Mastering Azuga
★ Fleet GPS Trackers · Azuga Guide
What the Azuga plug-in tracker does, how it connects, what Azuga publishes about it, and where a plug-in stops being the easy answer.
The Azuga OBD-II tracker is the entry point to Azuga fleet tracking. It is a small box that plugs into the 16-pin diagnostic port found in most cars, vans and light trucks, usually under the dash on the driver side. Azuga's own pages call it the "Azuga GPS Tracker," the "Azuga Tracker," or the "OBD II device." Azuga does not publish a consumer-style model name for it, so we use the names Azuga uses.
Once it has power, it reads vehicle data, finds its position with GPS and other satellite systems, and sends both to the Azuga Fleet platform over a cellular connection. Azuga says the plug-in takes about 20 seconds to install, causes no downtime, and can be moved from one vehicle to another.
There are three physical situations, and Azuga has a part for each:
| Situation | What Azuga says to use |
|---|---|
| Port is open and easy to reach | Plug the tracker straight in. Keep it flush with the panel. |
| Port is behind a panel or door | Use the OBD extension cable so the tracker does not stick out. |
| Port already has another device | Use the OBD Y-cable. Unplug the other device, put the Y-cable in the port, and plug Azuga into one leg and the original device into the other. |
Record the serial number before you plug it in. You need it to register the tracker. In the Azuga Fleet mobile app that is Utilities, then Installation, then OBD-II Plug'n'Play. On the web it is Admin, then Vehicles. Vehicle names have to be unique.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Size and weight | 1.7 x 1.8 x 1 inches, 31.1 g (1.1 oz) |
| Power supply | 8 to 32 V, sleep draw under 4 mA |
| Satellite systems | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou, internal antenna |
| Cellular | LTE, listed with several North American carriers. The page also lists older 3G and CDMA, so it may describe older hardware. |
| Short range radio | Bluetooth 4.2 LE, and Wi-Fi used only for uploading data |
| Sensors | 3-axis accelerometer and 3-axis gyroscope |
| Environment | IP64, -40 to +85 C |
Read this before you rely on the spec table
Azuga's specification page has no date, and it lists 3G and CDMA radios that newer units no longer need. Treat it as the family spec, not a promise for the exact unit in your box. Azuga's install guide separately says a product code starting with DCM970 is compatible with the SafetyCam, which needs a 4G LTE tracker.
Cars, vans and light trucks with a clear OBD-II port, where the fleet wants tracking and driver scores without cutting any wires.
Vehicles where drivers can reach the port and unplug it, vehicles with a crowded port, and heavy trucks that use a 6 or 9 pin port. Those need a different cable or the JBus version, or a hardwired unit.
Azuga says it flags a tracker that gets unplugged and recommends hiding it in a hard-to-reach spot. A plug-in is quick to install, and a hardwired unit is harder to remove.
The tracker is also only as good as the port behind it. Azuga's own troubleshooting article for a tracker that shows no lights tells you to try the device in another vehicle, check that pins 4 and 16 are populated, and check for power between them. That is a meter job, not a guess.
Sources: Azuga install guide for OBD-II, Azuga technical specifications, Azuga hybrid article, Azuga no-light article, Azuga SafetyCam install guide. AZUGA is a trademark of its owner. API Signal is an independent installer and is not Azuga.
Azuga markets it as a plug-in that needs no installer, and the install guide is short: vehicle off, plug into the 16-pin port, then watch the lights. Where it goes wrong is the port. If it sits behind a panel, is already taken by another device, or has no power on pins 4 and 16, a plug-in turns into a troubleshooting job. That is where an installer earns the visit.
Azuga says hybrid support is limited. If a hybrid has no usable OBD-II port, Azuga says the device can be wired directly to the battery instead.
Only if the tracker is the 4G LTE version. Azuga says a product code that starts with DCM970 is compatible, and older 3G trackers must be replaced before a SafetyCam can pair with them.
Azuga publishes more than one light scheme for this tracker and does not say which hardware generation each one belongs to. We list them all on the technical page and tell you to confirm in the portal.
Tell us how many vehicles and what they are. We'll quote the installation.
Constant. Ignition. Ground. API Signal.Disclosure: API Signal may receive a referral fee from Azuga when a fleet signs up with Azuga through us. It does not change what we tell you on these pages, including the places where Azuga is not the best fit.