Found a GPS tracker installed on vehicle without my approval

[MustangXR4TiSHO]

On Tuesday 4/22 I picked up my Bronco from the dealer for an unresolved remote start problem.

Yesterday my wife noticed a wire hanging down under the driver side dash. I have noticed it in the past. It was connected to the OBD port. I assumed it was a Ford build quality issue.

Nope. Called the dealer, the service advisor said the dealer puts them on every car they sell. It’s called Ikon Connect. It’s a GPS tracker.
Does anyone have experience with this device?

Other details: I have excellent credit, financed the purchase with USAA, ordered the Bronco May 2021, it was delivered December 2022

WTF! Does anybody have

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[Ducati1098]

Normal, lots of dealers do this.
Just remove it.

 

[flip]

I don't know the laws but have a hard time believing they do this on all vehicles and not have a disclosure or agreement signed when the vehicle is delivered. There could be a bunch of PII collected and sold to third parties they would need permission to use. Ford has theirs with Ford Pass and modem activation which would not cover an aftermarket device.

Look at paperwork from both the dealer and lender. If the disclosure or copy of it isn't in there and signed by you or condition of the loan, I'd yank, remove backup battery and mutilate.

 

[adam1991]

On the other hand, they put it on all their inventory--insurance related?--and are too lazy to take it off on delivery, and just accept the losses.

 

[MustangXR4TiSHO]

I don't know the laws but have a hard time believing they do this on all vehicles and not have a disclosure or agreement signed when the vehicle is delivered. There could be a bunch of PII collected and sold to third parties they would need permission to use. Ford has theirs with Ford Pass and modem activation which would not cover an aftermarket device.

Look at paperwork from both the dealer and lender. If the disclosure or copy of it isn't in there and signed by you or condition of the loan, I'd yank, remove backup battery and mutilate.

I checked all the paperwork I have. I didn’t see anything related to this device. Yes will definitely yank. I’ll probably call dealer and ask where I signed away my rights.

 

[MustangXR4TiSHO]

On the other hand, they put it on all their inventory--insurance related?--and are too lazy to take it off on delivery, and just accept the losses.

I’m guessing they put it on all vehicles for either repossession or to allow the dealer to see if the vehicle is used, I mean abused, so they can deny warranty claims.

 

[ATLien]

I was surprised to find something similar in mine, after purchase as well, though mine was a wireless variety. It wasn't wired into the ODB2. Found it in a seatback pocket, googled the info on it to discover it was a tracker. I removed it and took it back to the dealer. "oh you found the tracker?", they said, and took it back with a wry grin. I figured they used them to keep track of inventory while cars are on the lot, and so they know where a vehicle is on test drives maybe.

Did they forget to remove it during dealer prep, or did they intentionally leave it there? Not sure, though the legality would seem questionable after the car has been sold. Found another one in a loaner truck from the same dealer.

 

[Mdozier]

Several threads about these, especially in the earlier days:
https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/2024-outer-banks-dealer-installed-gps-tracker.94547/

Seems some dealers do it but more don’t. General consensus as I recall is either tell them to remove it or just do it yourself as @Ducati1098 and @flip said. It’s not that unusual.

 

[MustangXR4TiSHO]

Removed!

 

[userdude]

An appropriate way to handle this situation:

An inappropriate way to handle this situation:

 

[Danielsand]

Y'all need to "kick it up a notch". Dich your cellphones. I got rid of mine two years ago. My closest friends have my landline number, the rest can contact me through email (I might even respond).

 

[HotdogThud]

Removed!

what makes you think you're done with that thing?

go back to the dealer for a test drive, and slip it into one of their own vehicles. looks like it'd take all of about 15 seconds to install, so start poisoning their data, eh?

better yet, get someone to distract them, and get it into a salesperson's car.

 

[j_marinelli]

better yet, get someone to distract them, and get it into a salesperson's car.

 

[Astronaut]

I found the Icon carefully hidden under the dash powered by the same OBD adapter. And it has a backup battery too. I drove to the dump, unplugged it and left it there as it’s last know location. LOL

 

[Figmo]

Everybody know: any good covert operative worth his sh!t knows to always leave an obvious bug to be found so they'll stop looking for the REAL bug.

I'm convinced the dealers install these just so you'll find them, bitch on the forums about "MY PRIVACY", remove them, then feel satisfied and STFU. All while totally ignoring the fact that Ford has GPS (with real-time cellular location broadcast) built into the very heart of your vehicle.

It's either that or some inventory tracking system just so the dealer can know the location of the vehicle pre-sales. And it's cheaper to just leave it in the rig than it is to pay a tech to uninstall it after the sale.

But I doubt that. That's just too mundane an explanation. It's gotta be something sinister.

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