How to Disable a Car Tracking Device

Your GPS display may be on your dashboard.

GPS tracking devices are common in cars today. They can be helpful when you need to find a location or when your car has been stolen and you need to track it. Nevertheless, good reasons exist to consider disabling your car's tracking device. You may feel uncomfortable with the idea that you are always trackable in your car. You may simply find the system annoying. Or you may want to use a hand-held system instead. Whatever your reason, you should find it fairly easy to disable the car's GPS system if you choose.

Instructions

1. Locate the GPS device. Typically the device is underneath the car but it may be in the interior. It looks like a small rectangular box and is usually black or gray. Another common placement is underneath the bumper.

2. Open the GPS device and remove the battery. If the battery isn't there to power the device, the device cannot work. This is not an option on all car GPS devices, but it's the easiest way to disable the vehicle's GPS system if a removable battery is present.

3. Unplug and remove the device. If you can easily see how the GPS device is plugged into the vehicle, you can safely remove it. Sometimes the GPS system is attached magnetically, in which case you can just pull the device off the vehicle.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are purchasing the vehicle new, you can save yourself this trouble by asking the dealer to disable the GPS system before you take the car home. Alternatively, you can ask a trusted mechanic to help you locate and remove the device.

• If you are having trouble locating your car's GPS system, you can invest in a GPS bug tracker. This gadget uses the GPS signal to help you find the device.

• Many people try to disable their GPS car systems by using GPS jammers. This does work, but in many places it's illegal to purchase such a device.

References

• GPS Tracking: A Way to Secure Your Vehicle