You've probably heard it before: Newer cars are like computers on wheels. That means when you're trading in or selling your car, you need to take similar steps as you would when getting rid of a computer, otherwise, your private data could end up in someone else's driveway. Consumer Reports has some easy ways to wipe your car clean so it doesn't sell you out.
It's important to clean-up your old car before selling or trading it in - checking the trunk, glove box and under the seats for any valuables, loose change, and paperwork.
But before handing over the keys to a new owner, you'll also want to clean your car's internal computer!
"Kind of like a phone, as you use the car, it's logging data about what you, what features you access and it logs addresses you've been to and now there are even things like wifi hotspots, where you like to log in and all these different connected features you need to remember to log out of before you sell the car," said Consumer Reports auto expert Alex Knizek.
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Before saying goodbye to your car, Consumer Reports suggests you delete Bluetooth connections and make sure there are no contacts saved on the car and then make sure you delete or forget the pairing and association of your phone and the car.
And don't forget the hardware--take your automatic garage door opener so the new driver can't get into your garage after they find your home address stored in the navigation system, or found on stray paperwork.
If you use a built-in system like HomeLink for your garage door, make sure to reset that as well.
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"There's also telematics services -- which connect you directly to automakers," cautions Knizek. "There usually you can find an SOS or call button on the rearview mirror, or something on the ceiling near the mirror, and those connect you to a live operator. And so you can press this button and they will help you remove the vehicle or remove yourself from the telematics account with the vehicle."
And if you've installed any apps on your phone that let you connect to your car, make sure to log out those accounts too! Depending on the automaker, those apps could store driver data, navigation destinations and driving history.
Many newer cars have an option to return the onboard computer to factory settings, which will wipe out all personal settings. You can check the manual, or call the dealer.
