If your Tractive tracker isn’t charging, don’t worry. Here are some things to know along with a few steps you can try to get things working again.
What’s a normal charging behavior?
Wondering what to expect when charging your tracker? Here’s how normal charging looks, so you know everything is working as it should.
- Red light: tracker is charging
- Green light or LED off: tracker is fully charged
- Blue light (Tractive DOG 6): the charging port may be wet (see below)
- Battery drops to 85% while plugged-in (Tractive DOG 6): this protects your battery’s lifespan and is nothing to worry about
Get your tracker charging
Let’s start with the key steps to help your tracker start charging again.
If you need a replacement charging cable, you can find one in the Tracker Accessories section of our shop. Just select your tracker model to start browsing.
Check your tracker, charger, and power source
- Double-check that your charger is properly connected to your tracker. Refer to Charging your Tractive GPS tracker for guidance.
- Gently remove dirt or debris on the tracker and charger pins (the small gold spots on the tracker) using tap water and a cloth or toothbrush. Dry thoroughly before charging.
- Try a different charging cable, A/C adapter, power outlet, or USB port.
- Inspect both the charging cable and your tracker for signs of wear or damage.
Model-specific tips for Tractive DOG 6
- We recommend using only the cable that came with your tracker for best results. If your tracker isn’t charging, try a different cable to see if the original might be faulty. If your tracker lights up with another cable, it’s charging and you need to replace the original cable.
- Disconnect the USB-C cable from the tracker, flip it 180°, and reconnect. Sometimes, it only works in one direction.
- If a blue light shows up, this means that water has entered the charging port. Open the protective cover, gently tap out excess water, dab with a lint-free cloth to remove as much moisture as you can, and let it air dry for a few hours before charging again.
Extra things to know about charging Tractive trackers
- If the LED turns off or green immediately, the tracker may already be fully charged.
- If the tracker hasn’t been charged in a long time, the LED may take up to five (5) minutes to turn red after plugging in.
- If the battery status in the app doesn’t update but your tracker’s lights show it’s charging, your tracker is probably charging but hasn’t synced with the app yet. Make sure your tracker is in an area with good cellular connection, then give it a few minutes to update in the app.
What to do if your tracker still won’t charge
Contact Us below and include the following so our support team can assist you faster:
- The steps you’ve already taken and checked from above
- A short video showing what happens when you try to charge your tracker