried to do it without actually disassembling the console.
I was able to pull the vertical phone rest panel out to access the antennas but was not able to get it back in perfectly. I couldn't get the tabs on the bottom to latch and so the bottom is seperated from the console. I figure when the kit comes in I'll actually take the console apart to access the back sides of everything the right way.

 

[bkw]

The kit arrived today and damn it is slick. Popped right in.

The trick to get easy access to the spot is just pry up with a spudger here. Just pop it up and move it back a little without unhooking anything, and then it's easy to remove the vertical phone panel and a little piece that joins the bottom of the vertical panel to the front of the console. (and get it all the way correctly back together, fixing my earlier problem. You don't need to loosen any screws anywhere.

Just watch out for the orange clips. They like to fall off. I lost one down the hole somewhere probably between the "carpet" fiber board floor shell and the metal body.

The releases for the connectors are on the front side (the side facing you not the front of the truck I mean) so it's easy to pop the 2 connectors down out of the module. Just press in the center and pull down. The big greay connector on the right, and the smaller white connector just to the left of that, to the right of all the antenna connectors. Then just plug the bypass plugs from the kit onto the unplugged cables. The pins in the grey plug are pretty fine needles so take a look into the plug to make sure they aren't leaning/angled and be a little careful and feel it out while inserting that one.

Sorry didn't take any other pics while it was apart. The pics in the original tacoma threads look about the same.