What Is This???

[Bundu]

Hi folks

I discovered this item stuck between the left rear interior panel and the body. I was removing the panel to pick up the supply from the accessory socket.

What on earth is it?

Thanks!

 

[oldiebut goodie]

KGB listening device?

 

[Bundu]

KGB listening device?

Must be.

Seriously though, this thing has no wiring connections whatsoever.

I can add that is was a rental in its previous life.

 

[Phil_G]

Dessicant pack maybe? does it have any opening or vents?

 

[oldiebut goodie]

My first action would be to get it open, possibly a remnant from a smuggling trip? ( I am ex Customs and was used to finding objects like that in void spaces. Rental vehicles are commonly used for smuggling). Open it outside in case of dust/contents that could be inhaled. Obviously shouldn't be there and looks as though it was possibly taped in position.

 

[Anthony Ullyart]

Could be a tracking device!?

 

[True Romance]

Yep my money is on a tracker.

 

[Bundu]

Dessicant pack maybe? does it have any opening or vents?

Nope, no vents.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

No holes in it, no wiring to it - it would need a damn good battery to last countless years standalone.

 

[Bundu]

My first action would be to get it open, possibly a remnant from a smuggling trip? ( I am ex Customs and was used to finding objects like that in void spaces. Rental vehicles are commonly used for smuggling). Open it outside in case of dust/contents that could be inhaled. Obviously shouldn't be there and looks as though it was possibly taped in position.

If it's not VW issue, it must come out.

I'll take some tools to it this weekend.

Watch this space...

 

[Bundu]

No holes in it, no wiring to it - it would need a damn good battery to last countless years standalone.

Yes, and besides that, the GPS reception without an external antenna would be less than ideal, so I'll rule out tracker.

 

[Colner]

No holes in it, no wiring to it - it would need a damn good battery to last countless years standalone.

Long term covert trackers can be programmed to send a check-in message home once a day to conserve battery life lasting several years. If your van disappears, you send an instruction to relay the GPS position every hour, minute or second if preferred.

If it is a tracker, the battery probably takes up half the space in that unit. Bundu, is it relatively heavy for the size?

 

[Bundu]

Long term covert trackers can be programmed to send a check-in message home once a day to conserve battery life lasting several years. If your van disappears, you send an instruction to relay the GPS position every hour, minute or second if preferred.

If it is a tracker, the battery probably takes up half the space in that unit. Bundu, is it relatively heavy for the size?

It is kinda heavy.

Now I'm really curious.

 

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

Salisbury Perfume Bottle?

 

[Bundu]

This is where it was found. You can still see the black gunk residue (circled) on the paintwork.

 

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

maybe it's got wireless charging kind of a tag for the rental company

 

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

is it magnetic? related to sliding door mechanism?

 

[Loz]

I'm betting on a tracker

 

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

I'm betting on a tracker

it could well be. maybe a throwaway one
i currently work for a tracker/blackbox automotive company. the smallest one we do are a very flat odb2 connector and a smaller one i can't reveal form factor
as for antenna, printed/fractal antenna can do a fab job

 

[oldiebut goodie]

Intriguing, I don't think we can all wait until the weekend.