Car tracker questions

How to Check if Your Car Has a Tracker

Whether you have bought a second-hand car or are worried someone is tracking you, here is how to find out safely.

Updated 30 September 2026 · TrackerPrices SA

TrackerPrices SA is an independent comparison site. This guide gives general information for South African drivers; your own provider, insurer or the police have the final word on your situation.

Quick answer: The easiest check is paperwork: look for a tracker certificate or sticker, ask the previous owner or dealer, and call the main providers with your VIN or registration. For a physical check, look under the dashboard, behind the fuse panel, under seats, in the boot and around the OBD port. If you suspect someone is tracking you without consent, do not remove it yourself: take the car to a reputable installer and contact the police.

Start with the paperwork

Look for a tracker sticker on a window or in the service book, and an installation certificate in the car’s documents.
Ask the dealer or previous owner. Many financed and dealer cars leave the showroom with a tracker.
Call the big providers (Matrix/Beame, Tracker, Cartrack, Netstar) with your VIN and registration; they can tell you if a unit is registered to the car. See all contact numbers.

Where trackers are usually fitted

Behind or under the dashboard and near the fuse box (hardwired units)
Plugged into the OBD port under the steering wheel (plug-in units)
Under seats, behind trim panels or in the boot (wireless recovery units such as Beame)
Magnetic GPS devices can be attached under bumpers or in wheel arches

See what a car tracker looks like.

Signs a tracker may be fitted

Unfamiliar wiring or a small box taped behind trim
A small device with an antenna or LED near the OBD port
An unexplained battery drain on a car that is parked for long periods

If you find a tracker you did not know about

A tracker from a previous owner can be transferred or cancelled with the provider. If you believe someone is tracking you without your consent, keep the device in place, photograph it, and go to a reputable installer and the police (SAPS 10111). Tracking someone’s vehicle without consent can be unlawful – see is it legal to track someone else’s car?

Want your own tracker?

If the car has no tracker, Matrix Beame is one of the simplest ways to add insurer-approved recovery: a wireless unit hidden in minutes, R99 a month.

Our top picks: Matrix, Beame and Matrix Vision

Across the plans we compare, Matrix offers the widest choice for South African drivers: Beame for low-cost, insurer-approved recovery, Silver and Gold for live tracking, and the new Matrix Vision dashcam for video telematics.

Matrix Beame – insurer-approved wireless theft recovery, R99/month. Get a Beame quote
Matrix Vision dashcam – road-facing ADAS and in-cab AI cameras, R359/month (Vision Pro R399). Get a Matrix Vision quote
Matrix Bronze, Silver and Gold – tracking packages at R189, R219 and R239/month (36 months), all with Beame included; Gold adds Crash Alert, Roadside Assist and a Tax Logbook. Get a Matrix quote