Find My Vehicle Flaw

[LordGuthrie]

Has anyone ever experienced the find my vehicle not working after being towed somewhere? I called roadside assistance (which has been amazing btw), and when it was towed last night to the dealership, it doesn't show the vehicle has moved. When they towed it, it was lifted and wheels placed under the rear wheels, so it wouldn't have appeared to have driven away. Either way, this is a flaw in my opinion as it should triangulate based on GPS, not when it was driven somewhere.

Anyone else?

 

[joegr]

So, people on here complain a lot about batteries running down as the car sits unused. You want it to run down even sooner by running the GPS all the time, just in case something moves the car?
Do you know if the car is still outside where it could get GPS signals, rather than inside a service bay where there might not be any GPS reception?

 

[tarhoosier]

When I go to the app and use Car Finder it locates the car based on the last location. For any more recent locator request I must tap the car location, the option shows on the bottom (I may have to tap something) to Share Location, Clear Location, and Horn/Lights. Once I Clear Location a current location will show. The app remembers previous search and must be cleared to display new search location.

 

[LordGuthrie]

So, people on here complain a lot about batteries running down as the car sits unused. You want it to run down even sooner by running the GPS all the time, just in case something moves the car?
Do you know if the car is still outside where it could get GPS signals, rather than inside a service bay where there might not be any GPS reception?

It's for sure outside, just called the dealership. A ping to GPS every say 30 minutes would hardly kill a car battery. If I think of those SPOT devices that ping GPS every 5 minutes with a small battery, a car for sure wouldn't have problems.

Just thinking about this further, if I want to remote start my car, how is that signal any different than me making a request where the car is?

 

[LordGuthrie]

When I go to the app and use Car Finder it locates the car based on the last location. For any more recent locator request I must tap the car location, the option shows on the bottom (I may have to tap something) to Share Location, Clear Location, and Horn/Lights. Once I Clear Location a current location will show. The app remembers previous search and must be cleared to display new search location.

Just checked, don't see a "clear location" item. The tech at the dealership said because the car wasn't turned on after it was moved, it won't connect with the satellite. Ummm pretty sure that's not true. I just unlocked it remotely for them, why wouldn't it at that point ping back with it's location? Just odd. This is a flaw IMO

 

[tarhoosier]

See Horn/lights or Share Location? This is on iOS phone in U. S.and updated app. I just tried it again and it worked for me as I described. The Share, Clear, etc is pulled up from the bottom of the finder map.

 

[LordGuthrie]

I see Horn/Lights, no share. IOS and Canada, updated app.
Here is a picture.

 

[LordGuthrie]

For those who've been hanging on the edge of your seat, the vehicle was started and moved into service, and when I do find my vehicle, its updated. Still odd. I think that's a flaw. If I make a request to find my vehicle it should ping and send me it's current location automatically.

 

[EdP]

It's for sure outside, just called the dealership. A ping to GPS every say 30 minutes would hardly kill a car battery. If I think of those SPOT devices that ping GPS every 5 minutes with a small battery, a car for sure wouldn't have problems.

Just thinking about this further, if I want to remote start my car, how is that signal any different than me making a request where the car is?

One uses GPS, the other uses a modem. The modem shuts off after 4 days.

 

[LordGuthrie]

One uses GPS, the other uses a modem. The modem shuts off after 4 days.

As a technologist and one that works in that industry of GPS/LTE/IoT/etc... it's a flaw.

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[pulsar]

I think you hit upon a key issue here. Vehicle was moved and not turned on. Guess I always assumed I could find the vehicle about anywhere. Each time I go somewhere my phone shows me an updated location of the car on a map. Guess if it’s stolen and hot-wired so it’s running we are in good shape. If pulled upon a tow truck dolly or flatbed and moved, we are SOL for finding location unless the ignition is activated.

 

[LordGuthrie]

I think you hit upon a key issue here. Vehicle was moved and not turned on. Guess I always assumed I could find the vehicle about anywhere. Each time I go somewhere my phone shows me an updated location of the car on a map. Guess if it’s stolen and hot-wired so it’s running we are in good shape. If pulled upon a tow truck dolly or flatbed and moved, we are SOL for finding location unless the ignition is activated.

BINGO! Exactly. That's what I was thinking.

 

[joegr]

...Guess if it’s stolen and hot-wired so it’s running we are in good shape. If pulled upon a tow truck dolly or flatbed and moved, we are SOL for finding location unless the ignition is activated.

It's a game you can't win. If it did fire up the GPS every so often to get location, the flatbed thief would know that (after his buddy got caught), and would know to disconnect the battery before hauling it off.

If you are actually worried about this happening, install a third party alarm with GPS and cellular and battery backup.

 

[LordGuthrie]

It's a game you can't win. If it did fire up the GPS every so often to get location, the flatbed thief would know that (after his buddy got caught), and would know to disconnect the battery before hauling it off.

If you are actually worried about this happening, install a third party alarm with GPS and cellular and battery backup.

I'm not overly worried, just think it's a flaw I came across today. In the end, even with all of that if someone wants your car, they are going to take it.