GPS Tracker Detectors
How to choose a GPS tracker detector
How to search a vehicle
Magnetic trackers go where they will stick and not be seen: inside wheel arches, behind bumpers, on the underbody and inside the boot near the spare. A probe lets you sweep those spaces without putting the car on a hoist, which is what makes these different from a general signal detector. Then the interior: under both front seats, beside the spare wheel, behind the rear seat backs, the glovebox, and the OBD port under the driver's side dashboard, because a plug in tracker sits there and takes two seconds to fit.
Why timing matters more than the detector
Most trackers do not transmit continuously. They report on a schedule, or only when the vehicle moves, and they are silent in between to save battery. A radio detector can only find one while it is actually sending, so sweeping a parked car that has been still for an hour may return nothing even with a tracker fitted. Sweep while the vehicle is moving or has just stopped, sweep more than once, and combine the radio pass with the physical search above.
Compare the types
 Magnetic probe detector |  Handheld RF detector |  Professional RF detector | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finds | Magnet mounted trackers, powered or not, plus transmissions | Cellular, WiFi and Bluetooth transmissions | Transmissions by band, with a tracker mode |
| Reaches | Wheel arches and the underbody with the flexible probe | Where you can hold it | Where you can hold it |
| Suits | Checking your own car properly | A quick sweep of a car or a room | Regular sweeps, fleet checks |
| See | GPS tracker detector with magnetic probe | Handheld GPS tracker detector | iProtect 1217 |
Buying guides
Counter-Surveillance Buying Guide NZHow to find hidden cameras, bugs and trackers
How to actually sweep a roomJump to this section of the Counter-Surveillance Buying Guide
If you find somethingJump to this section of the Counter-Surveillance Buying Guide
Related
Counter Surveillance Hidden Camera Detectors Listening Device Detectors Non-Linear Junction Detectors Car GPS Trackers
Common questions
Will it find a tracker that is switched off?
Not by radio. A magnetic probe finds the magnet holding it whether it is powered or not, and a physical search or a non-linear junction detector finds the rest.
How long does a sweep take?
Ten to twenty minutes to cover a car properly, outside first, then the interior, then the OBD port and the wiring around the fuse box.
Battery, magnetic or hardwired, and why it changes the search
A battery tracker is a sealed box, often magnetic, hidden where someone could place it in seconds. A hardwired unit is spliced into a live feed, deeper in the car, so look for tape or a connector that does not match the factory loom. An OBD unit is the fastest to fit and the fastest to find, because there is only one place it can be.
Is it legal to sweep for hidden cameras and bugs in New Zealand? NZ law
Yes. Owning and using a detector needs no licence, and sweeping a room, a car or an office you control, or one you have the occupier's permission to check, is lawful. If you find something, leave it where it is, photograph it and go to the Police, because the device is evidence. A hidden camera in a bathroom or bedroom, a listening device on a conversation the person who placed it is not part of, and a tracker put on your car by someone else can be offences under the Crimes Act 1961 (sections 216G to 216J, section 216B, and since 26 May 2026 the stalking sections 216O to 216Q).