diff --git a/selfdrive/car/car_helpers.py b/selfdrive/car/car_helpers.py
index 62cb3bbbe..e9d5f08cc 100644
--- a/selfdrive/car/car_helpers.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/car_helpers.py
@@ -83,8 +83,10 @@ def fingerprint(logcan, sendcan):
 
   frame = 0
 
-  if params.get("DragonUseCachedCar") == "1" and params.get("DragonCachedCar") is not None:
-    candidate_cars, finger, vin = pickle.loads(params.get("DragonCachedCar"))
+  if params.get("DragonUseCachedCar") == "1" and params.get("DragonCachedFP") != "" and params.get("DragonCachedModel") != "":
+    candidate_cars = [params.get("DragonCachedModel")]
+    finger = params.get("DragonCachedFP")
+    vin = params.get("DragonCachedVIN")
   else:
     while True:
       a = messaging.recv_one(logcan)
@@ -139,7 +141,9 @@ def fingerprint(logcan, sendcan):
     if vin_step == len(vin_cnts) and vin_cnt == vin_cnts[-1]:
       vin = "".join(vin_dat[3:])
 
-  params.put("DragonCachedCar", pickle.dumps([candidate_cars, finger, vin]))
+    params.put("DragonCachedModel", pickle.dumps(candidate_cars))
+    params.put("DragonCachedFP", pickle.dumps(finger))
+    params.put("DragonCachedVIN", pickle.dumps(vin))
 
   cloudlog.warning("fingerprinted %s", candidate_cars[0])
   cloudlog.warning("VIN %s", vin)
diff --git a/selfdrive/dragonpilot/dragonconf/__init__.py b/selfdrive/dragonpilot/dragonconf/__init__.py
index dca90c679..8846bf7ed 100644
--- a/selfdrive/dragonpilot/dragonconf/__init__.py
+++ b/selfdrive/dragonpilot/dragonconf/__init__.py
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ default_conf = {
   'DragonDisableLogger': '0',
   'DragonNoctuaMode': '0',
   'DragonUseCachedCar': '1',
-  'DragonCachedCar': '',
+  'DragonCachedModel': '', # for cache car
+  'DragonCachedFP': '', # for cache car
+  'DragonCachedVIN': '', # for cache car
 }
 
 def dragonpilot_set_params(params):