Well Another Micro Pod!
well was called out to a body shop to just simply clear codes in a 2021 jeep cherokee. they could not do it with their snap on scan tool using auto-auth. i thought simple enough. my scan tool would id the vehicle, but would not go into any body modules. ok, so i purchased a witech subscription and connected my witech micro pod. that should do it. “NOT!” as soon as my micro pod identified the vehicle, is said i had to use the MDP micro pod to do anything with the vehicle. so i called witech, and they said that stellantis requires the MDP on the new jeep wagoneer and cherokee platforms and will be phasing out the micro pod. so, another pod to purchase!
Don't worry the the mdp will be a long lasting tool for years and chrysler won't have another interface/tool out in the next 10 years…just kidding just look at the track record anybody have a starscan?
I still have a VCI pod and I figured out how to remove the kill switch so I can use it with an older version of WiTech and still have the DRBIII emulator. I'm tired of Chrysler killing off old devices!
I've had mine for almost a year and rarely use it. When I do I just buy the 3 day subscription since it's still pretty rare to come across one of those vehicles. It is backwards compatible, too.
Hi Steve, Stellintis (FCA) is troubling as they phase in their network gateway. Times are changing. It is going to cost much more in the future for mobile techs and shops to have the capability to work on these products. Here is an earlier posting: FCA Secure Gateway Module – Diagnostic Network
Thats a good read, thanks for posting. I may just focus on hard parts..pads, rotors, water pumps. Its just getting out of hand.
I've been leaning that way for a while now. I've already stopped programming, and even working on, most Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep products and I don't miss the aggravation at all. I still get sent the hard jobs from several local shops, that keeps my days interesting enough. Did you notice that the linked post is 4 years old?
Hi Eric, I noticed it was a few years old, but it addresses where this whole idea started. Basically, any vehicle with internet/ Bluetooth capability is vulnerable to being hacked if a corporate gateway were not in place. Chrysler FCA kept the lid on the incident (s) because it would have tanked their product sales. Here is a more recent article addressing vehicle computer…
I wasn't complaining about your link being old, I was pointing the age of the post to Stephen M, since he reacted like it was something happening just recently. I didn't want Stephen M. to get the wrong idea that this is a recent issue.
I did not notice that. The last Dodge I worked was just prior to secure gateway. Although I knew it existed for some time now, I've gotten lucky and haven't had to deal with it….yet. my scanner is on the authorized gateway platform so I'm hoping things should be straightforward
I have also stopped flashing FCA vehicles. All the additional costs added in made me less competitive. I had a chance to go an the dark side of the web, and get the software, but decided not to, but I'm sure the thieves are out there doing it. I'm sure that there will be a fire-sale in the black market for this stuff… As of July 15-17, IIRC, Ford and most other OEMs are requiring ALL AM scan…
This whole issue reminds me of the problem the record and movie industries had years ago when they tried to control everything with DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) by adding DRM to the files. All of a sudden there was pirate software to remove the DRM and/or the programs/videos/etc were available for download DRM free. Pirated software is available for almost all vehicle manufactures…
If you have a cardaq3/ptp4 you can download the j2534 app and use that. I had to for a 21 cherokee, You have to register the device.
Not sure if this applies, but I did a 2022 Alfa with the ezflasher 3(cardaq)…
The GC L and Wagoneer are Atlantis vehicles and utilize a protocol the black pod does not support
Another fine example of having to have either access to the knowledge prior to an attempt to change software, and what might be necessary to get the job done…but that does not seem like something I can find out on a very late model vehicle. For example: what the heck is a ‘black pod'? Now we rely on color? Are we going back to the Mitsu days where we needed the red card, or the Saturn ’red…
For what it’s worth on Thursday I did a 2022 Jeep Compass with my CarDaq3 and had no issues using WiTech
I just had three 2021 Cherokees from body shops in my area , my Autel 909 had no problem scanning and clearing all modules and as for programming the Plus 3 had no problem.
FCA makes garbage vehicles and makes them difficult to repair. Brilliant if you think about it!
I assume you were working on a Grand Cherokee “L” and not a Cherokee? The MDP is required for Grand Cherokees and Wagoneers at this time because they have the “Atlantis High” architecture. They have Can FD and ethernet that the original micropod can't handle. It has nothing to do with the security gateway. And yea, the original micropod is gone
I was just on the phone with Mopar TSP support they confrimed that micropod 2.0 will work on those vehicles. FYI If you're having any trouble at all the support people are great at FCA and can help you work through any problems you might come across. … 1-844-witech2