Why is the ETC light not on?
2 Answers
The reason why the ETC working light is not on may be due to ETC device damage or insufficient power. The ETC device relies on solar charging. You can park the vehicle in a sunny place for a while, reinsert the card once, and check whether the device display can function normally. If there is still no response, please go to a service outlet for troubleshooting, repair, or replacement. More details are as follows: 1. As for how to test ETC sensing, since general users do not have specialized signal testing equipment, it is difficult to do so. The simplest ETC signal testing method is to drive the vehicle into the ETC lane at a speed of less than 20km/h. If the sensing distance is 8-10 meters, it indicates good signal. 2. As for how to test ETC with a mobile phone, in fact, mobile phones with NFC function have ETC card reading function and can also be used for ETC card recharge, but generally cannot test ETC device signals.
Last time the ETC light on my car didn't light up, and I was totally confused, thinking the device was broken. Turns out the common reason is a dead battery, especially in summer when the car interior gets hot and drains the battery faster. There's a small compartment cover at the bottom of the device—just open it and replace with a new battery (usually CR2032 model, costs less than 10 yuan at supermarkets). If the light still stays off, the contact points might be dirty—gently wipe the card slot and metal contacts with a soft cloth. Sometimes the device gets loose from vibration when mounted on the windshield, so make sure it's secured properly. To save power, turn off the device when parked. If DIY fixes don't work, don't force it—just visit an ETC service center for quick and safe inspection to avoid expressway access issues. Always insert the card firmly to prevent such minor problems.
