EZ Pass Transponder Advice

[arijaycomet]

My transponder looks like this:

Does anyone know which side the antenna is on for this model? In other words, should I mount it as shown (if going with "position #3" of this thread)-- or should I rotate it 180 and upside down so the thicker part is near the black dots?

 

[caps04]

My transponder looks like this:
View attachment 77581


Does anyone know which side the antenna is on for this model? In other words, should I mount it as shown (if going with "position #3" of this thread)-- or should I rotate it 180 and upside down so the thicker part is near the black dots?

Safe option is to first hold it in your hand the right side up and see if it works. Flip it if it doesn't. Finally, stick it when you find the correct orientation If you want to be super sure, just go in one of those cash+ezpass lanes so that you can take a ticket if the tag isn't read at all.

 

[majorlance]

Does anyone know which side the antenna is on for this model? In other words, should I mount it as shown (if going with "position #3" of this thread)-- or should I rotate it 180 and upside down so the thicker part is near the black dots?

In the interest of science, I have disassembled my MD E-ZPass transponder (old one I thought I had lost).

Attached are the picture of the internals. I believe that the antenna is the question mark shaped section on the rightish side towards the top. It may mean that orienting the E-ZPass 90 degrees (counter clockwise) could yield better results than the traditional orientation... not sure. Also, mounting it as high up as possible will expose more of the antenna in the non-shielded (big black dots) area.

Thoughts from anyone?

 

[chickensevil]

Yes, that would be the antenna. I will say that even if you mounted it properly in another car, there are some toll locations that are just terrible. I had a friend with a totally unshielded RAV4 (like early 2000s model) and he had a ticket mailed to him for it not reading his transponder. So if it works everywhere except for 1 booth and that one is spotty, then it might be that location that is the problem instead of the car. Just saying.

 

[Max*]

So is the consensus that placing the Ezpass flex onto the black dots going to make it work?


Since I need to be able to flip it back and forth for HOV purposes, a nosecone solution is not going to work.

 

[majorlance]

Maybe... the black dots are where the windshield is not coated, that much we've proven. But getting the antenna oriented and read is another issue... I'd test it by using a pay lane on the dulles toll road. That way you won't get fined if it doesn't read. Could also allow you to orient it several different ways if there's no line behind you...

Let us know what you find out.

On congrats on your order!

 

[Max*]

Maybe... the black dots are where the windshield is not coated, that much we've proven. But getting the antenna oriented and read is another issue... I'd test it by using a pay lane on the dulles toll road. That way you won't get fined if it doesn't read. Could also allow you to orient it several different ways if there's no line behind you...

Let us know what you find out.

On congrats on your order!

Thanks .

My concern is specifically with the readers on the 495 HOT/express lanes, since they are high speed readers, there are no lights on it for me to see if it read the EZpass correctly or not.

I might have to try it on the dulles toll road first in a couple weeks (once the car gets here).

 

[LetsGoFast]

My EZPass did not work in the suggested location at all. I tried my wife's and it worked sporadically. I ended up going with the license plate mount in the nose cone, which has thus far worked flawlessly.

 

[Max*]

My EZPass did not work in the suggested location at all. I tried my wife's and it worked sporadically. I ended up going with the license plate mount in the nose cone, which has thus far worked flawlessly.

How do you toggle it? I don't want to pay each time I use it with 3+ people in the car (which is very often).

 

[chickensevil]

How do you toggle it? I don't want to pay each time I use it with 3+ people in the car (which is very often).

You can't which is why that isn't an option. While I appreciate that people have had luck with the ezpass in those locations it simply is not an option for flex users. Note that the entire point of the OP is specifically for the Flex pass. There are plenty of other threads on the subject of ezpass mounting on the front of the car but that will not address the OPs issue (or anyone else with that concern as I originally had).

I have some photos of my location to help with finding the right spot but basically I just followed the instructions that came with the transponder which is to place it as close to the mirror as possible and leave about an inch from the top. I have had it there for many months now and hit the toll lanes multiple times a week sometimes with and sometimes without it in HOV mode. No issues.

I have taken it on 95/395/495 as well as dullas toll road, the bridge from eastern VA down past dulgran (Spelling?), and finally that bridge that is tolled as you head out toward Ocean City. All of these are various speeds you go under the sensors and not once have I had an issue.

Note I'll have to post the photos layer, sorry.

 

[Max*]

Thanks. I'll try that!

 

[pmoa]

Don't forget to add your license plate number to the account so if it doesn't work you won't get fined.

 

[chickensevil]

Here you go, as promised. Hopefully this helps you all with positioning. As I said this 100% works with no issues. I think it is likely important not to put it too close to the roof line as the roof likely blocks the signal. This is probably why the instructions that came with it says to give a 1 inch clearance. So I put it as close to the mirror as possible (so it was in as much black dots as possible) while keeping it 1 inch (give or take) from the roof. Good luck!

 

[LetsGoFast]

You can't which is why that isn't an option. While I appreciate that people have had luck with the ezpass in those locations it simply is not an option for flex users. Note that the entire point of the OP is specifically for the Flex pass. There are plenty of other threads on the subject of ezpass mounting on the front of the car but that will not address the OPs issue (or anyone else with that concern as I originally had).\

My reason for posting was really that I never got the signal to pass through the windshield at any orientation. Perhaps some cars had a sloppier job of cutting down the film? I've sat at an empty booth and methodically placed the transponder at every location next to the mirror, rotating it 360 degrees and never was able to activate the gate until I rolled down the sunroof and stuck it into the air. Obviously, YMMV.

 

[RDoc]

Here you go, as promised. Hopefully this helps you all with positioning. As I said this 100% works with no issues. I think it is likely important not to put it too close to the roof line as the roof likely blocks the signal. This is probably why the instructions that came with it says to give a 1 inch clearance. So I put it as close to the mirror as possible (so it was in as much black dots as possible) while keeping it 1 inch (give or take) from the roof. Good luck!

We mounted ours (non-Flex) at exactly the same spot as recommended by our DS, and while it works most of the time, it totally failed on the Mass Pike, prompting a "Call EZPass" message. For the rest of the trip we went with the "hold it out the window" method. Incidentally, that didn't always work on the NJ Turnpike if I didn't hold the transponder by the edges as opposed to grasping it in my fist, presumably shielding the RF. I'm going to get a plate mounted transponder, but that's not an option for Flex. IMHO, Tesla needs to get more serious about fixing this problem.

 

[Max*]

Got my Tesla. Going to try out the Ezpass location this week.

After speaking to my DS, he said there have been several revisions of the windshield. It went from blocking EZ-pass, to leaving an opening for EZ-pass next to the mirror, to fully blocking EZ-pass again (he said he doesn't think my EZ-pass will work in the old "good" location). He said Tesla had plans to go down to Ez-pass headquarters and test out a location on the Tesla where it would be acceptable to use it, in the "near future".

 

[jaguar36]

IMHO, Tesla needs to get more serious about fixing this problem.

We ended up switiching to a plate mounted transponder. That works great. Tesla is not alone in this issue, which is why the plate mounted transponder exists. As to the Flex thing, I think its EZ-Pass's fault for assuming that all transponders are cabin mounted when they themselves provide a plate mounted one.

Course the whole pay to not sit in traffic thing is awful on those Express lanes.

 

[Max*]

I went to EZ-pass today (needed to exchange one of my regular transponders for a flex one). Out of the two tolls I hit with the regular transponder, positioned to the right of the mirror, one of them read my EZ-pass and the other one didn't (had to stick it out the sunroof).

I also asked the EZpass people, and they said that if the Tesla is early 2014, they had a cutout in the windshield where the EZpass would work. Since then, there is no cutout, and use it at your own risk or get a plate mounted [non-Flex] transponder.

 

[chickensevil]

We ended up switiching to a plate mounted transponder. That works great. Tesla is not alone in this issue, which is why the plate mounted transponder exists. As to the Flex thing, I think its EZ-Pass's fault for assuming that all transponders are cabin mounted when they themselves provide a plate mounted one.

Course the whole pay to not sit in traffic thing is awful on those Express lanes.

They aren't the only ones doing this. I thought this originated in like CA or something, with the first HOT lanes (pay if less than 3 otherwise free). And that isn't in an EZ-pass area.

What is also crazy is that counter to the way it seemed like it was being advertised, they raise the prices seemingly based on the main traffic on the non-pay portion instead of the volume of cars in the HOT lanes. The whole point, I thought, was that in order to help alleviate some of the traffic on the main roads they would adjust the pricings accordingly in the HOT lanes to get them utilized to the max without it causing them to slow down. Yet if you go down that road in the afternoon they are far from capacity and yet still charging crazy prices which only go up the more backed up 95 gets... making people LESS inclined to go to the HOT lanes and thereby backing up 95 further. It just doesn't make sense...

Also, it would be great to have planned the on/off ramps better so that you can get on and off just for the parts of getting around the two areas that actually backup and then getting back off. For example going south, you have to get on at the 495/95 exchange and stay on all the way until Dale City when all you are normally trying to skip in that 1-2 miles between Lorton and Woodbridge... sigh... So if you pay, you are paying for like 10 miles when all you needed was like 3... Which I am not inclined to do, so I just sit in the traffic most days...

- - - Updated - - -

I went to EZ-pass today (needed to exchange one of my regular transponders for a flex one). Out of the two tolls I hit with the regular transponder, positioned to the right of the mirror, one of them read my EZ-pass and the other one didn't (had to stick it out the sunroof).

I also asked the EZpass people, and they said that if the Tesla is early 2014, they had a cutout in the windshield where the EZpass would work. Since then, there is no cutout, and use it at your own risk or get a plate mounted [non-Flex] transponder.

How is that a viable answer FROM EZPass!!!! :cursing:

Oh, we get that our transponders suck and we couldn't come up with a better solution so I guess you can either pay to use the toll or ride local, nevermind carpooling... Cause, you know, that whole, environment thing? who cares!

 

[RDoc]

For Eastern MA residents. If you go to the EZ-Pass center at the Square One Mall in Saugus be warned that some of the people there can be real jerks.

I went in, told them I had a Tesla and that I had to hold it out the window to be read and asked to exchange it for a plate mounted transponder. The clerk's response was to refuse as their policy is that if you only have a few misreads they won't replace it, even after I pointed out that a lot of the reads were because I held it out the windw. The clerk helpfully pointed out that the toll would be paid by reading the license plate and it cost $1 extra each time. At that point I demanded to speak to her supervisor and she OK'd it.