How do you remove a passtime device from a car?

Answer 1

This is a serious situation, and whether you accept it or not changes nothing about the facts.

If you tamper with, interfere with, or remove anything installed by a dealership to help them secure the loan on that vehicle, you could be criminally charged.

When you purchased the vehicle, if it was with a "Buy here; pay here" or credit repair dealership, you did so in good trust. You entered into a contract, and agreed to abide by that contract. Additionally, you placed yourself under the very real authority of collections and potentially repossession laws. Having worked a fair number of years in the industry, I can assure you that if your file crosses the desk of the right person, there is nothing you can do to effectively hide the vehicle (one of the purposes of the Passtime device) or to prevent its recovery. Not that it is especially related to the question (but is to the last statement) I have located every vehicle I've searched for, to include two that were buried to prevent their recovery.

All of this being stated, WikiAnswers does not permit the dissemination of illegal information or illegal How-To's.

Texas Penal Code provides severe penalty for those who attempt to circumvent or hinder the recovery of secured property. Many other states have similar legislation.

§ 32.33. HINDERING SECURED CREDITORS. (a) For purposes of this section:

(1) "Remove" means transport, without the effective consent of the secured party, from the state in which the property was located when the security interest or lien attached.

(2) "Security interest" means an interest in personal property or fixtures that secures payment or performance of an obligation.

(b) A person who has signed a security agreement creating a security interest in property or a mortgage or deed of trust creating a lien on property commits an offense if, with intent to hinder enforcement of that interest or lien, he destroys, removes, conceals, encumbers, or otherwise harms or reduces the value of the property.

(c) For purposes of this section, a person is presumed to have intended to hinder enforcement of the security interest or lien if, when any part of the debt secured by the security interest or lien was due, he failed:

(1) to pay the part then due; and

(2) if the secured party had made demand, to deliver possession of the secured property to the secured party.

(d) An offense under Subsection (b) is a:

(1) Class C misdemeanor if the value of the property destroyed, removed, concealed, encumbered, or otherwise harmed or reduced in value is less than $20;

(2) Class B misdemeanor if the value of the property destroyed, removed, concealed, encumbered, or otherwise harmed or reduced in value is $20 or more but less than $500;

(3) Class A misdemeanor if the value of the property destroyed, removed, concealed, encumbered, or otherwise harmed or reduced in value is $500 or more but less than $1,500;

(4) state jail felony if the value of the property destroyed, removed, concealed, encumbered, or otherwise harmed or reduced in value is $1,500 or more but less than $20,000;

(5) felony of the third degree if the value of the property destroyed, removed, concealed, encumbered, or otherwise harmed or reduced in value is $20,000 or more but less than $100,000;

(6) felony of the second degree if the value of the property destroyed, removed, concealed, encumbered, or otherwise harmed or reduced in value is $100,000 or more but less than $200,000; or

(7) felony of the first degree if the value of the property destroyed, removed, concealed, encumbered, or otherwise harmed or reduced in value is $200,000 or more.

(e) A person who is a debtor under a security agreement, and who does not have a right to sell or dispose of the secured property or is required to account to the secured party for the proceeds of a permitted sale or disposition, commits an offense if the person sells or otherwise disposes of the secured property, or does not account to the secured party for the proceeds of a sale or other disposition as required, with intent to appropriate (as defined in Chapter 31) the proceeds or value of the secured property. A person is presumed to have intended to appropriate proceeds if the person does not deliver the proceeds to the secured party or account to the secured party for the proceeds before the 11th day after the day that the secured party makes a lawful demand for the proceeds or account. An offense under this subsection is:

(1) a Class C misdemeanor if the proceeds obtained from the sale or other disposition are money or goods having a value of less than $20;

(2) a Class B misdemeanor if the proceeds obtained from the sale or other disposition are money or goods having a value of $20 or more but less than $500;

(3) a Class A misdemeanor if the proceeds obtained from the sale or other disposition are money or goods having a value of $500 or more but less than $1,500;

(4) a state jail felony if the proceeds obtained from the sale or other disposition are money or goods having a value of $1,500 or more but less than $20,000;

(5) a felony of the third degree if the proceeds obtained from the sale or other disposition are money or goods having a value of $20,000 or more but less than $100,000;

(6) a felony of the second degree if the proceeds obtained from the sale or other disposition are money or goods having a value of $100,000 or more but less than $200,000; or

(7) a felony of the first degree if the proceeds obtained from the sale or other disposition are money or goods having a value of $200,000 or more.

Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1979, 66th Leg., p. 501, ch. 232, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1979; Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 914, § 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1985; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, § 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.

Just FYI for those of you thinking of tampering with a device that is installed by your creditor to help you stay on track with your payments.

The dealer has done you a great service by selling you reliable transportation when many others wouldn't. You sought out their services. While you may have fallen on hard times, it is not the fault of the dealership.

Please note to admin of thread, the intention of the post is unknown. For all you know this could be automobile technician contracted to remove such a device for a customer. I being one such technician have not learned yet how to do this. It is a rather new technology. I'm having to wait for the install manual from PassTime. Until I get it, the customer continues to wait. While the device IS disabled, the powertran portion is still present and the finance company has already submitted proof of payment and legal forms for the removal.

There is no reason to keep this information from the automotive world, as the GPS system itself is almost impossible to remove without getting into the electrical system on most vehicles. Likewise, home shop mechanics like me usually contact the manufacturer for such information. This one in particular is a bit different and I was hoping it was something simple I missed, but I'll never know, because someone saw fit to hinder the knowledge based on their interpretation of the use.