Privacy4Cars: delete car data

I use this app every day so these minor gripes add up. I would really love the ability to sort exception options or at least have them reorganized to make more sense with the frequency they are used. Key missing is the most common exception but it is several choices down. I have often mistakenly reported a bluetooth exception when I meant to do another since it was the default. The most important issue has go do with disappearing log entries. Frequently, I will clear a car or report an exception that will disappear in both the log and the app clear status when the VIN is inputted. I am not sure how the clear data disappears but I’d prefer if the log data can’t be deleted when a VIN is cleared or given an exception (not abandoned). My final issue is bloat. There are so many duplicate choices for infotainment systems when a vin is submitted. These pictures often have issues loading and when they do load I often need to scroll through 5 or 10 identical choices to select the next distinct one. Exception reporting also freezes and I commonly need to switch from WiFi to 5g to upload an exception. This is likely due to the pictures. I would prefer if the exception submitted without the picture if the connection is slow and then uploaded when a better connection is achieved. Lastly, I never use the unprocessed VIN feature but it likely contributes to the app bloat and overall slowness from time to time. I would love the option to disable that feature in order to make the app run faster. Great app but if you can address some of these issues, it would make a huge improvement for my work productivity.

Your process to remove personal data makes no mention that all radio presets are also clears. How are those considered “personal data”? Not to mention that your app provides nothing more than could be found in an owner’s manual or through a Google search. In other words, your app is horrible and completely useless, and is being deleted.

…and I never could even get one erasure of date from a PIN.

The register button doesn't work, so I can't use the app

Someone creates an app that lets me delete data from cars. Cool! Then I scroll down to App Privacy: It collects Location, Identifiers, Contact Info, and Usage Data. Oh it’s “Data not linked to me?” This was de-bunked by the NYT back in 2019 when they discovered cars are sucking up your data, saying they “anonymized” it but then NYT found it only takes two data points to ID you with 95% accuracy. Why not just *not* collect data from users willing to pay money for the app? Just charge a bit more if it is necessary for your economics. 5 stars if you stop collecting my data after I pay.

TL; DR - extra scans didn’t download and refund refused This app says two free scans, great! But the app counts a use on scan start rather than scan completion, so if you get interrupted, as I was twice, your free scans are gone. Fine, no big deal, it’s only a couple of bucks to get unlimited scans, it was free, so I buy the extra scan. The app says purchase successful but then says there was a problem with the App Store. Fine. I restart my phone and try again, same thing. I’m selling the car that day so I borrow my wife’s phone. I’m expecting some big nine-point process but I get five screens of photos to navigate the menus to an option that on my Toyota that removed all my data. Great, but it would have been easier on a single page. It took two more pages to clear the garage door opener, and then that was it. Two process points. I sold the car and then on Jan 16, the bill comes from the App Store for two downloadable content purchases. I told Apple that I didn’t get the content and received a refund. Ten days later the charges reappear and this time, the App Store will not refund my purchases. It’s not about the money, it’s about doing the right thing. This company doesn’t do the right thing.

I have deleted my info before on my vehicle. It was very easy to do and I didn’t have to even look it up. This just told me what I already knew and it used one free lookup that I didn’t even use like most other users.

Tested with instructions for an F-150 and it basically walked me through resetting the infotainment system, such an obvious process that you literally go to Settings -> Reset. No instructions or ability to reset anything else. Demands location information for no good reason. Useless and deleted.

Bought scans for one vehicle and the app keeps telling me to buy more scans

I didn’t even get to try it, and it said I used up a scan. I was only setting up the app as I had just downloaded it. I was putting in my vehicle information and then it said I used up a scan. I wasn’t even in my car. Nice concept, but at this rate, I won’t be trying it.