Vehicle theft isn’t just a city problem anymore—it can happen anywhere, anytime. As full-time RVers, Lisa and I needed something reliable, easy to use, and smart enough to protect both our motorhome and our Jeep. That’s when we found the CarLock GPS Tracker, and after months of real-world use, we can confidently say: it’s one of the best investments we’ve made for peace of mind on the road.
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Why We Chose CarLock
Something kept nagging at me—this little voice in the back of my mind—telling me it was time to get a GPS tracker for both our motorhome and Jeep. I didn’t want to worry about remembering to charge a device or mess with complicated setups. After doing our research, we went with CarLock. We’ve been using it for both vehicles ever since.
What is a CarLock GPS Tracker
The CarLock GPS Tracker is a plug-and-play vehicle security device that installs in minutes using your car’s OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) port. It uses GPS and built-in sensors to monitor real-time movement, engine activity, vibrations, and more.
Whenever it detects suspicious activity—like your vehicle starting unexpectedly or being moved—you get an instant alert on your phone. It works silently in the background, and the mobile app is intuitive and easy to customize.
In addition, the CarLock GPS Tracker is highly customizable, so you can set it up to suit your individual needs. For example, you can set up different alert settings for different times of the day, or you can choose to receive notifications only if your vehicle moves more than a certain distance.
For us, that meant one setup for the Jeep (vibration alerts, engine start alerts, movement alerts), and a completely different one for the motorhome (just movement alerts—we don’t want notifications every time we walk around inside!).
Overall, if you are concerned about the security of your vehicle, the CarLock GPS Tracker is an excellent investment. With its advanced features, ease of use, and customizable settings, it is a highly effective way to protect your vehicle from theft and ensure you have peace of mind wherever you go.
Protect Your Vehicle with CarLock
Advanced real-time car tracker and alert system with instant notifications to your phone. Great for RVers, commuters, and families alike.
Buy on AmazonFeatures of the CarLock GPS Tracker
The CarLock GPS Tracker comes packed with a range of features designed to enhance your vehicle’s security and provide real-time tracking and monitoring. Some of these features include:
- CarLock offers way more than just GPS tracking. Here are the features we’ve found most useful:
- Real-time GPS tracking (every 30 seconds on the standard plan)
- Custom alerts: Get notified if your car starts, moves, vibrates, loses signal, or has battery issues
- Geo-fencing: Set a virtual boundary and get alerts if your vehicle leaves the area
- Driver behavior monitoring: Tracks harsh acceleration, braking, and cornering—great for teen drivers
- Battery monitoring: Keeps tabs on your vehicle’s battery health
- Mobile app access: View your vehicle’s status and location from anywhere
- Insurance discounts: Some insurers offer lower premiums for having a device like this
- Multi-vehicle support: Monitor multiple vehicles from one app
- Stolen vehicle recovery: Share real-time tracking with law enforcement if needed
Installation Tips (Real-World Setup)
Installation is plug-and-play with no tools required. Unless you need a screwdriver to remove the piece around the steering column to access the OBD connector, as we did on our motorhome.
Plug-and-Play Simplicity
Installing CarLock was super simple—just plug it into your vehicle’s OBD port, and set everything up via the app. All cars made after 1996 have one.
In our motorhome, the port was hidden behind a panel near the steering column. A screwdriver was all I needed to pop the panel off and plug it in. The hidden location was actually a big plus—less likely for a thief to notice.
In the Jeep, the port is wide open under the dash, which isn’t ideal. A thief could easily see it and yank it out. So, we bought an OBD Y-splitter cable that lets us hide the CarLock while keeping the main OBD port visible and usable.
Subscription Plans
CarLock includes a 30-day free trial. After that, you’ll need a subscription:
Premium Plan: $19.95/month (7-sec GPS refresh)
Standard Plus Plan: $11.60/month (15-sec GPS refresh)
Standard Plan: $9.95/month (30-sec GPS refresh)
Compare GPS Trackers
| Feature |
CarLock Buy on Amazon |
Bouncie Buy on Amazon |
Vyncs Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real-Time Tracking | Yes (30-sec or 15-sec refresh) | Yes (15-sec refresh) | Yes (varies by plan) |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.95–$19.95 | $10 | No monthly fee (yearly plans only) |
| Battery & Vibration Alerts | Yes | No | Limited |
| Driving Behavior Reports | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Geofencing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vehicle Health Monitoring | Basic (Battery only) | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile App | iOS & Android | iOS & Android | iOS & Android |
| Best For | Security & theft prevention | Teen drivers & families | Budget tracking |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Q: How does CarLock work? It tracks your vehicle’s location using GPS and sends alerts based on motion, engine start, and other sensor activity. It updates every 30 seconds (moving) or 30 minutes (stationary).
- Q: Is it easy to install? Yes. Just plug it into the OBD port and set it up through the app.
- Q: Can I use one CarLock for multiple vehicles? You can move it between vehicles, but it’s much easier to buy one for each and monitor them together in the app.
- Q: What alerts does it send? Alerts include movement, engine start, vibration, battery voltage, signal loss, impact, and more. You can customize them to your preferences.
- Q: How do I buy CarLock? You can order it easily on Amazon.
CarLock Portable: Bonus Flexibility
Want to track something without an OBD port? CarLock also makes a Portable version, which is battery-powered and works great for:
- Trailers
- Luggage
- Valuable gear
- Even kids—it has an SOS button for emergencies
The battery lasts up to 14 days, and it sends alerts just like the original CarLock. It’s a great option if you want flexibility beyond your car or RV.
Final Thoughts
Car theft is real, and recovering a stolen RV, Jeep, or truck without a tracker is often a long shot. With CarLock, you’ll be notified instantly if something’s wrong, and you’ll have real-time location tracking to help recover your vehicle quickly.
For Lisa and me, it’s become a must-have piece of gear in our full-time RV lifestyle. It works in the background and gives us the peace of mind we need, whether we’re hiking in a national park or sleeping at a truck stop.
If you’re on the road a lot—or if you just want better security for your daily driver—CarLock is worth every penny.
Ready to stop worrying about your vehicle when you’re out hiking or shopping? Click here to get your CarLock GPS Tracker now and enjoy peace of mind wherever the road takes you.
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