Is this a tracker??

mcauleyj

Member
Whilst removing the front seats yesterday for a clean, I noticed a pair of wires going into the passenger side under floor compartment. Opened the cover and found this.
Is it a tracker?
If it is, anyone know what technology they are, I'm assuming radio based as unlikely to be gps?
What do most folks do with these now, just remove them?
I wonder what the grey and black wire is for, antenna perhaps?
49770
 
almost certainly a tracker, remove it and all wiring

I have disconnected it electrically and separated the black box on top - it houses a small lead-acid battery.
The lower unit is hard to remove - it has been glued to the floorpan using some sort of silicone or adhesive.
Tried sliding a paint scraper in but that isnt doing the job.

Anyone any tips for removing without damaging the floorpan??
 
I have disconnected it electrically and separated the black box on top - it houses a small lead-acid battery.
The lower unit is hard to remove - it has been glued to the floorpan using some sort of silicone or adhesive.
Tried sliding a paint scraper in but that isnt doing the job.

Anyone any tips for removing without damaging the floorpan??
Try dental floss wrapped around a pencil at each end, used in a sawing motion , I wouldn’t use your fingers as it will cut in

Keith.
 
Try dental floss wrapped around a pencil at each end, used in a sawing motion , I wouldn’t use your fingers as it will cut in

Keith.

Hi Keith,
Yes - good idea, I tried that too - with some of the floss I had in the bathroom that I don't use any more (I prefer satin tape now). It went through a sticky pad that they had at the edge, but the it barely made an impression on the adhesive before breaking & I don't think I caught a sharp edge.
I'll give it another go, maybe get some new floss - I might even give some strong fishing line a go too and maybe combine it with some heat, silicone remover and the tape/line

Thanks,
John
 
I didn't have power out to the car when I was disconnecting the tracker, so I tried a paint scraper and the floss.
I do have a proper heat-gun so will give it another go this evening, round 2.
 
I didn't have power out to the car when I was disconnecting the tracker, so I tried a paint scraper and the floss.
I do have a proper heat-gun so will give it another go this evening, round 2.
Silicone is heat resistant so I would avoid a heat gun in that vicinity , ecu & cccu etc
15-20lb sylcast monofilament may work.
Keith.
 
Multi-stranded/braided wire often used to hang heavy pictures may work better than dental floss and have more sawing/cutting effect than mono-filament.

I am curious as to the origin of the tracker and the reason for having it there in the first place. I presume that you bought your A2 as a used car....
Are trackers common in the UK? Do you get a discount with your insurance if you have one?
Are A2's a theft target in the UK??
 
Fishing line instead of floss may provide a bit more dig but thats all I can suggest sorry....certainly very effective for replacing car badges as I replaced the 1.4TDI insignia with new badge last weekend using this.
 
Multi-stranded/braided wire often used to hang heavy pictures may work better than dental floss and have more sawing/cutting effect than mono-filament.

I am curious as to the origin of the tracker and the reason for having it there in the first place. I presume that you bought your A2 as a used car....
Are trackers common in the UK? Do you get a discount with your insurance if you have one?
Are A2's a theft target in the UK??

Yes - I bought mine as a used car this year and it was already there, there are a few threads on here that mention people finding them and that some were fitted by the dealers. I have no experience of trackers at all, even those that people would buy/fit today but I would imagine that for certain types of premium or valuable vehicle that trackers would offer an insurance incentive.
Some of the other folks with collectible/ vintage/ supercars might know and will probably chip in.
Also some of the folks that had their A2s in the early days would know if they were a popular target back when introduced - or maybe because they were seen as a premium vehicle when introduced the tracker was a good marketing ploy!

John
 
If it is a tracking device and it does look like it. Then owners would expect it to be pretty difficult to remove once fitted. The wire idea is the best. If you are very careful and do a bit of research you will find modellers use hot wire to cut foam wings etc, so if you could adapt the wire and use some form of suitable power my just be the proverbial hot knife through butter that you need.
 
I am curious as to the origin of the tracker and the reason for having it there in the first place. I presume that you bought your A2 as a used car....
Are trackers common in the UK? Do you get a discount with your insurance if you have one?
Are A2's a theft target in the UK??

When I bought my A2 it had a tracker fitted - it was a so called demo vehicle. On reading the booklet that come with the tracker it said insurance companies give a discount. So I paid the renewal fee - I think it was £300 for "life" - i.e. the time I had the vechicle. When I contacted my insurance they wouldn't give a discount as they said they only did that for premium vehicles at risk of being stolen.

14 years later it is still there somewhere but whether it works is another matter. I had the "cheaper" option where the tracker is only activated after you have reported the car stolen vs the more expensive option where it is always operational - i.e. if the alarm goes off then the control centre is informed.
 
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