Article updated: December 2025
The pre-Christmas rush can throw even the most organised and calm among us into genuine confusion. A shopping trip to the mall can end not only in an argument, but also in losing your car in the car park. How do you quickly find your car in a sea of other vehicles? Check out our guide!
How to check where your car is parked in a car park
Losing your car in a large car park can happen to anyone, especially at shopping centres or in multi-storey car parks. Below you’ll find tried-and-tested ways to quickly find your parking space.
- Google Maps – If you save your parking location in Google Maps, you can easily display it later. The app will show the marked point with information about where your parked vehicle is.
- Your phone’s camera – it may sound a bit old-school, but it works. Simply take a photo of your parked car along with the parking space number and any other details that will help you find the vehicle. The downside is if your phone runs out of battery after a whole day spent at the shopping centre.
- Car alarm – car alarms fitted in vehicles have an option to remotely activate the siren and lights. If you more or less remember where your car is, you can simply hold down the button on the key fob and set off the alarm, which will tell you where the car is standing.
Fun fact – in Warsaw, in one shopping centre car park, there’s an intelligent camera system that reads your vehicle’s registration number and then watches where you park. At the exits from the shopping centre there are special info kiosks where you can type your car’s registration number on the screen and find its parking space, complete with a photo.
If you don’t want to end up losing your car in a car park, you can buy special vehicle location devices to install in your car. Which ones? Check below!
How to check where your car is
Anyone can get lost in a huge underground car park! Don’t worry if you can’t find your car, because if you followed our tips above, these will now come to your rescue:
- Google Maps – if you used it, all you need to do on your Android phone or tablet is open the app, search for Parking location in the search bar and tap the directions option to get to your vehicle.
- Auto Finder – an app created for Android that lets you mark your car’s location when you park. You can do this manually or automatically via Bluetooth. The app runs on the Google Maps API and the Android device’s GPS, detects your exact location and analyses information about the route you’ve taken, making it easier to find your car.
- The “Where I Parked” app – an option for iPhone owners. Just download it from the App Store and allow it to access your location. The app will track your parking events as they happen.
- A notiOne tracker – the most reliable solution in situations where it’s hard to remember the exact spot. Simply install the tracker in your car and you’ll see the parking space marked in the app. It works even when your phone didn’t save the location beforehand, or when the car park is multi-storey and poorly signposted.
- SmartGPS plug – a small device that plugs into the car’s cigarette lighter socket or its OBD diagnostic port. It contains a tracker with a mobile network connectivity module, which allows the vehicle’s position to be determined.
Where is the car parked?
If your smartphone’s battery has died and you’ve run out of ideas about where to look for your parked vehicle, two options remain:
- Ask security for help – they can track down your car using the CCTV. Bear in mind, though, that this may take a while, and it certainly won’t calm the tense atmosphere among your tired passengers.
- Wait until everyone else has left the car park – this is the very last resort, and we recommend it only to the persistent and the incredibly patient. 🙂
