Your car got stolen, and your tracking provider can’t find it. Now what? Unfortunately, when it comes to locating a stolen car, it’s tricky. There are a lot of variables at play that can either make it easy or impossible to locate.
South Africa still has a car theft problem, and unfortunately a lot of these car thieves are very clever, and they know exactly what they're doing. Oftentimes before you even realise that your car is gone, it's already been stripped for parts, never to be seen again.
Because of how fast and smart these criminals are, it can put bumps in the road for your tracking provider to find them. Which is why it’s important for your tracking company to stay up-to-date with the latest tech to keep your vehicle safe at all times.
There are many reasons as to why a tracking company would fail to find your car. You need to remember that these car thieves are professionals at what they do. They know exactly what steps to take to steal your car discreetly, disable your tracking device, and move your car to a remote location.
Here are some of the reasons a tracking company would fail to find your car.
Since tracking devices have become more popular, car thieves have figured out ways to find and remove or disable them. This is one of the most common reasons why a tracking company wouldn't be able to find your car once it’s been stolen.
*For this reason, Cartrack ensures that all our devices are not only well hidden but also tamper-proof!
All tracking devices use GPS signals to accurately locate your car. However, there are a few things that can disrupt this signal, blocking your tracking provider from viewing your vehicle’s location.
The most common reasons causing your GPS signal to be lost include:
*Cartrack has designed a backup tracker—the CT Tag. This works on its own unique radio frequency so it’s immune to signal jammers!
Your tracking device may stop working if your vehicle’s battery is drained or disconnected. If the battery in your car is old or possibly defective, or if you haven’t used the vehicle in a long time, it could result in your tracking unit not getting fully charged. And because of this, it can become unuseful in the case of theft.
No technology will ever be 100% all the time. And unfortunately, your tracking device can malfunction. Technical faults can happen, compromising the effectiveness of your device and causing your tracking provider to not be able to locate your vehicle.
*With Cartrack you can check your vehicle’s live location on the app. IF it’s incorrect or not showing, you’ll know if your device isn't working.
Software glitches can happen at any time, and unfortunately these glitches can also influence the effectiveness of your unit. These glitches can cause your vehicle to not be located in the case of theft.
If you installed a GPS tracker from a reputable tracking company in your car, you may be curious as to what role tracking companies play when it comes to locating your lost car. They're going to be the link between local authorities, telematics technology, and their own recovery teams.
This is the process that a tracking company will use in the event of a stolen vehicle.
Step 1
As the owner, you would report that your vehicle has been stolen to your tracking company through the mobile app or hotline. The tracking centre would then switch the vehicle's telematics device from its standard setting to the high-frequency recovery tracking mode.
Step 2
The Control Room will first check whether the tracking unit is still responding. If the unit is actively communicating, recovery teams are dispatched to the vehicle's current location.
If the tracking unit is no longer updating, the Control Room will review the vehicle's last known location together with its historical route to determine the most likely area where it may be located.
Step 3
Ground and air recovery teams are then dispatched, and armed response teams and the local police force are notified as well. Without an exact location, recovery teams are dispatched to surrounding hotspots based on the available intelligence.
Step 4
When possible, remote immobilisation is activated to prevent the vehicle from moving from its location.
Step 5
The recovery teams locate and secure the vehicle and apprehend the suspects if they’re on the scene. The vehicle will then either be handed back to the client or to their insurance company.
Your car’s been stolen, and your tracking service provider can’t locate your vehicle. What do you do now? There are a few processes you would need to take in this situation. Let’s take a detailed look into your next steps.
So what do tracking companies do when they’re unable to find a vehicle? They’ll run tests to find out if it’s due to signal loss, hardware tampering, GPS jamming or a dead battery. They have a process to handle this situation.
Let’s take a look at the protocols they’ll most likely follow.
The control room dispatchers are first going to run remote diagnostics on both the hardware and the software to try and identify what the problem is. Was it caused by signal blocking, hardware failure or a software glitch?
After troubleshooting they're going to move to corrective actions.
The next important step for a reliable tracking company is client communication. Clear and proactive communication is key because the client is already worried. Communication needs to be maintained throughout the entire process, with a full report for the customer to use for other administrative purposes.
In some cases where system failure has led to a significant loss in data or service interruptions, some tracking companies may offer the client compensation. This could be in the form of a discount, refunds, or account credit. This, however, is fully dependent on the company and their terms and conditions.
Tracking companies like Cartrack use advanced technology. We have backup systems to ensure continuous tracking of your vehicles, even when the main system fails. Having a provider that offers these backup systems is incredibly crucial for maintaining service reliability.
Cartrack is an industry-leading stolen vehicle recovery company, with over 20 years in the field. We’ve recovered more than 100,000 vehicles in the last decade. The average tracking unit from any other provider offers less when compared to Cartrack’s comprehensive product offering.
The standard option at Cartrack includes:
Other features that Cartrack offers are:
These aforementioned features support the vehicle tracking system, enhancing the capabilities of the full offering.
You might be wondering what happens in the rare case when a vehicle isn’t recovered by Cartrack within 10 mins? A BOLO (Be On the Lookout) alert is distributed to ALL recovery teams. The case remains open, and the vehicle continues to be monitored. As soon as the tracking unit starts updating again or a new location becomes available, a recovery team is immediately dispatched.
When you install a tracking unit, you as the owner have responsibilities to ensure that it’s in good working condition. What you choose and how you look after it will directly affect how well the unit will perform and how likely it is to fail in the future.
Here’s what you as the vehicle owner should be doing:
Most tracking service providers offer some kind of maintenance and repair on request, subject to a possible fee. Cartrack has a one-year warranty on its units that lapses into a lifetime warranty after the initial period.
If you have a fleet that works in harsh environments, the maintenance checks would need to be more regular.
The tracking company you choose is very important. Make sure you’re choosing one that has an advanced tracking system, round-the-clock support, and a good recovery track record.
Don’t just take our word for it; check out Cartrak’s rating on HelloPeter!
Ensure that the software and systems are up-to-date. So whenever you receive any updates from your tracking provider, make sure you read all the communication sent. Always check that your unit is working and immediately communicate with your tracking provider if it’s not.
If you're looking for a reliable tracking partner with a global footprint and a stellar track record, then give us a call today to get an obligation-free quote!
What happens when a vehicle tracking company can't find your car? Learn about common issues and what steps to take if your car goes missing.
