Suggestions for EZ-Pass tag placement.

[89Bronco]

Hello All,

I just went out to put an EZ-Pass tag on my wife's Bronco Sport Heritage. The best place I could find is centered on the plastic housing behind the rear view mirror. Is this OK or is there a better spot? I think this is a sensor bank. that is why I ask.

I found a picture online of a tag in the place that I mentioned above.

thanks

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[Jmuns]

That’s fine there. I have mine in same spot

 

[89Bronco]

thanks so much

 

[JAD67428]

I put mine to the right side

 

[Mrmike]

I don't use mine very often. Do you think it would work while set behind the computer screen?

 

[coopny]

I have mine placed like in the original post image, behind the center of the rearview mirror (below rearview mirror stem) and below the Copilot 360 plastic shroud around the cameras.

You can place it to the right, but I have my dashcam there, so below the rearview mirror is the least visible place (can't really see it from driver's seat, particularly with my radar detector mounted below rearview mirror.)

Also of note: At least in New York, while logged into your E-ZPass account you can request additional adhesive strips to mount your E-ZPass and they will mail them free of charge. So if you need to change the mounting position of your E-ZPass, or don't have the windshield side of the strips because you're moving the E-ZPass from another vehicle - you don't have to pay for a suction cup mount or pay for the velcro strips on Amazon.

(The above also applies to a read prevention bag if you want to put the E-Zpass away, such as taking it with you on a trip, but you don't want it being read as you go to the airport by limo/taxi/bus.)

 

[CrazyKZ]

Actually, it doesn't need to be in sight. I put mine inside the top sunglasses holder and it reads it perfectly. I don't like to see it on my windshield myself.

 

[coopny]

Actually, it doesn't need to be in sight. I put mine inside the top sunglasses holder and it reads it perfectly. I don't like to see it on my windshield myself.

It's basically playing with fire because the designed location is the windshield. The E-Zpass will often read through a glovebox, center console, sunglasses holder, etc. (which is why they offer read prevention bags in the first place), but if the battery is weak, or the signal is weak for another reason, it can be the difference between the toll being read or not.

For fully cashless tolls, it may be the difference between being charged the E-ZPass rate and the higher tolls by mail rate (example: The Henry Hudson bridge toll is $3.18 on a NY issued E-Zpass, versus $8.25 for tolls by mail). Quoth the NYS Thruway Authority:

If you have E-ZPass, it is business as usual. Be sure to mount your E-ZPass tag on the windshield and keep your license plates and payment information up to date on your account.

NOTE: E-ZPass customers who do not properly mount their E-ZPass tag (tag), which results in their tag not reading properly while traveling on the Thruway, will be charged the Tolls by Mail toll rate. The Tolls by Mail rate is 30% higher than the E-ZPass NY toll rate. This is due to the time and cost associated with the process to identify vehicles that do not have the tag properly mounted or not detected in the vehicle. All E-ZPass NY customers with special discount plans will also be charged the Tolls by Mail rate when their tag is not read. To ensure you receive the E-ZPass NY discounted toll rate, mount your tag properly

. For additional information see Thruway Tolls FAQs

If it causes your tag not to read at a retrofitted traditional toll booth, then generally they will try to check if your license plate is visible and check if your plate is registered to an E-ZPass account. However, if the person manually matching your toll doesn't see your tag mounted properly (the booths have video cameras), they may charge you more or issue a violation.
(The point of the ability to manually tie a toll to an E-ZPass is if the tag is properly mounted but didn't read for some reason. It's not designed to be a replacement for the tag not reading properly because it wasn't in the vehicle or it wasn't mounted properly - hence the E-ZPass authority being very insistent on proper mounting. Manually tying tolls by human beings is way less efficient and costs more money than having the tag read automatically.)

My take: Always mount your E-ZPass properly. When mounted below the rearview mirror it isn't visible to the driver anyways.

 

[CrazyKZ]

Good thoughts! I've personally never had a problem. Even in the situation that they charge a non-tag price, you just reach out to them and show them your plates are on the account and they apply it to the account instantly. That's just my opinion.

 

[enjuhner357]

I put mine to the right side

+1 I have mine if this location as well, no issues.

For OP: At this location it is hidden from eye line when in the drivers seat, at least for me. If you read various documents, they will state to put it by the mirror. Logic tells us if you do this in a lifted truck and a lowered Miata, they are in 2 distinct elevations from the ground and distance to the RF sensors. The equipment works best with a clear line of sight. Before mounting, I would simply hold it up as I passed under without issue. But that got annoying.

For issue example, my wife didn’t want to mount her EZ Pass on the window of her Santa Cruz. She got a (politely) stern letter from EZ Pass administrator she had unpaid tolls because it didn’t register. She paid, no further contact. Take your own risk, but they’ll give you a warning before taking any other action.

 

[Escape2Bronco]

I designed and 3D printed out one that I could just stick to the window on the few occasions I use it. Bought some plastic suction cup feet and they fit in the key holes and the velcro goes on the inside. Allows me to easily switch vehicles and keep in the glove box when not using,

 

[coopny]

I designed and 3D printed out one that I could just stick to the window on the few occasions I use it. Bought some plastic suction cup feet and they fit in the key holes and the velcro goes on the inside. Allows me to easily switch vehicles and keep in the glove box when not using,

A neat solution, but the E-ZPass authorities tend to word pretty strongly that the velcro strips are the only approved solution. I believe this is for two reasons:

1. The plastic technically creates a barrier between the E-ZPass tag and the windshield/RFID reader outside
2. Having the tag mount via velcro strips means that, if they review a tag not read, they can see the white tag on the windshield and validate that it's a proper class (E-Zpass tags for commuter vehicles are white, E-Zpass commercial tags are blue, orange E-ZPass' are issued to emergency vehicles & the MTA/PANYNJ/NYSTA, green E-ZPass' are issued to certain low and zero emission vehicles.) If they see a black spot on a windshield #1 it's harder to see, #2 it could be a dashcam or radar detector, etc. and isn't obviously a toll tag.

Personally for me I'd be more annoyed by the little rings that suction cups leave on the windshield surface vs. just having the base two velcro strips remain on the windshield for easy mounting/unmounting and moving between vehicles (it also helps that, when mounted properly, neither the tag or the windshield strips are visible...)

 

[BourbonRunner]

If you don't like the windshield mount, get the license plate mounted version. Problem solved.

 

[Barry S.]

I put mine to the right side

So did I. Can't see it from driver's side but works just fine.

 

[RS1]

Mine is mounted like JAD above and no problem with any toll readers.

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