What is this thing? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

pallen · 06-28-2020, 03:42 PM

Found in the "back seat" of my car. Looks like a fiber optic connector or light thing of some kind...

humfrz · 06-28-2020, 05:05 PM

It's a tracking device.

soundman98 · 06-28-2020, 08:21 PM

no model number?

pallen · 06-28-2020, 08:30 PM

no marks or numbers or anything

soundman98 · 06-28-2020, 08:44 PM

looks like a commercial fiber optic sc panel board coupling.

pallen · 06-28-2020, 09:11 PM

That looks really close. Maybe the previous owner worked in IT. I was just wondering if it was related to some aftermarket lighting mods or something. The dome light up front is red - that's not stock is it?

Ernest72 · 06-29-2020, 12:13 PM

Be careful. The Chinese are on to you. ��

pallen · 06-29-2020, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernest72

Be careful. The Chinese are on to you. ��

Chinese? I thought it was FBI.

Spuds · 06-29-2020, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pallen

That looks really close. Maybe the previous owner worked in IT. I was just wondering if it was related to some aftermarket lighting mods or something. The dome light up front is red - that's not stock is it?

The transparent covers should pull out and you should see the fiber connection clips inside. Dome light being red seems modified, but I doubt it uses fiber optics as the bulb is in the housing. If everything in the car works, I doubt it's supposed to be installed in the car. (Also, cars don't really have fiber running through them lol).

pallen · 06-29-2020, 02:57 PM

Yeah, I didn't expect we had fiber optic lighting or anything, but I thought some of these new LEDs might have some weird shapes I don't recognize. I'm guessing the previous owner was an IT person that hauled parts around from site to site or something.

Although, the notion of fiber optic lighting in cars isnt completely unheard of. I remember reading back in the 90s about auto manufacturers experimenting with a single high intensity light and running fiber optics instead of electrical wires. The thought was that they could save some weight because fiber was lighter than copper wire, relays, bulbs, etc. I think they also just thought it sounded "high tech" at the time.

ls1ac · 06-29-2020, 05:22 PM

1967 to 1972 GM had Vigilite fiber light monitor for exterior lights

pallen · 06-29-2020, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ls1ac

1967 to 1972 GM had Vigilite fiber light monitor for exterior lights

Wow, that’s even further back than I remember.

soundman98 · 06-29-2020, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ls1ac

1967 to 1972 GM had Vigilite fiber light monitor for exterior lights

and a number of mercedes and bmw vehicles use fiber optic cables for audio amps through the 90's-00's.

dodge is currently talking about replacing canbus wires with optical assemblies in upcoming future generations--it's set to be a massive fiasco.

Ernest72 · 07-01-2020, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pallen

Chinese? I thought it was FBI.

The FBI know you already.

06-28-2020, 03:42 PM	#1
pallen Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Drives: 2017 Toyota 86 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 261 Thanks: 200 Thanked 184 Times in 110 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	What is this thing? Found in the "back seat" of my car. Looks like a fiber optic connector or light thing of some kind...

06-28-2020, 08:21 PM	#3
soundman98 ProCrastinationConsultant Join Date: Sep 2013 Drives: '14 Ranger, '18 Tacoma 4Dr LB Location: chicago-ish Posts: 11,330 Thanks: 35,240 Thanked 13,673 Times in 6,781 Posts Mentioned: 98 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	no model number? __________________ "The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time"

06-28-2020, 08:44 PM	#5
soundman98 ProCrastinationConsultant Join Date: Sep 2013 Drives: '14 Ranger, '18 Tacoma 4Dr LB Location: chicago-ish Posts: 11,330 Thanks: 35,240 Thanked 13,673 Times in 6,781 Posts Mentioned: 98 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	looks like a commercial fiber optic sc panel board coupling. __________________ "The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time"

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06-28-2020, 05:05 PM	#2
humfrz Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Drives: 2013 FR-S, white, MT Location: Puyallup, WA Posts: 29,925 Thanks: 28,883 Thanked 31,920 Times in 16,467 Posts Mentioned: 709 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	It's a tracking device.

06-28-2020, 08:30 PM	#4
pallen Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Drives: 2017 Toyota 86 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 261 Thanks: 200 Thanked 184 Times in 110 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	no marks or numbers or anything

06-28-2020, 09:11 PM	#6
pallen Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Drives: 2017 Toyota 86 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 261 Thanks: 200 Thanked 184 Times in 110 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	That looks really close. Maybe the previous owner worked in IT. I was just wondering if it was related to some aftermarket lighting mods or something. The dome light up front is red - that's not stock is it?

06-29-2020, 12:13 PM	#7
Ernest72 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Drives: 16 Silver BRZ, 04 Silver WRX wagon Location: Rockland county, NY Posts: 1,412 Thanks: 182 Thanked 769 Times in 440 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Be careful. The Chinese are on to you. ��

06-29-2020, 02:57 PM	#10
pallen Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Drives: 2017 Toyota 86 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 261 Thanks: 200 Thanked 184 Times in 110 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Yeah, I didn't expect we had fiber optic lighting or anything, but I thought some of these new LEDs might have some weird shapes I don't recognize. I'm guessing the previous owner was an IT person that hauled parts around from site to site or something. Although, the notion of fiber optic lighting in cars isnt completely unheard of. I remember reading back in the 90s about auto manufacturers experimenting with a single high intensity light and running fiber optics instead of electrical wires. The thought was that they could save some weight because fiber was lighter than copper wire, relays, bulbs, etc. I think they also just thought it sounded "high tech" at the time.

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