[vartakavi]

Desperately looking for a solution to fix FASTAG on my Innova's windshield which has VKOOL sunfilm.

My Innova 2011 model has VKOOL film on the front windshield. When I removed the Sunfilm from the car's windows, I left it on the windshield because it really made a difference in reducing heat when driving into the Sun on highways. Moreover, it had a very light tint and cops never looked at it. Over the years, I forgot that this film was fixed.

Two years ago, I bought a FASTAG from ICICI Bank and fixed it in the middle of the windshield, just behind the rear view mirror - obviously, I ended up fixing it over the Sunfilm, without realising it.

To my consternation, I found that nine out of ten times, my FASTAG would not be read and I ended up backing out of the FASTAG lane and going into the cash lane. Instead of speeding up, the FASTAG inevitably slowed me down at toll booths. I got so fed up that I stopped going into the FASTAG lane and always paid cash. I thought my FASTAG was faulty perhaps because I bought one before the technology stabilised.

Now, with FASTAG becoming mandatory and the queues at Cash Lanes getting longer in almost all toll booths, I decided to get my FASTAG replaced. After two months of follow up and multiple calls to ICICI FASTAG helpline, I finally got a replacement tag and my balance was transferred to the new tag.

Before removing my old tag and fixing the new one, I thought may be I fixed my old FASTAG in a wrong location so started looking up the Team-BHP forum for any advice on where to fix the TAG for best readability.

I happened to read a post where a member said that his friend has been having a problem getting his FASTAG read after he fixed it over the VKOOL film, because it is a metallic film that interferes with RFID signals. I then realised that my be my old FASTAG was OK, and it is not being read because I fixed it behind the VKOOL film without realising it.

I am in a dilemma - I travel regularly on highways and need a working FASTAG. At the same time, I do not want to remove the VKOOL film from my windscreen.

I am not sure I can stick the FASTAG on the outer surface of the windshield - it might read then, but it might get damaged by rain or the wiper. One solution is to peel off a portion of the sunfilm and stick the FASTAG in that area. I am worried that cutting the sunfilm in the middle of the windshield may result in the film starting to peel off. Removing the sunfilm in a small area to the left corner of the windshield may be a better solution, but then will the FASTAG read if it is fixed in a corner of the windshield and not in the centre? Thankful for any suggestions from members on how best to go about making my FASTAG work.

[inder]

Originally Posted by vartakavi

Desperately looking for a solution to fix FASTAG on my Innova's windshield which has VKOOL sunfilm.

.

When I read your post, I thought I was reliving my Fastag experience. Only characters changed are Garware Metallic film and XUV 500
I did cut the film near the drivers corner at the top and paste the Fastag. It does work. I however could not get a replacement tag even after 2 months,hence ordered the new one from Amazon. I then cancelled my ICICI tag and got refund of deposit and tag balance in 10 days.

[self_driven]

Originally Posted by vartakavi

..will the FASTAG read if it is fixed in a corner of the windshield and not in the centre?

Remove a small area of the film and fix the tag. If you're not confident, get the film cut by an experienced installer.

Position of the tag is not an issue. Mine is fixed near the left corner and works absolutely fine.

[msdivy]

I have 3M CR70 on the windshield. I pasted the ICICI fastag on to a clear plastic sheet and then stuck the plastic to the windshield using cellophane tape. The position is behind IRVM. No sunfilm was cut. There was no problem reading the fastag anywhere. Does brand of sunfilm affects the reading? I am not sure.

[PRND1.5L]

Originally Posted by msdivy

I have 3M CR70 on the windshield. I pasted the ICICI fastag on to a clear plastic sheet and then stuck the plastic to the windshield using cellophane tape. The position is behind IRVM. No sunfilm was cut. There was no problem reading the fastag anywhere. Does brand of sunfilm affects the reading? I am not sure.

I bought this after reading your comment and it works like a charm.
https://www.amazon.in/Parikshit-Subl...ing::Cheering:

[self_driven]

There's a 3M film on my car's front windshield. Unfortunately I didn't realise it as I got the car used. I fixed the tag and removed it shortly after when it wasn't detected by scanners. Thankfully there was no damage to the film apart from some leftover residue.

Now I have ordered a replacement tag. I am planning to stick it on the sunroof glass. Has anyone tried this before?

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by self_driven

Now I have ordered a replacement tag. I am planning to stick it on the sunroof glass. Has anyone tried this before?

This is an interesting way out. Should work, since like windshield, it will be a sensor facing side at toll booth. Only issue I can think of is, when at instances if the reader fails and the operator tries to scan manually, you may have trouble with ease of access.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by self_driven

Now I have ordered a replacement tag. I am planning to stick it on the sunroof glass. Has anyone tried this before?

Some of the Range Rovers that I have seen have fast tags on the sun roof. Here's one on the Defender.

[condor]

Sunfilms are being applied to the sunroof also. So the situation is still the same.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by condor

Sunfilms are being applied to the sunroof also. So the situation is still the same.

True. Is there any issue with 3M sun films - interface of the metallic elements in the film?

If so, OP can opt for another brand for the sun roof. I have Saint Gobain on the windshield. The fast tag is stuck on the film - no cut out section for the tag. I had recently replaced the tag as well.

[condor]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

True. Is there any issue with 3M sun films - interface of the metallic elements in the film?.

Old discussion elsewhere on TBHP about metallic elements in the 3M sun-film that interferes with the Fastag operation.

I continue to be with Garware, and will be getting sunfilm again soon for our cars. Not the IceShield that has been around, but Supreme series which is the newer one. Will check if this will work, else will cut a part of the film to get it going.

*
Btw, if the new Fastag system comes in, then the issue being discussed in this thread will be then be a non-issue.

[pedrolourenco]

I have pasted my Fastag over the sunfilm. Only issue is the car (Nexon EV) has never been driven out of Goa and is not likely to be driven outside. So no clue if the Fastag is working.

[jaysheth]

Originally Posted by vartakavi

One solution is to peel off a portion of the sunfilm and stick the FASTAG in that area. I am worried that cutting the sunfilm in the middle of the windshield may result in the film starting to peel off. Removing the sunfilm in a small area to the left corner of the windshield may be a better solution, but then will the FASTAG read if it is fixed in a corner of the windshield and not in the centre? Thankful for any suggestions from members on how best to go about making my FASTAG work.

In my former car, I had taken a blade and had carefully cut (peeled off) a rectangle piece of the sunfilm just above the rear view mirror. To minimize the chances of rest of the film peeling off, just ensured there is enough sunfilm left around the rectangle. I then stuck the fasttag inside that rectangle and it worked perfectly well. The sunfilm never peeled off either.
In my current car, I have not installed any sunfilm.

[Mortis]

Will the sunfilm work if it's pasted onto the sun visor, facing the correct way when the visor is flipped down ? Will the tag still be scanned if the visor is folded up ?
Im facing a unique problem that I am trying to solve. My wife travels a lot for work so that means multiple trips to the airport for pickup and drops. Currently Mumbai airport uses a Fastag system for parking charges and I have found that around 25% of the time I get overcharged either for premium parking or longer duration and I have been unable to get this corrected and am wary of raising too much of a stink in a security sensitive area like the airport or get shunted from one side to the other (and racking up even more parking charges in the process).
Apparently I can still pay in cash but I need to be fast and hit the ticket button at speeds that the Flash would find impossible because the tag gets scanned immediately when I enter the area.
Maintaining zero balance might not always be possible and I would probably get a penalty if the balance drops below zero, hence my solution of pasting the tag on the sun visor so that I can choose when the tag can be scanned

[self_driven]

Originally Posted by Mortis

Maintaining zero balance might not always be possible and I would probably get a penalty if the balance drops below zero, hence my solution of pasting the tag on the sun visor so that I can choose when the tag can be scanned

This won't solve your purpose. My earlier cars had no film on the windscreen. I used to keep the tag in armrest storage compartment covered nicely in aluminium foil. Toll scanners didn't detect it. When required, I simply unwrapped and kept the tag on the dashboard.

But now it seems the government had made if mandatory to stick the tag on the windshield. This is what I've been told by multiple toll workers in the last few months.