2024 Outer Banks - Dealer Installed GPS tracker?

[Stevenson James]

Hey All, I was poking around my OBDII port trying to connect the FORscan reader and saw a bundle of wires that looked pretty sloppily left there. I pulled on it a bit and found a device behind the kick panel that is labeled Spireon Model ATS100M-V

A quick google search pointed me to some LoJack like Fleet Management tracker. I obviously don't want this installed on my bronco. Any advice how to remove? Should i just unplug the wiring harness and tuck it away?

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[chtucker]

Unplug it and through it in the ocean?

 

[Stevenson James]

I’m equidistant from both oceans unfortunately. But it is now disconnected

 

[PlayTime]

If you're on a loan or lease, that may be required until payoff. If not, they're just a lazy dealer who forgot to remove it

 

[Stevenson James]

I’m on a loan but it wasn’t part of the agreement. They actually tried to sell me LoJack saying it was preinstalled. And I said I didn’t want it and they “double checked” and said it wasn’t installed. And crossed it out of the contract.
when I emailed my salesman he said I could remove it but I’d lose my LoJack service… until I reminded him that I declined it and he said it wasn’t installed.
Then it was all apologies for the confusion

 

[BadmansSAS]

That’s the new garbage lojack they try to sell you. They won’t spend a second pulling it out either even if you say no and pass on it. It’s pretty standard now all dealers are signing up with those companies offering garbage to try and boost profits on sales via aftermarket.

 

[Stevenson James]

Well at least it was properly installed using a piggy back t-connector on the OBDII port. Made uninstalling as easy as cutting a zip tie.

 

[PrepVet]

Unplug it and junk it. Or send it to me and I will plug it into my boss's car.

I have pulled so many of those things out of young Privates brand new 28% APR Mustangs and Challengers and cameros I could have wired the Space Shuttle.

 

[whmoorejr]

I confirmed with my dealer (not the dealership where my Bronco was delivered) that the devices are so cheep, they throw them on every car that rolls in... then try to sell you the service when you purchase the vehicle. If you say "No thanks", it's not worth their time to go in and remove it. Unfortunatly, they don't tell you it's there either. Without the "FoMoCo" stamp, just a "Made in China" sticker.... I freaked out at first.

 

[BadmansSAS]

Yep. Pulled this one out of my Bronco. And I said no to their LoJack garbage. It’s just an obd2 piggy back device. Takes 9 seconds to remove. I remember real LoJack they would dismantle your car and burry that box deep so nobody could find it. Meanwhile they are doing this and leaving them in the car no matter if you buy them or not. And they drain batteries like mad too. There should be a class action for this to be honest.

 

[ATLien]

Found something similar in mine about a week after purchase. This one was tucked into the seatback pouch and was wireless. Also had to google to figure out what it was. Took it back to the dealer and left it on my salesman's desk.

 

[Mlarv]

My dealer has put them in two of my last three purchases. I found the first one before I pulled off the lot went to service and said pull it or cancel the deal. They pulled it. The next one I looked before I took the keys and told them the same thing. The third one they just said we will remove it before I said anything.

 

[Lilj4425]

Sounds like a government conspiracy to get us to all buy Tesla’s.

 

[userdude]

I used to work on a project that involved Spireon. They are a satellite tracking company; for my client, they did trailer tracking. Which when you're tracking a trailer full of high dollar vehicles, they're required by covenant.

Spireon also did most of their business at the time with high dollar secondary lot car purchases, for recovery purposes. I would assume some of them have included provisions requiring the tracker to stay in place and operational.

My first thought was that this was a mistake; maybe the transport put it in incase it was stolen. But then others found other trackers and now I'm wondering if above and beyond selling you a "lojack-like device", if the dealership may also be offering to recover Broncos for insurance companies, as well. That kind of thing, without disclosing and removing it when declined, I mean that would or should be illegal.

I don't believe the devices are expensive, like tens of dollars. I know they had a lot that would stop working before the battery died. It was a big problem for our customer.

 

[userdude]

Sounds like a government conspiracy to get us to all buy Tesla’s.

You think Tesla ain't tracking your ass? Gimme a break. GM is able to track me with OnStar, which I wanted uninstalled but can't be. It's pervasive.

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