Toll road transponder woes

[davidc18]

the photo helps a bunch, thanks.

 

[polything]

did you ask the guys at Houston service center? can you mount the plate offset beside the front sensor?

 

[JPP]

You may also want to keep one of the windshield mount versions in your glove compartment because a couple booths offered to try scanning that... or you can try holding it out the window as a backup.

Yes, I do keep the white interior transponder in the foil Mylar bag in the glove box, but more as a spare if I need a loaner car. My exterior FasTrak on the front black bumper rail works perfectly.

Bill D--good desire drilling out the bumper. I would wonder what it is made from and if it is heat treated/hardened...might not want to drill it then....I 'stuck' with Velcro & ZipTies, identical position to yours.

 

[Larry Chanin]

the photo helps a bunch, thanks.

Hi David,

Welcome to the forums and congratulations on your recent order.

In your neck of the woods there is an opportunity to obtain an HOV decal that grants an EV free access to the High Occupancy Vehicle lanes.

As I understand it the problem with mounting transponders behind the nose cone is that they are no longer accessible. Therefore you can't turn them off. So if you happen to go to the trouble of obtaining a HOV decal you would still be charged while traveling on the HOV lanes.

What I did was purchase the portable transponder (with the suction cups) at a local Publix. I Velcroed it to the back of my Model S's rear view mirror stalk. In that location it has worked for me 100% of the time. We don't have HOV lanes here on the West Coast of Florida, but if I traveled the HOV lanes on I-95 I could easily remove the transponder and put it in a foil bag to avoid getting charged.

Larry

By the way, if you are interested in joining a Florida Tesla club, please click on the Florida Tesla Enthusiasts link in my signature.

 

[mspohr]

I was wondering where the tow hook fastens to the car. Do we need to worry about interference with the location?

 

[Bill D]

...As I understand it the problem with mounting transponders behind the nose cone is that they are no longer accessible. Therefore you can't turn them off. So if you happen to go to the trouble of obtaining a HOV decal you would still be charged while traveling on the HOV lanes.

What I did was purchase the portable transponder (with the suction cups) at a local Publix. I Velcroed it to the back of my Model S's rear view mirror stalk. In that location it has worked for me 100% of the time. We don't have HOV lanes here on the West Coast of Florida, but if I traveled the HOV lanes on I-95 I could easily remove the transponder and put it in a foil bag to avoid getting charged....

Larry - I have a FL DMV-issued HOV sticker on my car and I also registered with SFCS but did not put their 95Express sticker on my car.

Even though SFCS recommends turning off the SunPass transponder, I've driven in the 95Express lanes many times with my "always-on" SunPass transponder and my Sunpass account has never shown a charge on it for those lanes.

There must be a database entry which automatically excludes my car from ever being charged by SunPass in any 95Express lanes.

I don't know if the state HOV registration or the SFCS registration has caused my car to be in that "exclusion" database. Maybe someone else that does not have both of these registrations could shed light on which one gets your car in that database.

- - - Updated - - -

I was wondering where the tow hook fastens to the car. Do we need to worry about interference with the location?

Not close. The hook screws in way over on the driver's side.

 

[Larry Chanin]

Larry - I have a FL DMV-issued HOV sticker on my car and I also registered with SFCS but did not put their 95Express sticker on my car.

Even though SFCS recommends turning off the SunPass transponder, I've driven in the 95Express lanes many times with my "always-on" SunPass transponder and my Sunpass account has never shown a charge on it for those lanes.

There must be a database entry which automatically excludes my car from ever being charged by SunPass in any 95Express lanes.

I don't know if the state HOV registration or the SFCS registration has caused my car to be in that "exclusion" database. Maybe someone else that does not have both of these registrations could shed light on which one gets your car in that database.

Thanks Bill,

Good information.

Larry

 

[davidc18]

Yes, I do keep the white interior transponder in the foil Mylar bag in the glove box, but more as a spare if I need a loaner car. My exterior FasTrak on the front black bumper rail works perfectly.

Bill D--good desire drilling out the bumper. I would wonder what it is made from and if it is heat treated/hardened...might not want to drill it then....I 'stuck' with Velcro & ZipTies, identical position to yours.

Thanks for the info on the HOV lanes and I'll check out the FL Owners link.

 

[Larry Chanin]

Bill D--good desire drilling out the bumper. I would wonder what it is made from and if it is heat treated/hardened...might not want to drill it then....I 'stuck' with Velcro & ZipTies, identical position to yours.

The bumper is made of Boron-Steel.

Larry

 

[reuted]

Bill D, thank you for kindly providing a picture. IL unfortunately requires a front plate. The SC originally placed the transponder in a central spot above the bumper. That didn't work. I moved it left, that didn't work. I suspect I need to move it as far for forward as possible which will require a mounting technique other than Velcro.

 

[Gynob001]

Transponder Florida

I drilled two small holes and used screws:

View attachment 79365

What size hole did you drill? Is the location working OK?
Thanks

 

[stevem]

I used double stick tape and stuck mine behind the nosecone but stuck it to the nosecone itself. Holding very well and reads at 80% of the toll places in NJ/NY that I have tried.

 

[jbcarioca]

Larry - I have a FL DMV-issued HOV sticker on my car and I also registered with SFCS but did not put their 95Express sticker on my car.

Even though SFCS recommends turning off the SunPass transponder, I've driven in the 95Express lanes many times with my "always-on" SunPass transponder and my Sunpass account has never shown a charge on it for those lanes.

There must be a database entry which automatically excludes my car from ever being charged by SunPass in any 95Express lanes.

I don't know if the state HOV registration or the SFCS registration has caused my car to be in that "exclusion" database. Maybe someone else that does not have both of these registrations could shed light on which one gets your car in that database.

- - - Updated - - -


Not close. The hook screws in way over on the driver's side.

I have the HOV sticker and my Sunpass transponder behind the nose cone, thus always on. I have not yet been charged for HOV using this configuration. As a Sunpass it has been 100% reliable including my regular use for parking at MIA. I expected to be billed for HOV but as you surmise there must be some sort of screening. I'm switching to my new personalised plates within the next few weeks so we'll see if the same thing holds true following my reregistration with Sunpass.

 

[Cyclone]

I have the HOV sticker and my Sunpass transponder behind the nose cone, thus always on. I have not yet been charged for HOV using this configuration. As a Sunpass it has been 100% reliable including my regular use for parking at MIA. I expected to be billed for HOV but as you surmise there must be some sort of screening. I'm switching to my new personalised plates within the next few weeks so we'll see if the same thing holds true following my reregistration with Sunpass.

I will have to apply for an HOV sticker the next time I'm in SoFlo. I updated my Sunpass account today with my personalized plates, but would totally enjoy charge exemption from 95Express when I visit my family.

 

[FloridaScott]

For those in Florida, just found this list Special Windshield Mounting Tips of cars that the Sunpass will not work. Tesla is listed, you need to mount it outside (under the nose cone). In refreshed vehicles I have no clue where you'd mount it.

 

[whitex]

I managed to get WA state Good2Go RFID working on the windshield. On a sunny day you can tell where the windshield coating is. Here is what mine looks like (the sticker with the green printing on it pointed to by the left-most arrow is the toll roads RFID). Different cars have different exclusion areas so you'd have to check yours.

 

[FloridaScott]

For those in Florida, just found this list Special Windshield Mounting Tips of cars that the Sunpass will not work. Tesla is listed, you need to mount it outside (under the nose cone). In refreshed vehicles I have no clue where you'd mount it.

I was just at the service center today, the manager informed me that on refreshed models, there is a cutout like Whitex is showing above. On non-refreshed vehicles the only place that works is to mount the transmitter behind the nose cone.

 

[Larry Chanin]

[QUOTE="FloridaScott, post: 1703475, member: 51448"On non-refreshed vehicles the only place that works is to mount the transmitter behind the nose cone.[/QUOTE]

Hi Scott,

Welcome to the forums.

I have a 2012 Model S I have found that if I Velcro the suction cup transponder to the back of the rear view mirror stalk that it never fails to register. Using the suction cup to mount the transponder to the windshield does not work.

Larry

 

[Cape Coddess]

[QUOTE="FloridaScott, post: 1703475, member: 51448"On non-refreshed vehicles the only place that works is to mount the transmitter behind the nose cone.

Hi Scott,

Welcome to the forums.

I have a 2012 Model S I have found that if I Velcro the suction cup transponder to the back of the rear view mirror stalk that it never fails to register. Using the suction cup to mount the transponder to the windshield does not work.

Larry
[/QUOTE]

Hi Larry,
Would you show us a photo of that please? Also where do you sign up for HOV? I'm in Lauderdale.

 

[David.85D]

Yes, I do keep the white interior transponder in the foil Mylar bag in the glove box, but more as a spare if I need a loaner car. My exterior FasTrak on the front black bumper rail works perfectly.

Bill D--good desire drilling out the bumper. I would wonder what it is made from and if it is heat treated/hardened...might not want to drill it then....I 'stuck' with Velcro & ZipTies, identical position to yours.

it’s steel. It’s not going to be hardened it’s fairly soft to deform and absorb energy in a crash. Hardened steel would break like glass. Not the idea here.