What to Do If the ETC Falls Off?
2 Answers
ETC needs to be reinstalled and reactivated after falling off. The installation process for the ETC device is as follows: Upon receiving the device, first check if the ETC card and the electronic tag (OBU) are damaged. Press the anti-tamper button on the back of the OBU; the red light will briefly illuminate, and the OLED screen will display "Tag Invalid" or "Please Insert Card," indicating the device is functioning normally. Clean the windshield to ensure the surface is smooth, clean, and dry. Then, peel off the adhesive backing of the OBU and attach it to the installation position. Press firmly for 2-3 minutes to eliminate air bubbles. Insert the ETC card with the front side facing the driver and the back side facing the windshield, ensuring the chip is inserted into the OBU device. Method to activate the ETC device: Insert and remove the ETC card twice consecutively until the electronic tag screen displays "Bluetooth On." If "Tag Invalid" appears when inserting and removing the card twice without attaching the electronic tag, this is normal and does not affect activation. Alternatively, press the button on the top of the electronic tag to enable Bluetooth directly. Turn on the Bluetooth on your phone and open the corresponding mobile app (usually, a download QR code is provided on the electronic tag). Navigate to the device activation interface. Click "Connect Device" and wait patiently for the "Connection Successful" prompt. Once connected, upload a photo of the vehicle's front to complete activation.
Last time I was driving on the highway, the ETC device suddenly fell at my feet, which gave me a scare. I quickly pulled over to pick it up. Upon closer inspection, the casing wasn’t cracked, and the card inside the slot hadn’t fallen out—it was likely due to the adhesive aging and loosening. I found a clean tissue to wipe off the original spot on the windshield, removing any water stains and dust, then pressed it back firmly into place. I tested it by passing through a toll station after driving for a while, and only felt relieved when the green light lit up. I recommend checking the adhesive tape regularly in both hot and cold weather to ensure it’s secure. If it’s aged, replace it with 3M double-sided tape as a precaution. If it falls off again, don’t panic—most of the time, just reattach it. Even if you have to manually pay on the highway, it’s not a big deal. Just pay more attention to the device’s position before driving to reduce accidents.
