How To Find & Remove A Hidden GPS Tracker On Your Car

Portable GPS trackers are used for everything from tracking senior loved ones who might get lost while driving to fleet management, where employers can increase the safety and security of drivers. These are the positive applications of GPS tracking. But what if you value your privacy and are worried there could be a GPS device in your car? That there is a portable GPS hidden inside your car that is secretly recording everywhere you go? Don’t worry! This article will tell you everything you need to know about where to find vehicle tracking devices and how to safely remove them from your car!

What Do GPS Vehicle Trackers Look Like

Before we can discuss how to remove GPS tracking devices, we need to first understand what tracker devices look like. A GPS vehicle tracker is a small device that can vary in shape and size depending on the manufacturer and model. They can be as small as a matchbox or as large as a small tablet. Some common features of a GPS tracker include:

• A built-in GPS antenna: This is typically a small, round, or rectangular component that is used to receive the GPS signal.
• A SIM card slot: This is where the SIM card is inserted, which allows the device to connect to a cellular network.
• A power button or switch: This is used to turn the device on and off.
• LED lights or indicators: These can indicate the device’s power status, signal strength, or other information.
• Cables or connectors: Some GPS trackers may have a USB port or other connectors for charging or data transfer.

You should also consider searching for magnetic GPS trackers on Amazon if you want to get a visual of some of the top-selling tracking systems on the market today. Some of these products include SpaceHawk GPS, Family1st portable GPS tracker, and SpyTec GL300 car GPS.

Where Do People Usually Put Trackers in Cars?

GPS location tracking devices can be placed in a variety of locations in a car, depending on the type of device and the person who installed it. Here are the top 6 places where a real-time GPS might be hidden on your vehicle:

1. OBD2 Port: The most common place businesses equip a GPS tracking device for fleet management.
2. Under the dashboard: This is a popular location as it is out of sight and can be easily accessed for wiring.
3. In the glove box: This can be a good location as it is typically not accessed very often.
4. In the trunk: This is another location that can be hidden and out of sight but with easy access for wiring.
5. Under the seats: Some trackers can be placed under the seats, which can be a good location as it is not easily visible.
6. Under the hood: Some trackers can be placed under the hood of the car, which can be a good location as it is not easily accessible.

It’s worth noting that some portable GPS trackers are hardwired into the car’s electrical system, which makes it more difficult to locate and remove them. If a GPS tracker is hardwired, professional assistance may be required to remove it.

How to Remove an OBD2 GPS Device from your Vehicle

Disconnecting a tracker from the OBD-II (On-Board Diagnostics) port of a vehicle is a straightforward process that can be done by physically unplugging the device from the port. The OBD-II port is typically located underneath the dashboard on the driver’s side of the vehicle and is often hidden by a cover that can be removed with a screwdriver or by pressing a release button. Once you have located the port, you can identify the tracker device by looking for a cable or wire that is connected to it.  To disconnect the device, you will need to carefully unplug it from the OBD-II data connector by gently pulling it out. It is important to ensure that the device is disconnected from the vehicle’s power source before attempting to unplug it. After the device is disconnected, you should check the indicator lights on the device to confirm that it is no longer transmitting data or receiving power.

Note: OBD2 locator devices are the most common form of fleet tracking GPS systems. If you believe a cheating spouse GPS is on your car, it is most likely going to be a wireless GPS tracking system.

How To Remove A Wireless GPS Device From Your Vehicle

Removing a wireless GPS tracker from a car can be a bit more challenging than disconnecting a real-time GPS from the OBD-II port. This is because real-time GPS tracking devices can be attached to any metallic surface on a vehicle. Although it will take a little more work to locate and disable the tracking device, you should be fine by following the following step:

Locate the GPS device

The wireless GPS tracker will likely be hidden somewhere on the car, such as under the dashboard, inside the bumper, or under the car. It may be a small box-shaped device, or it may be integrated into another device, such as a stereo or navigation system.

Disable the real-time GPS tracker

Before removing the device, it is important to disable it to prevent it from transmitting data or receiving power. This can typically be done by removing the battery or disconnecting the device from its power source.

Remove the live GPS tracker

Once the device is disabled, you can proceed to remove it from the car. Depending on the location and type of device, this may involve removing screws or using a specialized tool to release the device. It’s important to take care not to damage the car or the device while removing it.

Remove the SIM card

If the device has a SIM card, it’s important to remove it as well, to prevent the device from being reactivated or used by someone else.

Dispose of the device

Once you have removed the GPS device from the vehicle and taken out its SIM card, you can throw the car tracker away to prevent it from ever being reused.

Types Of GPS Trackers Businesses Use

According to GPS Tracker Shop, magnetic trackers are usually by consumers, such as people who want to spy on a cheating spouse or make sure a teenager is driving safely. But what if your company is using vehicle GPS tracking on your company vehicle, and you want to remove the GPS? If you are worried your boss is using a GPS car tracker and already checked the 5 spots where a tracker can be hidden earlier, then it is likely you have a plugin GPS on your vehicle. Let’s learn what an OBD2 port tracker is and how you can uninstall and remove it!

An OBD-II (On-Board Diagnostics) tracker is a device that connects to a vehicle’s OBD-II port (usually located under the dashboard) and can track and report on various aspects of the vehicle’s performance, including location, speed, fuel efficiency, and diagnostic trouble codes. These devices can be used for a variety of purposes, such as fleet management, theft prevention, and monitoring of teenage drivers. They typically communicate with a smartphone or web-based companion app and can be configured to send notifications or alerts based on certain conditions or events.

The good news is that OBD2 trackers do not have an internal battery, so once you disconnect the real-time GPS from the OBD2 port, the device will stop working. The plug-and-play trackers are very easy to install and remove, not requiring any assistance from a professional installer.

Why GPS Tracker Detectors Can Fail You

GPS detectors cannot locate GPS trackers that are in sleep mode because the device is not actively emitting signals. Sleep mode is a feature that allows a GPS tracker to conserve battery power by turning off its transmitter when it is not in use, so when the tracker is in sleep mode, it does not emit any signals, so a GPS detector would not be able to detect its presence.

Additionally, GPS trackers that are in sleep mode may be programmed to only emit signals at specific intervals, making it hard to detect them and some advanced GPS trackers have the capability to detect when a GPS detector is being used and can automatically turn off their transmitter or switch to a stealth mode making them undetectable by the detector.

TLDR:

To remove a GPS tracker from a car, you will first need to locate the device. GPS trackers can be hidden in various locations, such as under the dashboard, in the glove box, or in the trunk. Once you have located the device, you can remove it by unplugging the power source, cutting the wires, or using a GPS jammer to disrupt the signal. It is also important to note that some GPS trackers are hardwired into the car’s electrical system, and professional assistance may be required.

If you believe there is a tracker on your car, a detection device might not pick up the GPS signals being transmitted from the vehicle GPS tracker because wireless devices are designed to go into sleep mode to save battery life.