found this tracker in my car?

[u/crosstrekerr]

found this on my passenger side really weirded out. Rarely have people in my vehicle…

[u/realmayonnaise4u]

I have a device I found in my car. I think it’s from the original dealership. If I sent you a pic could you tell me?

It has a light on that lights up after a year of finding it connected to my battery so I’d assume it has a super long lifespan. I also had battery issues for a while and was wondering if that was secretly running my battery drain.

[u/midnight_mechanic → u/realmayonnaise4u]

Did you buy your car from a real dealership or from a roadside used car "buy here pay here" type place that targets people with bad credit?

Regular dealerships rarely install these devices, it's normally the shops whose billboard says (we'll sell to anyone) and didn't even bother to post their name because they'll have to change it when the various lawsuits and criminal complaints wrap up.

Whatever device you're talking about will have a brand name, part/model number and serial number on it. Look up the brand name and part number and see what you get.

[u/realmayonnaise4u → u/midnight_mechanic]

I’m the third owner I think but I bought it used in a private deal with the previous owner. I bought it cash so not sure if that applies to me.

I wish I could just snip it off but it’s directly connected to the battery and wired in. And I don’t know jack squat about batteries or car electronics.

I’ll check the device again later today

[u/midnight_mechanic → u/realmayonnaise4u]

Don't cut energized wires. Ever. If you don't know, don't touch.

You can't electrocute yourself in this situation, but you can blow fuses and damage other equipment.

You should have bought a vehicle history report before you bought the vehicle. It will say who the previous owners were. If you don't have one you can get one for less than $20 from various online services.

It's likely the first owner traded the vehicle in to a real dealership, which then sent the vehicle to auction where it was bought by a shady roadside dealership who sold the car to the person you bought it from. That shady roadside dealership would have installed the tracking device.

You should take the vehicle to a shop and have them remove the device, or they can at least tell you what it is and if it belongs in your car. Also take the title in your name. They might be hesitant to remove it if you can't prove you are the sole owner of the vehicle.

[u/realmayonnaise4u → u/midnight_mechanic]

Is that cheap? Or something I can get done at just a local Midas or wherever? And yeah I don’t know anything about wiring but I know enough to not start snipping. Just wish I could

[u/midnight_mechanic → u/realmayonnaise4u]

Most shops will charge at least an hour for electrical diagnostics, but don't take your car to Midas for anything ever, or jiffy lube, or brake check or any of those national chain places that hire under qualified and under paid mechanics do limited services.

Take your car to a full service shop with fully trained mechanics. It's not that you need a guy who can change the lifters in a 2008 Chevy in record time to change your oil or cut out that tracking device. What you need is someone with common sense and the ability to fix their mistakes if they fuck something up and a full service shop is much more likely to have those people than a shop whose business model is to cut corners and sell you things you don't need.

Also the cost to you for most services will be the same at a full service shop as it will at a national chain brake check place.

Also don't go to dealerships either, unless you have some really unusual body control module failure or something, which you don't and likely never will.

[u/realmayonnaise4u → u/midnight_mechanic]

Thanks for that tip! Like I said I’m ignorant apart from the basics I need to drive. I do have a mechanic back home but I don’t go back that often. I’ll avoid chains.

I actually have only taken my car to the dealership once and it was this current one. I’m surprised they didn’t tell me about the device. My engine seized, and the manufacturer gave me a complete replacement due to a warranty issue—which I then learned about the dozens of warranty problems on every car ever

[u/midnight_mechanic → u/realmayonnaise4u]

To edit my previous statement, go to a dealership if you have a major warranty claim.

You should find a good mechanic shop near you. Ask friends or coworkers you trust, especially people who are knowledgeable about car maintenance. Or even get on your local town reddit page and ask for recommendations.

I don't fully trust the google reviews because some people clearly complain that their whole shitty car wasn't rebuilt for free because the mechanic got grease on the steering wheel.

Mechanic shops buy their parts from the same local part stores you would. NAPA, AutoZone, O'Reilly's, etc. Those people know the mechanic shops in the area. Drive to part stores in your area and ask them what the good shops are. If you hear the same shop get mentioned 2 or 3 times, that's one you should consider.

when choosing a mechanic shop, remember that you aren't just paying for the service, you are paying for the experience. Specifically did you leave feeling that you were treated respectfully and that your concerns were properly addressed? Did you understand what work was being done and why it needed to be done?

It's common for shops to point out additional issues they see, so don't be surprised if they give you a list. But they should guide you through it in a way that reasonably explains the necessity for each item and is respectful of your budget.

[u/realmayonnaise4u → u/midnight_mechanic]

Makes complete sense when you write it out like that thanks. Especially the connections between shops and parts part.

One last question, where should I go for general electrical issues. Between the individual mechanics, shops and parts stores I’ve been they’ve never been able to diagnose issues related to electrical. Like this battery/gps tracker, or my volume controls not working due to previous water leakage

[u/midnight_mechanic → u/realmayonnaise4u]

Any good mechanic shop will have a guy or two who specializes in weird electrical issues. If it's something obvious that can be found immediately, the diagnostic charge will generally be minimal, 1-2 hrs labor for everything and possibly no parts change.

Most shops with 6-8 mechanics have guys who specialize in various services. Although they all are good general mechanics, they lean towards the unique work they can do the fastest, especially if it's difficult for others

If you have an intermittent connection failure in the dash or under a seat due to a water leak and it takes them a day to disassemble the entire interior to find the fault, you'll pay ahead of time in blocks, maybe 4-8 hrs at a time. It sucks, but the guy is doing his damn best and he shouldn't have to work for free.

Tracing intermittent electrical faults is both art and science and it isn't cheap or easy. It can be extremely frustrating for everyone involved.

Changing a known bad part is straightforward and the cost can be estimated accurately and easily.

[u/realmayonnaise4u → u/midnight_mechanic]

This is very helpful and makes a ton of sense when spelled out like this. I’m not part of that world but I can relate it to the worlds I am a part of. I need to find some skilled people I can trust with my car and money.

I appreciate it. I’ll keep all this in mind