If you’re concerned that your vehicle is sharing its location, check the car’s settings, the automaker account and the phone app separately. Each controls a different part of the system, so deleting an app or changing one phone permission may not stop the vehicle’s own modem or an account-linked service. The exact controls depend on the make, model, year and country; use the owner’s manual or manufacturer support to confirm what each change does.
First, identify which part of the car is sharing location
“The car app” can mean the phone app that displays a vehicle’s location, but location may also be handled by the vehicle’s GPS, embedded cellular modem, emergency service, navigation system, or apps running in the infotainment system. A phone’s location permission is only one layer. Ford describes vehicle location, GPS, account association and app permissions as distinct features in its privacy information; Google likewise separates the car’s location setting, app permissions and Google account activity in its Google built-in guidance.
Connected-car data can include precise location and other sensitive information. The FTC notes that location records can reveal visits to sensitive destinations, with potential privacy and financial consequences. Its consumer-data explainer addresses connected vehicles broadly; it does not establish that every car is sharing data improperly or that every owner faces the same risk.
Review the vehicle’s privacy controls while parked
Park before changing settings. In the infotainment system, look for sections such as Privacy, Location, Data Sharing, Connected Vehicle, Connectivity or App Permissions. Review both the general location control and permissions for individual apps; some vehicles also have a separate location option for driver-assistance features.
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For vehicles with Google built-in, Google documents these paths, though available options and labels vary by vehicle:
- Settings > Location: review the vehicle’s location setting.
- Settings > App permissions: check which apps can access location.
- Privacy > Location: on supported vehicles, review “Use location” and, for supported Android 12-or-later vehicles, “Driver assistance.”
Turning off location can affect navigation, traffic information, rerouting and location-based search. See Google’s explanation of location controls for the platform-specific details.
Labels differ across manufacturers. For example, the 2026 Ford Aviator owner’s manual describes controls under Settings > Privacy and Data Sharing for vehicle data, vehicle location and driving data. Ford cautions that options vary and that changing them can affect feature operation. Treat this as an example for that vehicle, not a universal menu path.
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Check the automaker account and who can access it
In the automaker’s app and website, review linked drivers, family or guest access, shared vehicles, location-sharing choices, data-consent settings and active connected services. Remove an unfamiliar person or device only if you have authority to manage the account and doing so is safe. If the vehicle is shared, leased or financed, account rules or the owner’s rights may limit which controls are available.
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For Ford and Lincoln vehicles covered by its policy, Ford says removing the vehicle identification number (VIN) from every associated account or performing a master or factory reset can turn off account-associated data sharing and remote access. Ford also says deleting the phone app alone will not disable sharing without the relevant reset. Google describes different options for compatible systems, including removing a signed-in account, deleting a profile or erasing infotainment data. These manufacturer-specific methods are not interchangeable; check the instructions for your exact vehicle in the Ford privacy information or Google built-in guidance.
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Choose the narrowest control that addresses your concern
Use the most limited setting that clearly meets your needs, if the vehicle offers one. The controls below affect different layers and should not be treated as equivalent.
| Control | What it may affect | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Phone app permission | The app’s access to location on the phone. | Whether the vehicle’s own modem, other in-car apps or account services still transmit or display location. |
| In-car location or app permission | The vehicle setting or a particular infotainment app’s location access. | Whether connected services, other apps or emergency features have separate controls. |
| Automaker account or shared-access change | Who can view the vehicle or use account-linked remote features. | Whether you have authority to make the change, and whether other linked accounts remain. |
| Connected-service cancellation or vehicle connectivity setting | Some remote or connected features, depending on the service. | Which features stop, whether location transmission changes, and whether exceptions remain. |
| Master or factory reset | Personal profiles and infotainment data, depending on the vehicle and reset type. | Whether the vehicle must also be removed from each automaker account and whether the reset changes future data sharing. |
Disabling connectivity or cancelling a service may interrupt remote lock or start, navigation, traffic, emergency support, software updates or other features. The manufacturer’s description should specify what stops and what exceptions remain. For example, OnStar’s U.S. privacy statement dated June 9, 2026 says some model-year 2019-and-later vehicles may offer an infotainment Privacy Settings option to disable OnStar location services. It also says geolocation may still be collected in specified emergencies, including a crash, a press of the emergency-call button or high-voltage-battery overheating. The statement describes disconnecting the vehicle and unenrolling by contacting an Advisor or pressing the OnStar blue button; these instructions apply to OnStar and eligible vehicles, not to every connected car.
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If you want to know what data an automaker holds, or to request deletion or limits on use and sharing, look for its privacy portal or contact its privacy team. Explain which vehicle and account you mean. A request about data already collected is different from a setting that limits future collection.
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The FTC’s January 2026 announcement describes the terms of an order with GM and OnStar. The order bars disclosure of consumers’ geolocation and driver-behavior data to consumer reporting agencies for five years. For 20 years, it requires specified measures—including affirmative express consent, ways for U.S. consumers to request access to and deletion of data, a way to disable precise geolocation where technically available, and opt-out mechanisms—subject to exceptions. These are terms of that order, not guarantees that every automaker offers the same options or outcomes.
The Associated Press reported that Privacy4Cars offers a free tool to direct owners to automaker request portals or submit requests in the U.S., Canada, the EU, the U.K. and Australia. Check its current service details and geographic availability before relying on it: AP’s report.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If another person may be tracking the vehicle
Treat this as a safety issue, not just a settings problem. Someone who controls the automaker account may retain remote access or receive a notification when access changes. Account ownership can also prevent another driver from disabling tracking. The FCC’s report documents variation among connected-service providers; it does not show that every service provides the same controls.
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If changing a setting or account could alert or endanger someone, avoid making changes from a device they can monitor. Consider using a safe device and contacting a trusted local support service to plan next steps. A phone-app deletion or a single location setting is not a reliable guarantee that tracking has stopped.
Before selling, returning or lending the car
Follow the exact vehicle’s reset instructions, then check the automaker account separately. A reset can remove personal information from the infotainment system, while account removal disconnects the vehicle from linked services; one step should not be assumed to do both.
- Remove personal profiles and signed-in accounts from the infotainment system.
- Delete paired phones and saved contacts, navigation history, home and work addresses, and other personal data.
- Use the manufacturer-documented master or factory reset if appropriate for the vehicle.
- Remove the vehicle from every associated automaker account and review any connected-service subscription.
- Confirm, using the manufacturer’s instructions or support, what the reset removed and whether any account or service remains linked.
The FTC advises wiping vehicle data before resale. Google documents an “Erase all data” function on compatible systems; Ford describes factory or connectivity resets and account-VIN removal. See the relevant FTC guidance, Google guidance or Ford policy for details that match your vehicle.
What the available evidence can—and cannot—tell you
The sources cited here establish that connected vehicles can handle sensitive data and that control options vary by platform, automaker and account. They do not provide a representative estimate of how many cars expose location, what share of owners are affected or the probability of misuse. The FTC’s 2026 GM/OnStar announcement describes allegations and settlement terms; it is not a court finding or a claim about every automaker’s current practices.
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