heated steering wheel..

[Mystic Rhythms]

If it is truly $85 then I stand corrected on the price angle, I was under the impression it was more like $200.
And yes, my truck came with everything I need to change the tire. Jack, lug wrench, even the spare tire.

The point of this thread as I see it - and perhaps I have misinterpreted the OP - is that the settings are built into the truck but without purchasing something from an outside source (aftermarket) they are not accessible to us.
Obviously there are options like heated seats and retractable running boards that may be built into the code for all the trucks that you have to pay extra to get. But for something like levels to the heated steering wheel it seems silly and cheap to bar access.
Judging by your previous comments you would be perfectly fine with an AM radio as standard because you could add FM with your AlfaOBD.
As others have pointed out, different levels of heat for the steering wheel has been around for a long time.

 

[HSKR R/T]

If it is truly $85 then I stand corrected on the price angle, I was under the impression it was more like $200.
And yes, my truck came with everything I need to change the tire. Jack, lug wrench, even the spare tire.

The point of this thread as I see it - and perhaps I have misinterpreted the OP - is that the settings are built into the truck but without purchasing something from an outside source (aftermarket) they are not accessible to us.
Obviously there are options like heated seats and retractable running boards that may be built into the code for all the trucks that you have to pay extra to get. But for something like levels to the heated steering wheel it seems silly and cheap to bar access.
Judging by your previous comments you would be perfectly fine with an AM radio as standard because you could add FM with your AlfaOBD.
As others have pointed out, different levels of heat for the steering wheel has been around for a long time.

This is the first vehicle I have owned that I've had it in, and I had to enable it. My wife's 2020 Traverse only has on/off.

 

[wegasque]

There's another consideration. I rad that manufacturers are going to start building all vehicles with the same options, but with the options turned off in order to streamline the manufacturing process. They can then charge folks monthly for options that cna be turned on electronically. I wonder if there's a way that manufacturer's can lock options in the future so that AlphaOBD can't be used to bypass their payment requirement.

 

[djevox]

There's another consideration. I rad that manufacturers are going to start building all vehicles with the same options, but with the options turned off in order to streamline the manufacturing process. They can then charge folks monthly for options that cna be turned on electronically. I wonder if there's a way that manufacturer's can lock options in the future so that AlphaOBD can't be used to bypass their payment requirement.

There will have to be a check after the OTA check for subscriptions each time the key goes into the ON position. It would look something like this:
Key ON -> send out OTA check for subscriptions -> check and update modules if necessary for proper subscribed functions -> aftermarket code/module checks that subscription check is done then updates with user saved functions.

That’s just spitballing from a software engineer point of view. Other option would be to prevent OTA checks.

Edit: I guess there’s always the possibility the OTA subscription checks could poll the servers at regular rates. That would be interesting if they did that, especially with dead zones.

 

[wegasque]

There will have to be a check after the OTA check for subscriptions each time the key goes into the ON position. It would look something like this:
Key ON -> send out OTA check for subscriptions -> check and update modules if necessary for proper subscribed functions -> aftermarket code/module checks that subscription check is done then updates with user saved functions.

That’s just spitballing from a software engineer point of view. Other option would be to prevent OTA checks.

Edit: I guess there’s always the possibility the OTA subscription checks could poll the servers at regular rates. That would be interesting if they did that, especially with dead zones.

Ineresting. What's to stop someone from disabling the OTA so it doesn't check? I guess they'd program it so if the OTA check was disabled, the truck wouldn't function. This would quickly turn into a hacking exercise - find the offending code and try to circumvent it.

 

[djevox]

Ineresting. What's to stop someone from disabling the OTA so it doesn't check? I guess they'd program it so if the OTA check was disabled, the truck wouldn't function. This would quickly turn into a hacking exercise - find the offending code and try to circumvent it.

Really, nothing. Along the same lines, there’s got to be some handling for dead zones (like getting stuck in a traffic jam in a tunnel). It would take looking at the code of the finished solution to see what was in their head when they design it. I definitely agree that they’d most likely try to put in some kind of anti-hack check, but I don’t know what that would look like.

 

[Jimmy07]

There's another consideration. I rad that manufacturers are going to start building all vehicles with the same options, but with the options turned off in order to streamline the manufacturing process. They can then charge folks monthly for options that cna be turned on electronically. I wonder if there's a way that manufacturer's can lock options in the future so that AlphaOBD can't be used to bypass their payment requirement.

If they are subscription based features and options, all of the hardware will already be installed, and all of the settings will already be enabled, so tools like AlfaOBD will be useless. It’ll be like trying to enable off-road pages with AlfaOBD- since it is subscription based, as soon as Ram Connect checks the VIN, it kills the app.

 

[Darksteel165]

If they are subscription based features and options, all of the hardware will already be installed, and all of the settings will already be enabled, so tools like AlfaOBD will be useless. It’ll be like trying to enable off-road pages with AlfaOBD- since it is subscription based, as soon as Ram Connect checks the VIN, it kills the app.

Some states are already making locking hardware features installed into cars illegal.
I believe it was New Jersey passed a law recently outlawing it.

 

[Darksteel165]

If it is truly $85 then I stand corrected on the price angle, I was under the impression it was more like $200.

To be clear.
You need an app called Alfaobd which costs $49 on the Google Play store
You need a security BYPASS module, that plugs in-line under your steeling wheel\near ODB2 port which allows you greater access into the vehicle network ($15-$50). This is what I have, but I got it from Amazon for $24
You need an ODB2 adapter that is not a "Chinese clone" that you can get off of ebay or Amazon for around $10-20. I got mine for $11 years ago. This is for your phone to connect to your truck or ANY OTHER VEHICLE THAT USES ODB2. There are too many to link, just look for one with a good review. This one looks like this one would work for around $20. It physically looks the same as mine which I got in 2010.

 

[c3k]

I have AlphaOBD.

I'm happy to try to change my heated steering wheel setting.

I have a single button with a red LED in it. One push, LED illuminates and the steering wheel heats.

If I enable 3 step heating (On/Low/High), how does the heating work?
Starting in OFF, one push LED comes on and it's in LOW, second push, LED stays on and it's in HIGH?

(I'm wondering if the others have the 12" screen (I do not) and that it somehow shows more settings?)

Thanks,
Ken

 

[OCD Solutions]

Nope, you can add the feature but nothing changes on the display. I believe in Medium, the indicator is off but the 3 little heat lines still appear or change to red.

Like other's have said, not sure why they didn't finish this one off better. All the necessary components are there, (at least they are on my Limited), all that's missing is the matching display.

 

[HSKR R/T]

I have AlphaOBD.

I'm happy to try to change my heated steering wheel setting.

I have a single button with a red LED in it. One push, LED illuminates and the steering wheel heats.

If I enable 3 step heating (On/Low/High), how does the heating work?
Starting in OFF, one push LED comes on and it's in LOW, second push, LED stays on and it's in HIGH?

(I'm wondering if the others have the 12" screen (I do not) and that it somehow shows more settings?)

Thanks,
Ken

One push is high, second push would be medium, or low, spending in which option you enabled. Third push would be low, or off, depending on option enabled. On the 12" display, the heated steering wheel icon on top of screen turns off, with 2nd push, but the "button" you push stays on.

 

[mikeru82]

To be clear.
You need an app called Alfaobd which costs $49 on the Google Play store
You need a security BYPASS module, that plugs in-line under your steeling wheel\near ODB2 port which allows you greater access into the vehicle network ($15-$50). This is what I have, but I got it from Amazon for $24
You need an ODB2 adapter that is not a "Chinese clone" that you can get off of ebay or Amazon for around $10-20. I got mine for $11 years ago. This is for your phone to connect to your truck or ANY OTHER VEHICLE THAT USES ODB2. There are too many to link, just look for one with a good review. This one looks like this one would work for around $20. It physically looks the same as mine which I got in 2010.

You also need an Android device don't you? I think I have an old LG phone somewhere in my storage. Not sure the battery will be any good though LOL.

 

[Darksteel165]

You also need an Android device don't you? I think I have an old LG phone somewhere in my storage. Not sure the battery will be any good though LOL.

It works for Windows also.

AlfaOBD

I find that people may have a harder time pairing an ODB2 device to Windows so the eaysier way is to use an Android device such as a phone, tablet, or even a Chromebook should work fine.

 

[OCD Solutions]

I'm an IOS device kind of guy so I use my Windows laptop with AlfaOBD.
I'd love to find a cheap Android device to keep in the truck with a Bluetooth adapter to make connecting even simpler.

 

[Darksteel165]

I'm an IOS device kind of guy so I use my Windows laptop with AlfaOBD.
I'd love to find a cheap Android device to keep in the truck with a Bluetooth adapter to make connecting even simpler.

Depends what you want for cheap.
Ebay sells a bunch of old phones.
This is a Samsung S6 for $50

Samsung Galaxy S6 - Factory Unlocked - AT&T / T-Mobile / Sprint - 32GB - Good 647923027402 | eBay

Unlocked - This Phone is Unlocked for GSM Networks. This Phone is ready to be used with your existing service, or a new one. For internet services, you may need to set up the APN Settings. This is a pre-owned device, it has been tested and is FULLY FUNCTIONAL | The devicewill show a Pink/Green...

www.ebay.com

One thing to keep is a charger cable. Some phones drain battery life even when turned off.

 

[HSKR R/T]

I would personally just buy a cheap Android tablet. I picked up a 10.1" Android tablet off Amazon a couple weeks ago for $60. I'm going to use it to display a slide show of pictures of my truck at car shows. I could easily install alfaObd on it as well.

 

[VectorZ]

I have found that in most cases of "Why the heck did the engineers or designers do that?" there is a valid reason behind it. We may not agree with it but as much as we like to poke fun and say "that engineer isn't too bright" these are intelligent people and I am sure that we here on an internet forum don't have the engineers going "Duh! Why didn't we think of adding a 3-position heat level switch for the heated wheel? Boy, we need to step up our game." I am also sure they have some brilliant ideas that will never get implemented due to corporate and governmental red tape.

Most likely this was discussed in detail and probably other ideas as well. Why not a rheostat on the heated seats for infinite heat control instead of only 3 settings? Pretty sure that was probably discussed back in the 90's and there is a pretty good reason for not doing it. If we had a chance to sit down with them they would explain why they don't do certain things that seem so simple and WE here on the forum would go "oh ok...I never thought of that."

The assumption we all go to, myself included, is it was a cost-saving measure or no one else really offers it so why waste the money on it? More than likely though there is more to it than that and I think it's a safe bet that it was discussed in detail at some point at Ram/Dodge.

True, and some of these choices may be driven by federal laws. i.e. no high beams on with fogs etc.

 

[VectorZ]

For you AlfaOBD guys, have any of you been able to activate the off road pages with it? I have a 2020 and am unable with Jscan.

 

[CatServant]

I used the heated steering wheel in my 2022 Ram 1500 yesterday and it’s not nearly as hot as the one in my Durango.