Dealer trackers
Dealer kill switch or PassTime device? How to get it removed
Updated October 2026
Plenty of financed used cars leave the lot with a box under the dash that can track the car and stop it from starting. Once the car is paid off, you don't have to keep it. Here's how to tell if you have one, and how to get it out the right way.
Short answer
A dealership kill switch is a starter-interrupt device (PassTime is a common brand) that lenders install so they can locate a financed car and keep it from starting if payments stop. Leave it alone while you owe money on the car. Once it’s paid off, get a paid-in-full letter, ask the dealer or lender to deactivate it, and have an installer remove it and restore the starter wiring.
Signs your car has one
- Your contract mentions a GPS, “payment assurance,” or starter-interrupt device.
- The car beeps or flashes a light as a payment reminder.
- There’s a small keypad or a code you were told to enter, or the car wouldn’t start once when a payment was late.
- Under the driver’s side dash there’s a small box wrapped in tape, spliced into the wiring near the steering column.
While the loan is active, leave it
If the device was disclosed in your financing contract, removing or disabling it is usually a breach of that contract and can trigger default or repossession. It’s the lender’s property until the loan is satisfied. If a device was never disclosed, talk to a consumer attorney or your state attorney general’s office.
After payoff: the right way to remove it
- Get proof. Ask for a paid-in-full letter and your title or lien release.
- Ask for deactivation in writing. Contact the dealer or lender and ask them to deactivate the device and close the account tied to your VIN. Many will remove it for free.
- Have it removed properly. If they won’t remove it, a car-audio, alarm, or remote-start installer can take it out and reconnect the factory starter wiring. Ask for that specifically, since a cut-and-tape job can leave the car unreliable.
- Check for anything else. Some dealers add a separate GPS unit. Run through the free 10-spot checklist to make sure nothing else is left behind.
Don’t forget the factory modem
The dealer’s box is only one tracker. Most newer cars also have a manufacturer modem that reports location and driving data. See what a telematics module is and more on dealer GPS trackers.
Paid off? Check the factory tracker too
Removing the dealer's box doesn't touch the modem the manufacturer built in. Our $35 guides show how to disable it on GM, Ford, and Stellantis vehicles, reversibly.
Common questions
+What is a PassTime device?
PassTime is a brand of payment-assurance device that buy-here-pay-here dealers and subprime lenders install on financed cars. It combines GPS tracking with a starter interrupt, so the lender can locate the car or keep it from starting if payments stop.
+Can I remove a dealer kill switch myself?
Not while the loan is active. It's usually required by your financing contract, and removing it can put you in default. Once the car is paid off, ask the dealer or lender to deactivate it, then have it removed and the starter wiring restored.
+Will the car start if I cut the kill switch wires?
Often not. These devices are spliced into the starter or ignition circuit, so cutting wires can leave the car unable to start at all. The factory wiring has to be reconnected properly, which is why a professional installer is the safest route.
+Who removes starter-interrupt devices?
Car-audio, remote-start, and alarm installers do this work every day. Many dealers will also remove the device for free once the loan is paid, so ask them first.