Will your vehicle be impacted by the decline of 3G?

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Say "goodbye" to 3G.

Wireless carriers are shutting down the old connection, making the shift to newer, faster, and more reliable 5G networks. The problem: Every remaining 3G device will be cut off, including the 3G modems in cars sold over the past decade.

"If you think about in the past 10 years all the technology that's come into cars, and one of those features has been modems built into vehicles, to be able to have connectivity with the manufacturer, with the customer, to be able to communicate things," said Rick Ricart of central Ohio's Ricart Automotive.

Ricart said ever-changing technology doesn't make these vehicles obsolete but could spell the end for some features you frequently use, including your navigation system.

"Being able to unlock the vehicle, being able to remote start it, and some of those other features that you can do beyond the key fob," Ricart said.

However, Ricart added, the looming shutdown through the end of 2022 affects various automakers and models differently.

"The good news is it is a very small amount of vehicles that don't have an upgrade or haven't been upgraded," he said.

If you're unsure whether your vehicle will be affected, Ricart suggests making a quick phone call.

"I think the easiest solution, always, if you're curious if your vehicle is or isn't affected you can call your local dealer," Ricart said.

And, in his opinion, don't be concerned about another update any time soon.

"I think situations like these are going to be fewer and fewer in the future because there is so much more connectivity happening with the vehicles and the way these over-the-air software updates operate," Ricart said. "But it should be a good thing as far as updates go and as far as keeping your vehicle safe and reliable on the road."

Consumer Reports has a list of automakers and their plans for the shutdown here.