Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step1
Look under the seats. Check the floor under the seat and the undersides of the seats themselves. Look for loose seams and folded pockets of upholstery that can conceal small items. A thorough vehicle search involves every nook and crevice of the upholstery.
Step2
Check in the seats. Insert your hand as deeply as possible into the area where the seat back and bench come together. Run it along the entire length. If there are adjustment knobs or dials on the seat, feel behind them and check for loose caps. Remember to check the back seats as well, even if your teen was the driver on a group excursion.
Step3
Search high, then low. While conducting the auto search, examine the headliner. Look for rips or puckered material. Scrutinize any ceiling upholstery that appears disturbed, particularly if it's within reach of the driver's seat. Lift up all floor mats. An easy place to stash narrow items is beneath a mat.
Step4
Remember to check the obvious. Sometimes, the best place to hide things is in plain sight. Check the glove box, ashtrays and all cubby holes in the vehicle.
Step5
Remove any loose items, such as removable radios, radar detectors, CB radios and dash decorations. Check all plastic panels for loose sections. A panel that's been removed and replaced can sometimes be spotted by the marred appearance of the screws that secure it.
Step6
Investigate the trunk. Pull everything out, including the spare tire. Check the tire well and tire iron for contraband. If the trunk has a liner, pull it out. If it's a glued liner, check all seams to see that it's firmly into place.
Step7
Look beneath the hood and underbody for any items that can be wired to the vehicle. Although this is unlikely, it's better to be completely certain the car is free from contraband by the time you complete the vehicle search.
