How To Tell If Your Car Is Bugged

How to Tell If Your Car Is Being Tracked

Does your crazy ex always seem to know where you are? Are you noticing strange noises like buzzing or clicking sounds?

It’s most likely not “just paranoia”. Your car could very well be bugged with a location tracking or voice recording device.

If so, you could be in danger.

In this guide, we will walk you step-by-step through:

• Signs that your car is bugged
• How to remove the bugging device
• The next steps to take to ensure your safety

We deal with problems like this all the time. Removing the bug should only take a few minutes. And don’t worry, law enforcement has procedures for these types of things. 

You’ll get the person who did it.

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Bugged Car Key Takeaways - Do These Things First

• Look for unusual devices under the car, in your wheel wells, or in the tail lights. If your car has been locked, chances are whoever did this placed the device on the outside
• Look for devices in the glove compartment, under the seats, under your steering wheel in the OBD2 port, or inside the dash
• Check for unfamiliar wiring under the hood
• If you find the device, remove it or cover it in tinfoil
• If you can’t find anything, consider using a bug detector
• Once you find and remove the device, contact authorities immediately. Do not contact the suspected culprit

5 Tips On How To Detect Hidden Bugs In Your Car

1. Look For Unusual Devices

The first thing you should do is check the car for any tracking devices.

Start with the exterior when looking for the bug - that’s the most likely place the culprit will put it.

Grab yourself a flashlight if you need it and start checking:

• Underneath the car
• In the wheel wells
• Inside the tail lights
• On top of the car

Next, look inside the car. Check:

• The glove compartment
• Under the seat
• The OBD2 port under the steering wheel
• Inside the dashboard

2. Check For Unfamiliar Wiring

You can check for unfamiliar wiring by examining the wires under the dashboard, in the trunk, or around the battery.

Look for any wires that don’t look like they belong or don’t match the colors of the wires in your car’s manual. If you find anything suspicious, take a picture of it and take it to an auto body shop or contact the police.

Keep in mind that some tracking devices or listening bugs may be disguised as a part of your car’s electrical system. These devices could be connected to your car’s wiring, and it may be difficult to distinguish them from other wires.

Pro Tip: If you start pulling and cutting wires, you could end up doing serious damage to your car. We recommend taking your car to a repair shop and asking them to check under the hood for bugs. It’s worth the money.

3. Listen For Unusual Sounds

Do you hear any unusual sounds like buzzing or clicking?

That’s a dead giveaway that there’s a listening device installed in your car. 

Listening devices tend to interfere with your car’s electrical system, which leads to fuzziness on the radio or your phone.

If you hear strange buzzing or clicking, it’s probably not the CIA. It’s a bug.

4. Monitor Your Car’s Performance

Another easy way to tell when your car is bugged is by monitoring the battery. Does the battery seem to die for no reason? Is the check engine light constantly on?

This is a clear sign that your car has been bugged.

Hardwired tracking devices are wired directly into your car’s power system, so they’re like parasites to your electrical system. If someone has been tracking your location for days or weeks, it’s going to drain your battery.

If you’re having battery or engine trouble, check under the hood or take it to a mechanic and explain your issue.

5. Use A Bug Detector

Bug detectors are the easiest way to tell if your car is bugged or not.

These devices pick up different signals that bugs like GPS trackers, hidden cameras, or microphones emit. 

Just scan it around your car. If there’s something there, the bug detector will find it. It’ll start going haywire the closer you get. Just keep in mind that you need to get the bug detector close to the bug for it to pick it up. So, make sure to scan in the wheel wells, under the hood, and all the other hard-to-reach places.

Pro Tip: If this is not the first time this has happened, get a professional investigator to help you out. They can track down who did it, and help prevent this from happening in the future.

How to Remove Location Tracking Devices Once You Find Them

OBD2 Port Device

An OBD2 port device is a type of GPS tracker that plugs directly into your car’s OBD2 port. 

It’s usually located under the dashboard on the driver’s side (the same one you use to diagnose problems). 

Removing an OBD2 port device is pretty simple. All you need to do is reach under the dashboard, find the device, and unplug it. It’s that easy—no special tools or skills required. Once it’s out, your car won’t be tracked by that device anymore.

Hardwired Devices

Hardwired GPS devices are a bit trickier. 

You can usually find them behind the dashboard, under the hood, or in the trunk. They’re a lot harder to spot, and WAY harder to remove. In fact, we recommend getting a pro to help you out.

You’ll need a few tools: a screwdriver, a wire cutter, and some electrical tape.

First, turn off your car and disconnect the battery to avoid any shocks. Then, carefully locate the GPS device by following the wires that don’t seem to belong. Once you find it, use the screwdriver to remove any panels blocking your access. Cut the wires connected to the device, but be careful not to cut anything else. 

Pro Tip: Look for cables that are a different color than the ones in your car’s manual.

After you’ve removed the GPS tracker, twist the ends of the cut wires together, wrap them with electrical tape, and tuck them back into place. Reconnect the battery, and you’re all set!

Portable GPS Devices

Portable GPS devices are the easiest to deal with. 

These are small, battery-powered trackers that can be attached to your car with magnets or hidden in compartments. They’re often used because they’re easy to place and remove without any installation.

All you have to do is pull it off. Then, either turn it off if there’s a switch, remove the batteries, or cover it with tin foil to block the signal. 

Boom, you’re no longer being tracked.

What to do After I’ve Removed The Bug on my Car?

Whatever you do, do not contact the alleged culprit immediately after removing the bug on your car.

That’s only going to cause more trouble.

Instead, follow these steps:

Secure the Evidence

Take photos of everything and place the device in a plastic bag. If you took it to a mechanic, get a statement from them, too.

Contact the Authorities

Pretty straightforward here. Get in touch with the local police and report everything.

Be Vigilant for More Surveillance Devices

We think it’s best if you park in the garage from now on, and always lock your doors. If you can, install a car alarm system to scare off anyone trying to track you again.

Frequently Asked Questions