Ford Everest tracker: theft risk, FordPass and what to fit

Does the Ford Everest have tracking?

Yes, in the sense that Ford can show you where it is. Ford says the “Ford App and vehicle’s modem comes standard on all Everest from September production 2021”, and the 2026 brochure lists the modem and remote lock and unlock on the Active (4x2 and 4x4), Sport, Wildtrak and Platinum. The XLT and Tremor aren’t in that brochure.¹ When FordPass Connect reached the whole Everest range in October 2021, it could locate the vehicle, lock and unlock it, and start the automatics remotely.⁴

In the app today, the location feature reads “Check your vehicle’s exact location”, and it works once the Vehicle Location settings are on. The Everest is also one of the models on which the app can sound the horn and flash the lights.²

Can the Ford app recover a stolen Everest?

No. Ford’s app page lists no geofence, no remote immobiliser and no stolen-vehicle tracking, and names no team that would go after the vehicle. The app is free for the first three years of the warranty, and Ford says that afterwards it may stop being available or carry a subscription fee.²

We found no insurer that accepts the Ford app in place of an approved tracker. Knowing where your Everest is parked is useful; for a theft or a hijacking you want a tracker with a recovery service.

Is the Ford Everest stolen in South Africa?

It isn’t on any 2025 or 2026 list we checked, including King Price’s, AutoTrader’s and Fidelity ADT’s.^5,6,7 One case shows where a stolen Everest can be headed, though. An Everest XLT worth about R940 000, reported stolen in Bela-Bela on 31 December 2025, was recovered by the SANDF from the Limpopo River near Musina. The SANDF said “the registration on the vehicle is a false one.”³

According to Fidelity, about 30% of stolen and hijacked vehicles end up in neighbouring countries, and The Star counted 4x4 and utility vehicles among those suited to the smuggling routes.⁸ If a car does cross, our guide to cross-border recovery sets out what follows.

Keyless entry and the Thatcham alarm

Every Everest trim in the brochure has smart keyless entry with push-button start, and a “Thatcham Security System incl. Alarm with Perimeter, Interior Motion & Vehicle Inclination Sensors”. The brochure doesn’t list an immobiliser.¹

Because every Everest is keyless, Pineapple’s advice for keyless cars applies to it: keep the key in a Faraday bag, “to prevent the cloning of keyless access signals”.⁹ Our guide to relay attacks and keyless theft explains the method.

What to fit to an Everest

A tracker with a recovery team, checked against what your policy schedule asks for. Once it is fitted, keep it working: MiWay tells drivers to test “your tracking device at least once a year, since functional security can affect cover and recovery.”¹⁰

Our deals start from R99pm for a wireless recovery unit, or R149pm for a full insurance-approved tracker. Free installation, 36-month contract.

Choose the Everest in the form, with its year and trim, and compare the deals for it.

Get tracker quotes for an Everest

Questions people ask