From the thread title I thought you meant on star like systems.

The type of thing you're talking about I've heard of with buy here pay here type used car sales, never heard of it with a new car.

 

I read about someone finding one in their new truck on another forum, when it fell onto the floorboard. The concensus there was that some dealers install them to track stolen inventory off the lot and/or to make repossessions easier when people default on dealer financed vehicles or leases. And yes, it sounded like they often pass along the bill for the device as a dealer installed option but no monthly fees are passed on because it's not there to benefit the owner in any way.

 

Actually there is a perceived benefit to the customer. After a free trial the customer can pay a monthly fee and track their car in a phone app. I just don’t want a tracker on my car with who knows who having access to it. I have an Apple AirTag for when I need to track one of my vehicles. I’ve killed the power the tracker so it’s inoperable, I still need to find and remove the module. After I started this thread I checked a few car forums, this is a huge issue on most.

 

I have lojack on my new car. Daughter is 14 and she will be getting this car when she gets her license. I will know where she is 100% of the time. The benefit of lojack is that they aren't like many of the dealer installed systems where they are mounted in an easily accessible location and easily defeated.

Last dealership I worked at tracked every car. We had someone run a car stolen from another dealership through the door. Stole a handful of cars. Police were able to track them. All were recovered the same day but a Charger because the police would not persue that car, but they always knew where it was.

If my car was stolen I prefer it never be recovered. But the odds are that is will be recovered. You just have to hope it's either very quick or after the insurance payout.

 

I need to check my 90 F250 then and see if there is one

 

Wife’s Jeep has a tracker, but I think those things can be defeated. Not sure I would want it back anyway.

 

Lojack has been all the rage of decades now. Pretty sure they need to notify you if one is installed.

 

My '25 Honda had it already installed as a buyer "feature". At the table I did get most of the price removed since they wouldn't physically remove it. My thinking is, it's more for the dealership incase payments fall behind. But basically it's preinstalled by automakers and not an add-on. "Free monitoring" for 2 years. Whatever. After my factory warranty runs out that thing is out as well as uninstalling the built in Nav software that's garbage unless you pay for it. CarPlay is the way.

 

There was a stick on label near the LED screen on my wife's 2024 Highlander that notified us the vehicle location was being monitored.

The only value I can see is it allows the display of what the speed limit is on the road you are driving on.

Not loving it but it did not stop me from buying it either.

 

There was a stick on label near the LED screen on my wife's 2024 Highlander that notified us the vehicle location was being monitored.

The only value I can see is it allows the display of what the speed limit is on the road you are driving on.

Not loving it but it did not stop me from buying it either.

The speed limits didplayed on newer cars are determined by camera not GPS.

Next time you go through a construction site and see a limit sign check and be sure.

 

The speed indicator is usually part of the GPS. That sticker is probably so Toyota knows where you are. That way if you need service they will recommend a dealer close to you.

 

Not in camera equipped cars.

The GPS speed display will differ from camera equipped cars.

 

The camera sees the posted speed limit. The GPS displays the reported speed limit when it was updated last.

 

I did have to uninstall the GuidePoint though. The device piggybacks to the OBDII, only took about 10 minutes to remove.

Is it connected to the OBDII connect under the dash to the right of the steering column? I'm trying to figure out if my new-to-me used car has a tracker.

 

Yes, the device connects to the OBDII bracket and ODBII plugs to the device. Defini aftermarket and a lot of dealers use them or something similar.

 

How do you define "GPS trackers"?

I ask because some cars have had GPS capable tracking in them for years, probably more like decades.

My 2021 F150 pickup truck is an XLT model, which is just one step up from the standard XL model (not a platinum, neutonian, titanium, King Ranch, etc). It came with installed "standard" options, including remote start just using your smart phone. Which also includes GPS tracking - I can find where my truck is almost anywhere in the world.

Re-reading the original post... very common for dealerships to "sell" "options" that are already on a vehicle. And sort of pre-install dealer options and then upsell them. One common one is the "vin etching" - where the vehicles VIN is etched on windows and doors, for tracking the parts if the vehicle is stolen. That's great, except if you look closely - the vehicle you are looking at probably already has had that VIN etching done.

My sister once was going to buy a Honda. It had an included anti-theft system - its' headlights would flash if broken into. My sister commented that it seemed strange that there was no horn with the lights, sale lizard said it was an extra fee to include the horn. Sister said she'd come back after thinking about. She contacted Honda USA and asked why they had an alarm system with no sound... the person on the phone said that is incorrect. all the alarm systems included the horn as it would be silly to not include it.

The dealership wanted an extra couple hundred dollars to plug back in the horn part of the alarm... that they had unplugged earlier.

 

How do you define "GPS trackers"?

A device that uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) to track the location of a vehicle.

 

As I understand it most cars made within the last few years collect data on their owners and drivers. With no way of removing that data. GPS seems par for the course. Big brother and little brother are watching.

 

My truck is OnStar equipped so I doubt the dealer bothered with that. If I found something like that aftermarket unit I would...

I was about to incriminate myself before I realized that our wonderful moderation team might look down on the activity I was about to describe, and since our wonderful moderation team has me on a brand new rehabilitation plan that is reforming my wayward ways, I'll keep that thought to myself. I appreciate all the mods wonderful support.

 

I hope expensive lawsuits and changes in the law put a stop to the spying by automakers and all they sell info to.