Long Islander

I'd like to get rid of the white EZ Pass transponder that's on my windshield, and replace it with a black external mount version. You know, the kind that is meant to be screwed on to your front license plate. I'd like to be more discreet, however, so I thought I'd mount it behind the small plastic lower grill between the driver's side fog light and the license plate (the area shown in the attached photo).

If you lift the hood, you can easily reach behind that lower grill, so I thought I'd just attach it to the backside of the plastic grill with small black cable ties -- no screws required.

Do you think the transponder could be read from that location?

Any other thoughts/suggestions?

Barry45RPM

Its a dark car with a black license plate frame... mounting it on the plate won't be so obvious. Who knows if it could be read where you want to put it, and it might be able to be read by the slow speed readers but not by the high speed readers and you wouldn't want to find out at a bridge or tunnel toll booth would you?

Long Islander

Even if I wanted to mount it on the plate, I don't think I could because of the "bend" in the middle of the license plate mounting bracket (and hence the license plate itself). Where I'm thinking of mounting it is only a little bit lower (but certainly further back) than the screw holes on the bottom of the plate.

55fanatic

zip tie it to the grill or something just inside the hood... you should be ok, people will think you have a radar jammer

csumt76

I tucked mine behind my state inspection sticker. Done deal...

SPNJHockey

Oggie,
Stop at a car-parts store (like Strauss') and look around for one of those nylon canvas pouches with the suction cups. Then you really wont see it from the front.

CT3

I literally just moved my fastlane transmitter a few days ago, its on the lower grill of my car as well, mounted with a similar apparatus... works totally fine with all cameras/detectors...

tbone

I'm not sure how big your transponder is, but the one in CA is about 5" x 5". I just store it in my arm rest, and hold it up to the windshield if I pass a toll plaza. Then back in storage it goes

Long Islander

Yes, that's what I want to do. Is yours in front of the plastic grill or behind?

CT3

its behind the grill, completely concealed and out of the way

Long Islander

Cool. One more question -- do I need to mount it facing forward the way it would be if it were on the license plate? (This would be a little awkward, but doable).

CT3

I really don't think it matters which way it's facing, I can check on my car when I get home in 2 days, but I'm 90% sure it makes no difference... Good luck I hope it all works out!

rkao

This is definitely a topic of interest as I found out another problem with the front plate mounted EZPass transponder on the 'updated' front bumper with the bend when I picked up my car: the front Parktronic sensor detected the object and was triggering the warning lights and alarm.

I didn't believe the dealer so tried both upper and lower plate mounts and it found them all; then I took it off and all was well!

So if you can mount the transponder behind the lower grille then that'd be the solution!

Long Islander

I'm not sure this is going to be a solution for you. The Parktronic seems to be picking up a signal that's transmitted by the EZ Pass transponder when it's located near the Parktronic sensors. Mounting it behind the lower plastic grill may have the same effect. My car is a wagon, which is not available with front or rear Parktronic in the US for some strange reason, so that won't be an issue. Try it there and let us know.

Kar don

Oggie, the parktronic wasn't picking up the frequency being given off by the EZ-pass but rather the fact that the EZ-pass sticks out too far and the parktronic "sees" it.

Also why are you so against the glass mount? I used to put mine behind the rear view mirror on the passengers side so I couldn't see it while driving.

Long Islander

Oh, then you should be okay with mounting it behind the plastic grill. I'm not crazy about the mirror location either because you can still see it from outside the car (I suppose I could paint it black and stick it there). I have enough stickers on the windshield as it is, so I'm looking to clean up that space. I removed my white "Mercedes" sticker recently as well.

Long Islander

Well, I did that. I got an exterior (black) EZ Pass transponder and tied it with zip ties to the back of the small lower plastic grill in the front bumper, with the front of the transponder facing forward, the way it would be if it were mounted on top of the front license plate. The first toll booth I got to, did NOT read my EZ Pass. Luckily, I had the small white transponder inside the glove compartment, and I took that out, waved it at the reader and got through.

It seems the lower grill is too low and/or too recessed for the transponder to be readable. Now, I'm back to using the white interior transponder mounted at the top of the windshield.

Oxygen

Glad somebody brought this up...

My car suffers from the 'no-front-plate' syndrome so the license plate mount EZ-Pass won't cut it. It also does not work through the windows so you have to stick it out the sunroof every time you hit one of the toll booths.

My idea was to mount it on the DISTRONIC brackets right behind the grill.

I have not been through a toll booth yet so I don't know if it works or not.. but I will let you know soon!

Here it is:

Oxygen

P.S. Oggie - I see you're from Long Island?

How come you've never come out to any of our meets and gatherings and BBQ's and hang outs and tune outs and what not?

Long Islander

Good thinking. That was my second choice for a hidden mounting location. I have a feeling that the chrome on the grill will cause the EZ Pass transponder not to be read in that location. But, please let us know if it works the next time you go through a toll booth.

Long Islander

I hadn't heard about these. Please post on this board the next time there's a meet.

Barry45RPM

Where & when & how often?

Oxygen

Well there have been many, many events this past summer all around the area, I try to attend as many as possible.

But, before the weather turns too cold, you guys have to come to the weekly Thursday Night Meets at the Best Buy in Westbury.

See this thread for all the details:
https://mbworld.org/forums/events-gatherings/263412-westbury-best-buy-thursday-nights-long-island.html

Let me know if you guys want to come out tomorrow... I always bring our mobile STAR DIAG unit with me.

rob13572468

try the induction cowl on the top of the hood (and on the right side) i have mounted the i-pass that we have here in IL and it works from that location. grill mounting works as well but you have to mount the pass literally directly behind the grille.

Kar don

If there is any Metal surface between the EZPass and the line of sight of the Toll Booth sensors it will not work. It looks like the Distronic location maybe too far underneath the hood to work correctly. Like Midcity said it would have to be right on the grill basically so the Hood would not be in the line of sight. Shoot, sometimes it doesn't even pick up the windshield mounted EZpass.