Driver unplugged the GPS? SaveTrack e-mails you when a unit is disconnected
When someone pulls the GPS unit out of the OBD port or disconnects it from the vehicle's power, SaveTrack sends you an e-mail – with the vehicle, the driver, the time and the last position. Disconnecting the GPS is often the first step in hiding a private trip, fuel siphoning or a vehicle theft. The alert is included in the service and switched on automatically.
Why drivers disconnect GPS units
A GPS unit in the vehicle sees everything: where it was, when it stood still, how much fuel went missing. Anyone wanting to hide something will try to switch it off. The most common reasons:
1. A private trip with no record. A weekend trip in the company car that is not supposed to appear in the trip log.
2. Fuel theft. Without the unit nobody sees 30 litres vanish overnight – more in how to detect fuel theft.
3. Vehicle theft. A thief looks for the tracker first. An OBD unit under the steering wheel is the first place to check.
4. No bad intent. A garage pulls the unit out for diagnostics, a driver unplugs it because it gets in the way. You want to know about that too, otherwise trips go missing.
What the e-mail tells you
The account owner gets the e-mail as soon as the unit reports the disconnection. It contains:
• the vehicle with its name and registration, • the driver who had the vehicle at that moment (from the trip log or driver identification), • the exact time of the disconnection, • the last position with a map link.
One disconnection means one e-mail, not a flood of messages. If someone keeps plugging and unplugging the unit, you get at most three e-mails per vehicle per day.
How SaveTrack recognises a disconnection
Every GPS unit sends the vehicle's voltage along with its position. When it is plugged into the OBD port or wired in, it sees 12 to 14 V (24 V on trucks). Once removed, it runs on its own battery for a while and reports the vehicle voltage as almost zero.
SaveTrack therefore recognises a disconnection when the vehicle voltage drops below 1 V on two consecutive records. A single record is not enough – the voltage can dip for a moment when starting the engine or due to a measuring error, and nobody wants false alarms. Units with their own unplug sensor report the event directly and SaveTrack reacts to it.
In our customers' live data we saw 14 such disconnections on 9 vehicles in 30 days. One car accounted for five of them – that is no coincidence.
OBD or hard-wired: which is harder to disconnect
You plug in the FMC003 OBD unit in seconds – and someone can pull it out just as fast. The advantage is that SaveTrack also reads the fuel level and odometer directly from the vehicle. With an OBD unit, the disconnection alert matters most.
The hidden FMC130 unit is hard-wired behind the dashboard. The driver often does not even know it is there, and it cannot be disconnected without tools. The FTC880 connects straight to the car battery. The types are compared in OBD vs. hard-wired GPS unit.
If you trust your drivers but want certainty, OBD with the disconnection alert is enough. If a unit has already gone missing once, choose a hard-wired installation.
How to switch the alert on and off
The GPS disconnection alert is on by default for every vehicle and costs nothing extra. You can switch it off in the app under Settings → Fleet overview → Email alerts, where you will also find the instant e-mail for fuel loss while parked.
Summary
When someone disconnects a GPS unit from power or pulls it out of the OBD port, SaveTrack detects the drop in vehicle voltage and e-mails you the vehicle, driver, time and last position. False alarms are filtered out by confirming on two records. The alert is included in the service and on by default.
FAQ
Will I find out when a driver pulls the GPS unit out of the OBD port?
Yes. SaveTrack detects the vehicle voltage dropping below 1 V and e-mails the account owner the vehicle, driver, time and last position.
How fast does the disconnection e-mail arrive?
As soon as the unit sends its second record with power disconnected, usually within minutes. After disconnection the unit runs on its own battery and keeps reporting its position.
Will I get false alarms when the engine starts?
No. A short voltage dip when starting or a single faulty record does not trigger the alert. SaveTrack requires two consecutive records.
How much does the GPS disconnection alert cost?
Nothing extra. It is part of the SaveTrack service at €6 a month.
Can the alert be switched off?
Yes, in the app under Settings → Fleet overview → Email alerts.
Does the alert work with a hard-wired unit?
Yes. If someone disconnects the power cable or the car battery, the unit reports the loss of voltage just as when it is pulled out of the OBD port.
Which GPS unit can a driver not disconnect?
The hidden FMC130 hard-wired behind the dashboard is the hardest to disconnect. Anyone can pull out an OBD unit, which is why the disconnection alert matters most there.
Who receives the disconnection e-mail?
The account owner, at the e-mail address used to log in to SaveTrack.
Want to know when someone disconnects the GPS in a vehicle? Try the demo at demo.savetrack.eu or write to info@savetrack.sk.
GPS tracking from €6/month, with the GPS device included on annual payment.
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