How can we find a tracker on a car??

[Willowbull2025]

My friend is being tracked by her ex. We know because he knows of her whereabouts and pics of her have been taken and shared. This has been reported to police and added to an ongoing DV case which he was arrested for.

We are pretty certain she is still being tracked. We have gone through her car once before but recent events mean that we are literally going to have to rip her car apart once again.

Do the tracker detectors you see on amazon etc actually work? Is it worth buying one? Is there anything else we should consider about how she is being tracked? We don’t believe it’s her phone as she has been out in other peoples vehicles with no issue, its always when she is using her own car.

Any help or advice will be appreciated. The anxiety is overwhelming. As a friend, i am genuinely fearful for her safety. Thanks

Swap cars?

I would take it to the police and report him and ask them to check.

Can you ask the police to check it for you given that its part of an ongoing investigation?

I wouldn’t waste your money on the Amazon trackers, they aren’t a guarantee and could just be a waste. Have you check the most common places, behind the trims, wheel arches, OBD port?

In this instance I really would recommend speaking to the police though.

Yes, don't just look inside, look under - with a torch, and be thorough. Wheel arches pull back door plastics, look under the console, in the bumpers, behind the number plate, in the spare tyre bit etc.

Have you looked on a phone to see if there's any blue-tooth devices found near you that you don't recognise? (maybe go somewhere far away from other devices for that - bottom of a carpark or out in the countryside - and see if any devices you don't recognise are in both places)

There are apps that let you track the strength of a bluetooth signal (if it is using bluetooth - they're lower power, anything else would need to be plugged in really) so you could hopefully find it in/on the car.

Cam she get a garage to check for her?

I’d take it somewhere like a tyre place where they can put it on a platform to have a good look underneath.

Police asap

id do the leave the car at x location then get a bus or walk to x location etc

Are you certain it’s on her car not phone ? Is it just when she’s alone ?

She should take it to a garage and ask them to check.

Or can she sell it and buy a different one? Or swap cars with a friend or family member for a few weeks?

I would get a garage to look, but I would consider these questions first.

1. How long do you believe the tracker has been active, i.e. is it weeks or many months, if it's many months it may be connected to the car for power.
2. Did the ex have access to the interior of the car?(i.e. is the tracker more likely to be external)
3. If the car is relatively modern, does it have the ability to share its location via the manufactures app, and if so check the account and who has access to its location.
4. Does an iPhone traveling in the car show any airtags traveling with her? (or similar with Android)
5. Was the car ever fitted with a 3rd party immobiliser

A tracker detector is unlikely to be effective.
A tracker that uses GPS needs to have sight of at least 2 satellites, so is less likely to be underneath the car.

The op said it doesn’t happen when she’s in other vehicles.

if you have an iphone, they recognise if an unknown tracker (airtag) is nearby. Check when in car

Police now!

Sell the car.

I have a tracker on my van & I don't know where it is as the fitter wouldn't tell me.

But it's wired into the electrical loom of the van. I don't think they are easy to find as thieves park high-value cars up, just to see rather than look for the tracker.

Police too.

As a pp metioned my 2018 skoda has a sim which will send send the location to an app on my phone. So its possible thats how he is tracking the car

AI/google advice

iPhone Users: Check the Find My app. Apple will automatically alert you if an unknown AirTag is moving with you. You can also use the "Items" tab to "Identify Found Item."
Android Users: Go to Settings > Safety & Emergency > Unknown Tracker Alerts. Ensure this is toggled on. You can also hit "Scan Now" to manually look for nearby tags.
Third-Party Apps: Download a "Bluetooth Scanner" or "BLE Scanner" app from the App Store or Play Store. These apps show a list of all nearby Bluetooth signals and their signal strength; if a device’s signal gets stronger as you move toward the trunk, you’re getting close.

Physical Inspection: Exterior
Most trackers are magnetic and placed where they can be quickly attached without entering the vehicle.

• Wheel Wells: Check behind the plastic liners and around the suspension.
• Under the Chassis: Use a flashlight and a telescopic mirror (or your phone’s front camera) to look along the metal frame. Pay close attention to the area near the gas tank.
• Bumpers: Reach your hand behind the front and rear bumpers. There are many hollow "shelves" here where a small magnetic box could sit.

Physical Inspection: Interior
If your ex had access to the inside of the car, the search area expands.

• OBD-II Port: This is a small rectangular plug, usually located under the dashboard on the driver's side. Check if anything is plugged into it.
• Under Seats: Feel along the tracks and inside the seat pockets. Check for any wires that look "taped on" or out of place.
• The Trunk: Check the spare tire well, under the floor mats, and inside any side panels or cargo nets.
• Dash and Console: Look for USB sticks or adapters plugged into 12V outlets (cigarette lighters) that seem unnecessary.

Professional Help
If you’ve searched and still feel like you’re being followed, experts have tools that the average person doesn't.

• Car Audio/Alarm Shops: Technicians who install remote starts and stereos know exactly what "factory" wiring looks like and can spot an aftermarket tracker in minutes.
• Private Investigators: They use expensive "TSCM" (Technical Surveillance Counter-Measures) equipment to find "silent" trackers that only transmit data intermittently.

Important Safety Note If you find a device: Do not disable or destroy it immediately if you plan to involve the police. Take photos of it exactly where it was found. Handle it with gloves to preserve fingerprints, and place it in a sealed bag.

Thank you everyone. A friend of a friend is a mechanic. He came to check the car and found a tracker plugged into the diagnostics port. It was located underneath the steering wheel behind a section that clips out. Police have been notified.
Thanks again x

Glad you've found it.hopefully there won't be repercussions for her for removing it amd some for him from the police.

He came to check the car and found a tracker plugged into the diagnostics port. It was located underneath the steering wheel behind a section that clips out.

Crikey! That isn't somewhere I would have looked. Thank goodness it was found.

For anyone else who might be reading and experiencing a similar situation, here's a list of ways your location could be being tracked.

Think about things like Just Eat, Amazon prime, Google maps history - any apps you might have your address saved that he could access. Trackers can be hidden literally anywhere in the car and be very difficult to find.

refugetechsafety.org/location-guide/