Here's a photo of what EZ Pass sent me. The new one is on the left. The new one is the same size and shape as the old one.

 

Yes, contrary to what some have stated. Those are the newest version.

 

Before I mounted my new EZ Pass transponder in the blacked-out area of the windshield, I put it in a silicone "skin" that I bought from Amazon. I used a black Sharpie around the edges of the transponder and around the strips so that no white would show through. I also used the strips that EZ Pass supplied since reviewers complained about the transponder falling off when they used the black strips that came with the silicone skin. Now that the transponder is all black and it's mounted in a blacked-out area of the windshield, it's nearly invisible from the inside as well as the outside. See photos below.

EZ Pass transponder in silicone skin

EZ Pass transponder mounted on windshield after being enclosed in silicone skin

EZ Pass transponder before

 

So, mounting the transponder on the black area of the windshield does not inhibit the unit's operation? I always thought it had to be mounted on the clear area of the windshield.

 

Behind the black is fine. Read posts #2 and #8.

 

I thought so also. That's why I originally had mine mounted outside the blacked-out area -- until I realized that my transponder wasn't being read. That's how this whole thread started.

 

Strange. Two months ago I received a long slender transponder attached with suction cups and it was described by a family member as “the latest, you have to use this”.

Another family member recently opened a new account and received the trapezoidal transponder attached with adhesive/velcro as has been the case for 20 years in my experience.

Strange times in EZ-Pass land.

 

It may depend on individual state's EZ PASS administration. EZ PASS VA provisioned the trapezoidal units while EZ PASS PA provisioned the slender rectangular unit with suction cups as you described,

 

EZ-Pass transponder batteries have a finite life. I recently requested and received two free replacement transponders. I don't remember what the expected battery life is. It may be listed on the EZ-Pass site.

 

I remembered reading that the plate readers were so good that they were doing away with the tags completely, but I guess that isn't happening.

 

The area on my Cayenne's noise/thermal insulated windshield designed for toll tags and device mounting is less tinted than the rest of the windshield. Arrows in the attached photo point to the outer edge of this area. Is it not similar on the Macan? This area has an "L" inscribed that seemed ideal for lining up a toll tag so that is where I put the upper inside corner of my Kansas toll tag.


Noise/thermal insulated windshield area for devices and toll tags on the Cayenne


"L" mark inscribed on the Cayenne windshield which I used to line up my Kansas toll tag

 

If you look at my middle photo in post#18, the blacked-out area of the top of the windshield is where you're supposed the mount it when you have insulated glass. My owners' manual and the dealership were both useless when it came to informing me where to mount it. On my wife's Mercedes, which also has insulated glass, the manual is very clear as to where to mount a transponder.

 

It's odd that the Macan owners manual doesn't have this information. Both the Cayenne hard copy owners manual and owners manual in the My Porsche app on my Android phone have the same verbiage and graphic describing where to mount a toll tag. My toll tag works fine in the designated area of my insulated windshield but maybe that has something to do with Kansas starting to use toll tag readers only in the past year, i.e. the tag readers might be the latest technology. The Cayenne doesn't have an accessible blacked-out area at the top of its windshield. It would be nice to be able to hide the tag behind a blacked out area so that it couldn't be seen from outside.


Cayenne owners manual on where to mount toll devices

 

The manual for my 2022 Macan has the exact same info and it works for me.

 

My 2024 Macan S has the same information, which indicates that you mount the transponder OUTSIDE the blacked-out area, which is where I had it originally and it didn't work. If you read posts #2 and #8 they both say that you have to mount it in the blacked-out area, which is where I have it now. I haven't gone through any tolls since I got the new transponder and mounted it in the new location, so I don't know if it works in its new location.