Is LoJack Worth It? What Owners, Thieves, and Cops Reveal

Got a 2019 Kia or a loaded Ram 1500? You’re a target, and thieves know it.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. watches their ride disappear. Doesn’t matter if it’s an old Corolla or a brand-new Escalade; if a crew wants it, it’s gone. That’s where LoJack steps in, promising to track and recover your car fast or cut you a $10,000 check if it can’t.

But does it still deliver? That depends on which LoJack you’re running.

The original system used radio waves strong enough to cut through concrete and steel. Cops swore by it. Then Spireon bought the brand, scrapped the old RF tech, and rebranded it as a cloud-based GPS tracker.

Now it’s all apps, alerts, and LTE pings along with new vulnerabilities, rising costs, and a long trail of user complaints.

This guide cuts through the noise. You’ll see how LoJack holds up in real thefts, how the app and tracker really perform, what cops and owners are saying, and whether it’s still worth the price in 2025.

1. The theft game keeps shifting, and the stats back it up

Park in Chicago, and you’re 4 times more likely to lose your car than in Boise.

From 2019 to 2023, car theft jumped 47%. That’s not a spike, it’s a surge. Thieves got faster. Cities fell behind. Then in 2024, things flipped. Reported thefts dropped 16.7%, down to 850,708, according to the NICB. That’s the first time in years the number dipped below a million.

So, problem solved? Not even close.

That drop hides a new twist: targeted chaos. Thieves didn’t quit. They just got smarter.

TikTok turned Hyundais and Kias into bait

In 2022 and 2023, certain Hyundai and Kia models without engine immobilizers became easy marks. Once the trick hit TikTok, it spread like wildfire. USB cords were suddenly ignition keys. Teen crews in stolen Sonatas were everywhere.

Sedans shot up the charts, pushing full-size trucks like the F-150 and Silverado out of the top spot. This wasn’t brute force anymore, it was viral crime with real-world damage.

No tracker? You’re on borrowed time

In 2023, 85% of stolen cars were eventually recovered. But only 34% came back within 24 hours. And that’s the window that matters. If the car gets stripped, stashed in a container, or dumped in a garage, your odds plummet.

That’s where SVR systems like LoJack try to beat the clock. But how fast are they really? How accurate? How dependable?

2. LoJack isn’t what it used to be, for better and worse

Think you’ve got the old LoJack that cuts through concrete? Not if you bought it after 2021.

Before Spireon took over, LoJack was built for cops. A hidden RF transmitter would fire out a 173 MHz signal once the car was reported stolen.

No app, no monthly fees, no cloud nonsense. Just old-school tech that let cruisers and choppers lock onto a stolen car, even if it was sealed inside a steel container.

But coverage was hit-or-miss. Only 29 states had LoJack-equipped departments. Cross a state line, and you were on your own.

The Spireon handoff brought upgrades and some big trade-offs

In March 2021, Spireon bought LoJack from CalAmp and swapped the radio tech for GPS and LTE. The pitch? Nationwide coverage and real-time access through your phone. Now you get location tracking, alerts when your car moves without the key fob, and direct law enforcement access through an online portal.

It’s slick. But GPS and LTE don’t punch through concrete like RF did. If your car’s deep in an underground lot, the old LoJack might still get a signal out. The new one? Not unless Spireon added backup features like Wi-Fi triangulation or motion sensors.

So far, there’s no clear sign those tools are fully built in.

Cops still play a role, but the gear looks different now

To make up for the RF downgrade, Spireon rolled out “LoJack for Law Enforcement” in 2024. It gives police free access to LoJack’s tracking portal. That’s big if departments actually use it.

By mid-2025, the system was live in 45 states with over 5,000 officers onboard. But here’s the catch: the old setup worked off pre-installed gear. The new one needs a smartphone or laptop, a stable connection, and trained officers who know how to use it. And not every agency’s there yet.

3. LoJack talks big on protection, but some features miss the mark

LoJack doesn’t just chase car thieves anymore. It wants to be your digital glove box too.

Today’s system bundles theft recovery with a pile of connected-car features. You’ll get alerts, maintenance reminders, trip logs, and location tracking all run through a mobile app. On paper, it sounds slick. In real life? It all comes down to whether the app and hardware play nice.

Recovery starts fast, but only after you jump through hoops

LoJack doesn’t spring into action the second your car moves. First, you have to file a police report. Then call LoJack to activate recovery. Only then does the system start pinging GPS data to law enforcement, assuming your local agency’s using LoJack’s tracking portal.

LoJack claims an average recovery time of 26 minutes. But that’s best-case. Plenty of owners say pings fail or go silent when the car ends up in a parking garage or cellular dead zone.

The app tries to do it all when it works

The LoJack app doubles as a security dashboard and maintenance tracker. On a good day, it can show your car’s location, alert you if it leaves a set zone, log trips, warn about speeding or hard braking, and remind you about service or recalls. It’ll even flag a low battery before you’re stuck in a dead lot.

One standout is Early Warning. If the car moves without the paired Key Pass nearby, you’ll get an instant alert unless the device is jammed or dead.

Behind the scenes, the hidden hardware matters most

LoJack’s tracking unit is tucked away out of sight. No blinking lights. No giveaway stickers. It runs off the vehicle’s power but carries its own battery backup just in case a thief unplugs the main one. That backup lasts a few days, buying time in tight recovery windows.

But like anything with a battery, maintenance matters. The main tracker is built to last 5 to 10 years. The Key Pass fob? You’ll need to swap the coin-cell battery every 6 to 12 months. Skip that, and Early Warning goes dark.

4. The “no monthly fee” pitch works until the meter kicks back on

LoJack loves to push the “no monthly fee” line. And to be fair, it holds up at first.

You pay once, usually between $695 and $895, depending on whether you pick 3, 5, or 7 years of coverage. That includes the hardware, pro installation, and full access to the app. No surprise charges. No auto-renewal. Just peace of mind for a while.

Then the term ends. And the bills come back.

Renewals flip the script and quietly add up

Once your plan expires, LoJack turns into a pay-to-keep-playing system. It’s not billed monthly, but when you break down the numbers, it might as well be:

So yeah, no monthly fee during the prepaid term. But after that? Expect $90 to $130 a year if you want to keep coverage live.

Hidden costs don’t stop at the renewal screen

Small stuff starts to add up. Kill the Key Pass battery, and you’re on the hook for a replacement. If your car’s recovered after a theft, some insurers may require a post-recovery inspection on your dime. That could mean a tow or shop fee, depending on the policy.

And install quality? It’s hit or miss. LoJack hires third-party techs, and reviews show the results vary wildly by region. If the wiring’s sloppy or the unit isn’t tucked away right, you might not know until the system fails when you need it most.

5. Big promises on paper, but the real-world win rate wobbles

LoJack claims a 98% recovery rate and an average locate time of just 26 minutes. Sounds unbeatable until you start reading the complaints.

If the numbers held up across the board, nobody would be filing BBB cases or calling customer service in a panic. But the reality is messier.

Stolen cars are getting found, LoJack or not

According to the NICB, over 85% of stolen vehicles were recovered in 2023. And 34% were found the same day, even without any LoJack or other SVR system onboard. So while LoJack’s numbers may edge out the average, the gap isn’t as wide as it once was.

More importantly, those stats come from law enforcement, not a company trying to sell you a subscription.

Cops like the portal when they can actually use it

To boost recovery odds, LoJack rolled out a free Law Enforcement Portal in 2024. Officers in 45 states signed up, and over 5,000 were onboarded in just a few months. The portal gives real-time access to GPS pings, as long as the device is active and the signal’s strong.

But that’s a big “if.” Some departments haven’t trained officers on the portal. Others don’t have in-car tech to run it. And if your car ends up in a rural zone with weak LTE? Good luck tracking it at all.

When LoJack fails, owners don’t stay quiet

Check the App Store or the BBB, and you’ll find a pattern: LoJack didn’t locate the vehicle. The app froze. Support lines went dead. Some owners say their cars vanished even though the system was installed and paid for. Others were told the unit worked fine, just that their battery was low.

That $10,000 guarantee? It only kicks in if every single step is followed to the letter: report the theft in time, notify LoJack correctly, and pray there’s no technical hiccup. One wrong call, and you’re out.

6. When the app flakes out, trust goes with it

It’s one thing to lose your car. It’s another to open the LoJack app and watch the map fail to load.

For a system built on speed and reliability, the reviews paint a rough picture. Across Google Play, the App Store, and BBB, users report the same issues: lagging updates, failed location pings, and crashes at the worst possible moments. Some couldn’t get a signal while their car was parked in their own driveway.

Support doesn’t always pick up the slack

You’d think a failed tracker would trigger quick help. But many users say LoJack’s support is slow and unresponsive. Hold times stretch past 30 minutes. Agents pass cases between departments. Refunds? Don’t count on it. Some customers say they were ghosted after filing support tickets, even when the hardware clearly didn’t work.

One driver’s stolen Ram never showed up in the app. Another got notified 12 hours after the theft. Both were told to check the battery.

Dealers sometimes sneak it in, then disappear

Here’s another curveball: you might not even know you bought LoJack.

Plenty of buyers report dealers bundling it into their new-car sale without asking, sometimes baking the cost into the loan. Some only found out when they tried to uninstall it. Others discovered it clashed with their factory GPS setup, causing glitches.

Worse? Spireon says it’s not responsible for how dealers sell or install the product. If you get stuck with a problem, you’re often on your own.

You can’t take it with you

Thinking of transferring LoJack to your next car? You’re out of luck. The system’s VIN-locked, so once the car’s gone, the coverage goes with it. If you want LoJack on your next ride, you’ll need to start from scratch.

And don’t forget about the Early Warning Key Pass. The fob needs a new battery every 6 to 12 months, but the system won’t warn you when it dies. Miss it, and one of LoJack’s best features quietly shuts off without notice.

7. LoJack isn’t the only game in town, and rivals are catching up

LoJack still leans on its law enforcement connections. But newer tech is starting to close the gap.

You’ve got options. From factory setups like OnStar to plug-and-play GPS trackers with no contracts, the stolen vehicle recovery market is crowded. And while LoJack still plays the police-integration card, it’s no longer a clear winner.

OnStar locks things down if you drive a GM

OnStar comes built into most GM vehicles. It can track your car, slow it down, or even kill the ignition with police sign-off. No extra hardware. Just pay the monthly fee and activate.

That fee ranges from $10 to $65 a month, depending on the plan. It’s one of the few options with real immobilization power, but it adds up, and pros know how to disable it. Some departments also say getting full OnStar access can be a bureaucratic slog.

Aftermarket GPS trackers are cheap, but you’re the dispatcher

You can buy a standalone GPS tracker for $30 to $300, with service plans starting around $8 per month. Many offer live tracking, trip logs, geofencing, even kill switches.

But recovery’s on you. If the car vanishes, you’re the one pulling up the app, calling the cops, and guiding them in. No police portal. No built-in handoff. You’re the response team.

AirTags are clever, but easy to kill

Apple’s AirTag is only $29, runs for a year on a coin battery, and taps into the massive Find My network. Handy for tracking bags, bikes, or maybe even a parked car.

But thieves get an alert if one’s moving with them. And once they find it, they’ll rip it out. AirTags don’t log history, and you can’t send coordinates to cops in real time. Great for finding lost stuff, not for chasing professional thieves.

Immobilizers help until they don’t

Most cars built since the early 2000s have a factory immobilizer. No key signal, no start. Sounds solid until thieves plug into your OBD port, spoof the signal, and fire it up anyway. Relay thefts are just as slick. One crook boosts your fob’s signal from inside your house, the other drives off.

Alarms? Most people ignore them. And once the car’s gone, they don’t help bring it back.

LoJack still hangs in there, but it’s not alone anymore

8. Thieves aren’t clueless; they jam, spoof, and outsmart the tech

Your tracker might be state-of-the-art. But a $25 jammer off eBay can silence it in seconds.

Switching from radio to GPS gave LoJack more range, cloud access, and smartphone control. But it also opened the door to new weaknesses, and pro-level car thieves know exactly how to exploit them.

Underground garages make GPS blind

Satellite signals can’t cut through concrete. Tuck a stolen car in a parking garage, shipping container, or metal shed, and most GPS units go dark.

The old RF-based LoJack could punch through that. The new one? Only if Spireon secretly added backup tools like Wi-Fi triangulation or motion-based fallback. So far, they haven’t confirmed it.

Jammers are illegal, but everywhere

Jammers flood GPS and cellular signals with noise. They’re small, cheap, and easy to hide. Thieves plug one into the power outlet or stash it near the car. The second it kicks on, your LoJack goes silent. No pings, no alerts, no tracking.

Yeah, they’re illegal. And yeah, the FCC can fine you. But that hasn’t stopped carjackers. And there’s no clear word on whether LoJack’s consumer units use the same jamming countermeasures Spireon builds for fleet and military systems.

If not, one $25 gadget can turn your fancy tracker into a paperweight.

Keyless cars are wide open to digital theft

Most modern cars don’t need a key in the ignition. Walk up with the fob in your pocket, and you’re good. But relay attacks let thieves grab that signal from inside your home and open the door from the street.

Even worse, some thieves just reprogram a blank key through the OBD port. Two minutes later, they’re gone. LoJack doesn’t prevent any of this. It only reacts, and only if the unit still has power, signal, and hasn’t been spotted and ripped out.

The portal works, but only if cops can use it

LoJack’s new law enforcement portal is a big step forward. But it doesn’t work if the responding officer doesn’t have access, isn’t trained, or doesn’t have mobile tech to pull it up in the field.

And if your car gets swiped in a rural town without LoJack coverage? You’re stuck feeding GPS coordinates to dispatch and hoping someone takes the chase.

9. LoJack might save your car or just save your deductible

Insurers like LoJack, but that doesn’t mean it’ll save you serious money.

One of LoJack’s quieter selling points is its insurance tie-in. Some companies offer discounts if you’ve got an SVR system. Others factor it in when setting your deductible or deciding whether to total the car after a theft.

Yes, there are discounts, but don’t expect much

Some insurers offer 5 to 20% off your comprehensive premium if your car’s protected with LoJack. But there’s no guarantee. It depends on the company, your state, and your specific policy. You’ve got to call and ask, don’t expect it to show up on your bill automatically.

Even when you do get the discount, it’s usually closer to 5%. That’s maybe $30 to $75 a year, not enough to cover the renewal, let alone the install cost.

The $10,000 guarantee sounds bold until you read the fine print

LoJack advertises a strong safety net: if your car isn’t found in 30 days, they’ll cut you a check for ten grand. Sounds great until you see the conditions.

You’ve got to file a police report quickly, notify LoJack within 24 hours, have the device working and untouched, and cooperate with police from start to finish. Miss a step? No payout. Even if you do everything right, some owners report delays and a pile of paperwork before the check shows up.

Fast recovery can save more than just the car

If LoJack helps find your car fast, you might avoid a total loss and a premium hike. But if it’s stripped or dumped, your insurer will pay out minus the deductible. That’s where the $10,000 guarantee can soften the blow, but only if the system did its job and the claim goes through clean.

So yes, it can reduce risk, but only when everything clicks: the tech, the timing, and the support.

10. Sometimes it’s a lifesaver. Sometimes it’s just more plastic on the dash

Got a Hellcat in Phoenix? LoJack might be a no-brainer. Leasing a CR-V in rural Vermont? Probably not worth the cash.

Whether LoJack makes sense depends on three things: how hot your car is on the theft charts, how fast your local cops can respond, and how involved you want to be in tracking it down.

If your car’s high-risk, don’t cheap out

Drivers with top-target vehicles have the most to gain. That includes:

• Chargers, Challengers, and Durangos

• Older Hyundais and Kias without immobilizers

• Any Ram, Silverado, or F-Series truck with easy OBD access

• High-end SUVs or sports cars in busy urban zones

In these cases, speed matters. LoJack’s law enforcement portal and built-in battery backup can tilt the odds if the system’s set up right and the cops are ready.

If you’ve got a fleet or a teenager, it pulls its weight

For fleet managers and parents, LoJack’s bonus features are a win. Real-time tracking, driver alerts, and geo-fence notifications let you keep tabs on where and how the vehicle’s being used.

Not every GPS tracker puts all that in one app, especially with police access baked in. If peace of mind is the goal, it might be worth the extra cost.

If you lease, it might be required anyway

Some lease contracts, especially in high-theft states, demand an SVR system. LoJack checks that box, and you’ll get a certified install plus a decent track record on recoveries.

It may not be the cheapest option, but it meets the terms and adds a few features the dealer probably won’t mention unless you ask.

If you want full control, go the DIY route

If you’re hands-on and don’t mind handling recovery yourself, a high-end GPS tracker can deliver most of LoJack’s features for less. No contract. No surprise renewals. Often more flexible.

But if something goes wrong, you’re the one calling the cops, pulling up coordinates, and running the show. Don’t expect any handholding.

If your local police aren’t using the portal, forget it

Before you buy, call your local department and ask if they use LoJack’s law enforcement portal. If they say no or don’t know what it is, you’re not getting full value.

Without trained officers and real-time access, LoJack’s just another GPS blip on a busy screen.

11. Before you buy or renew, make sure it’s actually worth it

You can’t just slap LoJack on the dash and forget it. If you want it to work when it counts, you’ve got to do a little homework and stay on top of it.

Too many drivers treat LoJack like a magic fail-safe. But if no one’s listening on the other end, or the hardware’s out of date, it’s just dead weight.

Start with one question for your local cops

Call your police department and ask: “Do you use the LoJack law enforcement portal?” If they say no or have no idea what it is, you’re paying for a system that won’t reach the people who need to use it. At that point, it’s basically a premium GPS tracker.

Don’t let the dealer sneak it into your loan

Some dealerships preload LoJack, jack up the price, and quietly roll it into your financing. Others push it as “mandatory.” It’s not. If you don’t want it, make them remove it, or knock the cost off the bottom line.

Also, check if your car already has a factory system. OnStar, Uconnect, or BMW Assist might already give you built-in tracking. In some cases, that tech overlaps or even conflicts with LoJack.

Use layers, never rely on one line of defense

LoJack works best as part of a full setup. That means pairing it with:

• A working immobilizer and a fob stored in an RFID-blocking pouch

• A steering wheel lock to slow entry

• A hidden kill switch that cuts power at the fuse box

• Even a buried AirTag for silent backup tracking

You’re not overdoing it. You’re buying time.

If you already have LoJack, keep it on a short leash

Don’t trust the system blindly. Stay proactive:

• Check the app monthly, make sure location updates and alerts still work

• Swap the Key Pass battery every 6 to 12 months

• Document every support call, especially if things go sideways

• Ask for a system check after a new battery, jump-start, or major service

You don’t want to find out it stopped working after the car’s gone.

So, is LoJack still worth it in 2025?

If your car’s high-risk and your local cops use LoJack, it might be the edge you need. But it’s no longer the no-brainer it once was.

The system’s biggest strength is still its law enforcement link. When the app’s working, the signal gets through, and the department’s trained up, that can mean the difference between recovery and a total loss.

But it’s not bulletproof. Jammers exist. The app’s glitchy. And if your vehicle lands in a no-coverage zone or your cops aren’t plugged in, you’re just watching a blinking dot that never moves.

The takeaway?

LoJack is worth it if you’ve got a high-value or high-theft vehicle, live in a hot zone, and want a hands-off system that gets law enforcement directly involved.

If you’re more tech-savvy, live in a low-risk area, or want more control over tracking and recovery, you’re better off skipping it or backing it up with cheaper tools that play by your rules.

Sources & References

1. AirTags – a car thief’s worst nightmare? | Howden Insurance
2. Best Car GPS Trackers – Car and Driver
3. Connected Car & Stolen Vehicle Recovery – LoJack
4. Facts + Statistics: Auto Theft – Insurance Information Institute (III)
5. Free Vehicle Recovery for Law Enforcement – LoJack
6. GPS Anti-Jamming: Building Resilience – Spire Global
7. How GPS Trackers Deter Modern Car Thieves – Inniti Tracking
8. Is LoJack Useful? – r/AskLE Reddit
9. LoJack – Apps on Google Play
10. LoJack – Wikipedia
11. LoJack and Law Enforcement – Public Intelligence
12. LoJack Coverage Areas
13. LoJack Corporation – BBB Complaints
14. LoJack Owner’s Manual (PDF)
15. LoJack Recovery Guarantee Terms – Buy LoJack Direct
16. LoJack Rebrands Kahu Platform – Auto Remarketing
17. Mouse Jacking, Relay Attack, Hacking – Invoxia GPS Tracker Blog
18. National Insurance Crime Bureau – 2023 Theft Trends
19. OnStar Helps Stop Car Thieves – OnStar.com
20. Pricing and Trials – OnStar
21. Spireon Review 2025 – Expert Market
22. Stolen Vehicle Recovery Systems Explained – Edmunds
23. Trackers Can Be Jammed – Trackershop UK
24. What Is a GPS Jammer? – Fleet Stack