Key Signs Your Car is Being Tracked – Identifying Potential Bugs

Vehicle tampering 

One of the major signs your car is being tracked is if any part of the vehicle has been tampered with.  Conduct a thorough physical inspection of both the interior and exterior of the vehicle. 

Any newly installed components, displaced wiring, and unfamiliar connections may be signs that someone has bugged your car. Wire tampering is common behind the dashboard and on the panel under the steering wheel. Most vehicles allow you to disassemble these sections. 

Check for any wire insulation that has been peeled back. Also, wiggle the radio compartment to check for looseness or movement. A common place for hiding bugs is behind the radio box. 

In addition, inspect under the hood and inside the trunk. Any objects or modifications that you are not aware of can house tracking devices.

Strange noises 

Unusual sounds coming from the car speakers can be an indication of electronic interference caused by bugging devices. These unexplainable noises may result from a device transmitting audio to a nearby receiver. 

The transmissions cause interference with your vehicle’s radio or audio system. Turn off the car’s electronics and listen intently for noise or buzzing sounds that are out of the ordinary.

Suspicious Items 

In the modern era, bugging devices can be incredibly compact and inconspicuous. An unfamiliar or strange item in your car, such as a pen, flash drive, or a common object that seems out of place, could be a bug. A person can easily disguise listening and tracking devices as innocent-looking everyday objects. 

Common places inside your car you may find these items include seat pockets, dashboard, glove box, and under carpets. Popular exterior places for hiding bugs are the undercarriage, wheel wells, and exhaust vents.

Unusual Battery Drain 

If your car battery drains more than usual, it could be a sign that a tracker has been installed in your car. A perpetrator can wire a GPS based tracker to the vehicle to power the device. 

The power is necessary since the equipment tracks satellites actively and forwards information to a server periodically.  The continuous operation of such a device may cause your car’s battery to drain abnormally.

Reasons Someone May Bug Your Car

Placing surveillance devices on a vehicle without the owner’s knowledge is illegal in many jurisdictions. There are various reasons why someone may bug your car. The most common cases of bugging involve controlling or former partners. 

A controlling partner can bug your car to keep track of your whereabouts. Such incidences have emerged as a means of addressing suspicions, infidelity, and unhealthy relationship dynamics. Former partners can use GPS tracking devices and associated apps to uncover locations you visit and your daily activities. 

Someone may also plant a listening device in your car to eavesdrop on your conversations. In the professional world, rival companies can bug your vehicle for corporate espionage purposes. 

Vehicle bugging can be used as a tactic to collect evidence that may be used against you in civil or criminal cases. A malicious actor may also bug your car with the intention of doing you harm. 

All these scenarios are a major cause for concern. Not only is your privacy compromised, vehicle trackers pose a security risk. Uncovering bugs helps you take proactive steps, such as investing in a GPS bug detector or hiring bug sweep services, to mitigate potential threats.

For instance, battery-powered tracking devices often utilize magnetic cases to secure onto your vehicle. GPS bug sensors feature magnetic gauges as an additional check.

How to tell if your car is being tracked?

The only way to tell is to have an electronic eavesdropping detection sweep on your vehicle. It takes about three or four hours of time. We do those in our corporate office in Newport Beach. I will tell you what most PIs won’t tell you: about 10% of the cars, or one out of 10, that we look at have a tracking device in them. And it usually has to do with a marital situation. What most people don’t know is that if you have a phone that you text on, people can ping that phone and find out where you’re at. When they see somebody show up at the local Starbucks, for example, most people figure out, oh, I must have a tracker in my car. How did they find me? Well, they could be just pinging your phone. It’s not legal to do that, but some people will do it for $500 to $1,000.