What Is This Inside My 2015 Jeep Frame? I Found Another One Inside The License Plate Holder

Imagine working on your Jeep or other vehicle and finding not one but two unidentifiable small devices tucked away, as reported in a recent Reddit r/Jeep forum post by OP ramacasu1.

A Google image search failed to reveal any meaningful identification, but the forum thread offers two reasonable explanations: It is either a tracking device or a prank based on its external homemade appearance with no identifying labeling or marks.

It seriously looks like a vape that someone wrapped it in epoxy putty and shoved a wire through it. Take it apart and I bet you it's not a tracking device. If it is they already know your location ―V382-Car

Since the OP did not initially go into any details about his find, and there was only one limited-view image of what looks like a homemade object, my bet was that it was a post prank and not worth following any further.

I was wrong.

It Has a Battery and Electronic Circuit Board!

Hours later, a second separate post from the OP surfaced showing the second mystery device with a different view, revealed that the build looked more like something that was professionally manufactured rather than slapped together as a prank.

Furthermore, the OP also provided more images showing one of the devices cut open revealing a large cell battery and a small circuit board attached.

Mystery Device Solved

After the last of the images were posted, the thread opened up with additional responses, two of which were from other Jeep owners:

There are probably half a dozen in the vehicle. They look almost identical to the ones in my Jeep, they are trackers used by insurance companies for stolen vehicles. I was given the choice of having my insurance double on my Jeep this year due to a rise in Jeep specific thefts or the insurance company would pay to have them installed.

According to the details I have they are not required to be attached to power because they are passive and not recording or broadcasting location data until activated. I have a number to call and I must provide a police report to activate the tracking. The insurance company cannot activate them remotely ―puppers321

However, for a limited-use device due to it being battery operated, other possibilities include:

1. Someone was maliciously tracking the previous Jeep owner.
2. Law Enforcement or a Private Investigator keeping temporary tabs on the previous owner.
3. Shipping inventory tracking.
4. Garage loaner vehicle tracking.
5. A Repo man was waiting to track and repossess the vehicle later.

"Toyota Does It Too," Says This Former Tracker Installer

In an earlier article, we learned that many Apple iPhone users are taking advantage of the Apple AirTag as a popular tracking device designed by Apple for travelers to use not only for keeping track of their luggage while flying from one destination to the next but primarily to eventually locate their lost luggage.

This use has been extended by iPhone owners to locate stolen vehicles with some mixed results and warnings.

However, for better tracking, the more complex trackers are not battery-powered but tapped into a car's electrical system. Car dealerships and insurers proactively install these tracking devices onto new vehicles to not only recover stolen vehicles but also to give a nudge to financed car owners who are behind on their payments using an engine-disabling feature that prevents the vehicle from starting.

For more about this type of tracking technology, here is a short informative video by someone who installed these types of trackers in Toyota who talks about:

1. Why trackers and where trackers are Installed.
2. Understanding why car manufacturers might install these devices.
3. How to detect a tracker with step-by-step tips on finding hidden GPS trackers in your car.
4. The OBDII connector details you need to know.
5. Why you should care about whether there is a tracking device on your car.

The Shocking Truth About Hidden GPS Trackers In Cars Installed By Toyota

Can I Legally Remove Any Tracking Devices I Find on My Vehicle?

You can generally remove any suspicious potential tracking devices found on your vehicle; however, if one is installed by Law Enforcement, the legalities of doing so are vague.

In at least one state, Steve Lehto on the Lehto's Law YouTube channel warns in an episode titled “Pry the GPS Tracker Off Your Car?” that if you live in Indiana and find and remove a tracking device that is LE-related, you could be charged with theft of property and possibly charged for interfering with an investigation.

Tracking devices placed by insurance companies may run you afoul with them as well if removed.

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Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.