Vehicle Tracker?

[Evolved]

Bought my JT used about a year ago. Been driving it daily since purchasing it. A few days ago I noticed a coiled up cord hanging down by my OBD port. Didn’t really think anything of it. Had a few minutes just sitting in the Jeep and decided to take a better look today.

The coiled wire is attached to a little black box that has a blinking light on it (even with the Jeep off). No brand or other markings on the front but pulled an “FCC” number off the back and googled it. This is what comes up:

PHILLIPS CONNECT Arrow-QG Vehicle Tracking Device User Manual

PHILLIPS CONNECT Arrow-QG Vehicle Tracking Device User Manual

device.report

What is this device and does it need to be in my Jeep? It freaked me out a little knowing my JT was used and maybe someone, some company or the .gov has the ability to track me. (More than my mobile device haha)

Thanks fellas!

 

[anderson750]

My bet would be that it was a fleet vehicle for a company. It is not uncommon for companies to put trackers in their vehicles. I have had a few employee's I wish I could track because I had a pretty good feeling they were not doing what they are supposed to.

 

[Evolved]

My bet would be that it was a fleet vehicle for a company. It is not uncommon for companies to put trackers in their vehicles. I have had a few employee's I wish I could track because I had a pretty good feeling they were not doing what they are supposed to.

Yeah, that’s sort of what I thought. I was more concerned that it was something that needed to be in the Jeep. If it doesn’t, it’s coming out tonight.

 

[Zombie]

A lot of dealerships are adding these as an upsell anti theft. They do work well for their intended purpose, but the agreements with the anti theft companies often make the device itself so cheap to the dealership that if a customer doesn't want to pay the fee, they leave the device in the car, and just don't sign the customer up for the service. The reputable companies have privacy policies in place that specify that no data will be logged for non subscribed and associated units, but that's reliant on that company adhering to their policy, and the less than reputable version of it probably don't have a policy at all.
Some high risk finance companies put them in and will bury a statement in the paperwork that you sign agreeing to leave it in place - not saying you used one of these companies, but maybe the previous owner did.

Look for items in your purchase packet that say things like "Theft patrol" Anti-theft, or PLAD tech.

 

[mbryson]

My JT had one of those also. I think it's still in my center console and unplugged

 

[Kevin B.]

Last time I bought a used truck off a lot, the stealership called me a couple days later freaking out that they'd left one of their trackers in the truck, wanted me to drive all the way back up to Ogden to give it to them. I told them they could drive their own asses down and pick it up any time. They never did come for it (and I don't think it was there, I've never found it anyway).

Anyway, point of the story is that used car lots do that sort of thing too.