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Why is my vehicle showing as parked next door?

GPS showing your car at the wrong house number? Here's why this happens and when to worry.

The problem

Your car is parked in your driveway at number 106, but the tracker is showing it at number 102 or 108.

Is this normal?

Yes, this is completely normal! GPS is usually accurate to within a few metres, but it's common to see your vehicle showing a few house numbers away from where it actually is.

Why does this happen?

When your car is parked: To save your battery, the tracker goes to sleep after 30 minutes. While asleep, it checks in with our servers but doesn't get a fresh GPS location (because that uses more power). So it shows the last location it recorded, which might be slightly off.

This is nothing to worry about. As soon as you start driving, the GPS wakes up and updates to the correct location within a few seconds.

When should I check the tracker?

If the location is consistently very wrong (like showing the wrong street or suburb), the tracker might have moved from where you installed it.

Check these things:

  1. Has the tracker fallen down?
    • The tracker might have come loose and fallen somewhere it can't see GPS satellites properly
  2. Is it facing the right way?
    • The tracker has "Face this side towards sky" printed on it
    • Make sure this side is still pointing upward and can "see" the sky
  3. Is it blocked by metal?
    • Metal blocks GPS signals
    • Plastic, glass, and fibreglass are fine – GPS works through these materials
    • If the tracker has fallen behind a metal panel, it won't work properly

Quick checklist

✓ A few house numbers off when parked? → This is normal, ignore it

✓ Corrects itself when you start driving? → Everything is working fine

✗ Wrong street or consistently very inaccurate? → Check the tracker hasn't moved or fallen

Need help with installation?

If you think your tracker needs to be reinstalled in a better location, check out our guide on choosing the best installation location, or contact our support team at support@trackmyride.com.au.