How to Hide A GPS Tracker In Your Car - 5 Best Hiding Spots
Having an effectively hidden GPS tracker in your car is the #1 most important thing for seeing your car returned to you. Our cars hold a lot more importance in our lives than most other possessions. They’re how we get to work, how we buy groceries, how we get to social events, and one of our largest financial assets. Needless to say, having your car stolen sucks… a lot.
Unfortunately, a car is stolen in the United States every 31 seconds. There’s a lot of conflicting information out there about how likely you are to have your car returned without damage. But what we can say is that, without a GPS tracker onboard, it doesn’t seem likely.
How to Hide a GPS Tracker In Your Car
Hiding a GPS tracker in your car is not only about where you hide it, but how. Here are a few key things that make for a good hiding place.
Signal Strength
The first is signal strength. If you’ve hidden your tracker so deeply that it struggles to find and retain a signal then the thief definitely won’t find it, but you might not find your car either. Generally, more metal = worse signal strength, so we’d advise against sticking your tracker anywhere underneath your car.
Stealth
Obviously, it’s important that your tracker remains undetected by any would-be thieves. Sticking your tracker in the middle of your dashboard is great for signal strength but pretty useless for staying hidden. So pay close attention to this one.
Accessibility
The AirBolt GPS has a fantastic battery life that only needs charging about 4 times a year (depending on your car usage). This means you won’t regularly need to take it out of its hiding place, but you don’t want it to be completely inaccessible either.
Durability and Protection
When we’re talking about hiding an electronic device somewhere around a vehicle, we have to think about the areas that are exposed to extreme heat, moisture, and potential impacts. Don’t risk putting your tracker anywhere that it could fall off or become damaged.
💡 Hot Tip: Make sure the tracker is properly secured in its hiding place to keep it from rattling and being found. We suggest double-sided velcro, double-sided tape, or blu-tac depending on the hiding place.
5 Best Hiding Spots for a Car GPS Tracker
Now let’s get into the hiding spots. These have all been chosen for their varying degrees of signal strength, stealth, accessibility, and protection so you can choose which one matters most to you.
Under the Dashboard
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Signal: ★★★★☆ |
Stealth: ★★★★☆ |
Accessibility: ★★★☆☆ |
Protection: ★★★★★ |
Placing your tracker under your car’s dashboard is an excellent hiding spot for several reasons.
Most cars have plenty of hidden nooks and crannies behind the dashboard where a tracker can be placed, keeping it out of plain sight. It’s also relatively protected from environmental factors like moisture and excessive heat.
The main challenge here is ensuring your tracker maintains a strong signal. Placing it too deep behind the dashboard or near dense metal components could interfere with signal strength. Ideally, position it closer to any non-metal parts of the dashboard, like near vents or areas with plastic panels. Use adhesive mounts or zip ties to secure the tracker and prevent it from shifting while driving.
Under the Driver or Passenger Seat
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Signal: ★★★★☆ |
Stealth: ★★★★☆ |
Accessibility: ★★★★☆ |
Protection: ★★★★☆ |
Hiding a GPS tracker under the driver’s or passenger’s seat is a practical option that requires little effort and makes it easy to pull out again for charging. An added benefit of this position is that fabric doesn’t interfere with the GPS signal in the same way that a lot of dense surrounding metal does.
However, this spot does have some vulnerabilities. It might not be the first place that a thief would check, but it’d be in the top 5. This can be mitigated by making sure your tracker is really well placed and firmly secured to the seat.
💡 Hot Tip: Use Velcro strips or zip ties to secure the tracker and prevent rattling while driving.
Inside the Trunk
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Signal: ★★★☆☆ |
Stealth: ★★★★☆ |
Accessibility: ★★★★☆ |
Protection: ★★★★★ |
Another great spot for hiding a GPS tracker is the trunk of your car. You won’t have to worry about environmental factors like heat and moisture plus the trunk is spacious enough to let you mount your AirBolt in a number of different places. You can tuck the tracker into the trunk lining, secure it in a storage compartment, or hide it within the spare tire area to keep it discreet.
The main downside of this location is that signal strength can be slightly reduced, especially if the tracker is buried under heavy items or surrounded by metal. To mitigate this, position the tracker closer to the trunk’s edges or areas with less obstruction. Additionally, while the trunk isn’t a thief’s first stop during a search, it’s not entirely off-limits, so stealth is still key.
Inside a Glove Compartment
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Signal: ★★★★☆ |
Stealth: ★★★☆☆ |
Accessibility: ★★★★★ |
Protection: ★★★★★ |
We’re big fans of hiding trackers in the glove compartment, but with a catch… you must make sure to hide your tracker in something inconspicuous.
The main drawback of this spot is that a determined thief might check the glove compartment since that’s where a lot of valuables are kept. However, this can be mitigated by keeping the tracker well-camouflaged and not leaving other enticing items in plain view.
We’d suggest putting your AirBolt either in a first aid kit or inside any manuals or documents you might have in there.
💡 Hot Tip: Set up your GPS tracker with geo-fencing alerts to notify you immediately if your car moves unexpectedly!
Inside the Headrest
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Signal: ★★★★★ |
Stealth: ★★★★★ |
Accessibility: ★★★★☆ |
Protection: ★★★★★ |
If you want to try something a bit different, try hiding your GPS tracker inside the headrest of your vehicle. Most headrests have removable cushions or hollow interiors, making it possible to conceal a small tracker like the AirBolt within them.
This spot is highly unlikely to be checked by a thief and may be the best one on this list in terms of stealth. Plus, the tracker is well protected from any and all environmental factors like moisture or excessive heat.
Just make sure the tracker is really well secured and that it can’t be seen or felt when your head is on the headrest!
💡 Hot Tip: Use a soft pouch or foam insert to keep the tracker stable and silent while inside the headrest.
Testing Your GPS Tracker After Placement
After placing your GPS tracker go ahead and run a few tests to make sure that it’s working properly. Here’s a quick checklist:
- Check Signal Strength: Open the AirBolt app and confirm the GPS signal is strong. Adjust placement if needed.
- Test Real-Time Tracking: Move your car and verify that the tracker updates accurately on the app.
- Activate Alerts: Set up geo-fencing or motion alerts and ensure notifications are triggered.
- Monitor Security: Take a short drive to check for rattling or movement. Secure the tracker further if necessary.
That’s it! Hiding a GPS tracker isn’t rocket science, but a little bit of thought and consideration goes a very long way. We hope you never need to recover a stolen car—but if you do, you’ll be glad to have a well-hidden AirBolt on your side!
