E-ZPass Transponder Location on 2016 CX-5 Touring

[rickypicky]

You're supposed to stick it to the top center of the windshield, but on my car, there is grid of black lines (Tech package sensors?) there. I could put it directly behind the rear view mirror, underneath the grid, but I'm wondering if that's too low.

I live in Northern Virginia, Fairfax County.

 

[paris1]

Too low for what? In my experience you can locate those transponders just about anywhere in the front cabin and they'll work fine.

 

[jcpharm]

i put it to right of all that "black grid' on the passenger side....~6" down from the top and it seems to work just fine.

 

[yrwei52]

The bad thing is no matter where we put it, we can't hide behind the rear view mirror anymore! The drive will see it and it looks big and ugly (the TollTag from our North Texas Tollway Authority)!

 

[Gio26NJ]

I have my EZ-Pass directly behind the mirror (more towards passenger side between the wiper sensor and the mirror itself) hidden from view and behind the black dots. Can't really see it when you're looking at the windshield from outside and doesn't take away from viewing from inside.

 

[Capsfan84]

You're supposed to stick it to the top center of the windshield, but on my car, there is grid of black lines (Tech package sensors?) there. I could put it directly behind the rear view mirror, underneath the grid, but I'm wondering if that's too low.

I live in Northern Virginia, Fairfax County.

I live in the same county you do and I have my transponder directly below the rearview mirror underneath the grid. It's never been a problem, and after a while you don't even notice it anymore.

 

[rickypicky]

Thanks everyone. I'll put it on tonight.

 

[DG_1234]

In the arm rest console.

 

[robertmazda]

In the arm rest console.

Which may or may not actually work, resulting potentially in violation notices and the hassle of clearing those up. What's wrong with hiding it behind the rear view mirror? I have 3 cars and can't see the device while driving in any car.

 

[paris1]

I just throw mine up on the dash when I need to. Otherwise I keep it in the glove Box. My wife keeps hers hidden under the dash top storage cubby door on he Z4 BMW. They're really ver forgiving as far as placement goes. The instruction to put it in the center of the windshield under the rv mirror is just a suggestion.

 

[Ulrich]

We've got a transponder sticker in Houston, not a box you can remove. If you need a new windshield, you are supposed to buy a new sticker since they will not replace it even if you have an active account in good standing. If you get a new car, you are supposed to get a new sticker. If your car is in the shop or you are driving a friend's car, you cannot move your sticker to the other car. Etc.

Half the time the sticker doesn't seem to work, so they take a picture of your plate and then compare it against their database if you have an account or not. If you do, they just deduct the toll off your account. If you don't, or if the plate doesn't match your sticker/transponder (like when you drive your friend's car), you get a ticket.

So I said screw it, keep the sticker in my glove box, have no idea if it works or not, and since they check the license plate against their database anyway it really doesn't matter. Never got a ticket and don't have to worry about blocking half my field of vision with an ugly sticker. And have been using the same sticker with three cars, which by itself already saved me $30.

 

[yrwei52]

We've got a transponder sticker in Houston, not a box you can remove. If you need a new windshield, you are supposed to buy a new sticker since they will not replace it even if you have an active account in good standing. If you get a new car, you are supposed to get a new sticker. If your car is in the shop or you are driving a friend's car, you cannot move your sticker to the other car. Etc.

Our North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA, a private-owned company who is using public land to collect money) now uses similar 3X3" transponder sticker as the TollTag which is better than a big box used to be. But I've seen those tiny transponder stripe no bigger than a half inch wide and can be stuck onto any frontal area (mostly on the headlight) in overseas. I'm not aware we need to pay for a new sticker if the situation occurs. May be I should just keep it in center cubby area and throw it up on the dash when I need to like you and paris1 do.

 

[MikeM.]

Half the time the sticker doesn't seem to work, so they take a picture of your plate and then compare it against their database if you have an account or not. If you do, they just deduct the toll off your account. If you don't, or if the plate doesn't match your sticker/transponder (like when you drive your friend's car), you get a ticket.

So I said screw it, keep the sticker in my glove box, have no idea if it works or not, and since they check the license plate against their database anyway it really doesn't matter. Never got a ticket and don't have to worry about blocking half my field of vision with an ugly sticker. And have been using the same sticker with three cars, which by itself already saved me $30.

They allow you to re-register the same sticker with different vehicles?

By the way, the antenna in those transponder systems without batteries rely heavily on the glass substrate for range. If it's not stuck to glass the range is greatly reduced.

Personally, I believe it's the governments job to build roads and that everyone with a legal car/insurance/license should be able to use them. Next thing you know transponders will be in homes and the police will bill you every time they do a security patrol past your house.

 

[Ulrich]

They allow you to re-register the same sticker with different vehicles?

Oddly enough they do. I did not know that, either, but when I got the 2015 CX-5 and started playing on their website it seemed to work. The Great State of Texas forced a new license plate on me a few years back, so I guess they added that flexibility to their system for those occasions...

By the way, the antenna in those transponder systems without batteries rely heavily on the glass substrate for range. If it's not stuck to glass the range is greatly reduced.

Honestly, not my problem if their system doesn't work and they have to spend some extra computer time to bill me...

 

[rickypicky]

I ended up putting the transponder directly behind the rear view mirror on the passenger side of the middle of the window.

 

[Cis4]

I live in the bay area and have a fastrak transponder. I have a 2015, but I keep it in the area in front of the shifter, where my 12v outlet is (your 2 usb chargers). It almost always registers, but when it doesn't, it doesn't matter because they take a picture of the plate and charge my account that way. Do they have a similar system where you are, or are they adamant that your transponder register?

 

[yrwei52]

They allow you to re-register the same sticker with different vehicles?

I live in the bay area and have a fastrak transponder. I have a 2015, but I keep it in the area in front of the shifter, where my 12v outlet is (your 2 usb chargers). It almost always registers, but when it doesn't, it doesn't matter because they take a picture of the plate and charge my account that way. Do they have a similar system where you are, or are they adamant that your transponder register?

Both TollTag from NTTA (North Texas Tollway Authority) in Dallas area and EZ TAG from HCTRA (Harris County Toll Road Authority) in Houston area allow us to change the same sticker with different license plates or vehicles. We renew license plate once for every seven years for each vehicle, so the tollway system has to allow the changes. They also can bill the account even if the tollbooth couldn't sense the transponder by the license plate from the picture taken. I didn't know this until Ulrich mentioned it. Since there is no good place for our 3X3" transponder sticker on GT windshield, I should just leave the transponder sticker in the front cubby area or glove compartment like Ulrich does. But getting a replacement transponder sticker is free from NTTA.