Anybody know what this gadget is?

[Bruce Page]

I bought a used car online that was delivered last week. It has a gadget that is attached with 2-sided tape to the inside upper left of the windshield. I’ve never seen anything like it. I think there’s a lot of toll roads in Indiana, where the car came from, I thought it might be some sort of toll booth sensor? :confused: Any ideas?

[Gary Ragatz]

I have a transponder for toll roads, and it sticks to the windshield with suction cups, but there is no other connection to the car. This looks like it might be some kind of antenna - maybe for satellite radio or a navigation system?

[Jim Becker]

If that's on the new ride, perhaps its an antenna for an anti-theft system or something?

[Kev Williams]

Cellphone extender/amplifier maybe?

[Patrick McCarthy]

? Maybe part of an alcohol interlock? Do the wires trace back to the ignition switch or module?

Odd to me is what appears to be the spring loaded trigger or plunger?

Ask the seller?

[Bill Dufour]

Looks like it is for a remote control that uses IR or visible light. Not sure if it goes in or comes out of the car. I have seen similar devices mounted in a cabinet so you can control the radio or tv with the cabinet doors closed.
It may just flash a red led to care off thieves. There may or may not be an alarm system tied to it.
It could even be a pinhole camera.
It looks like the nose is designed to go through a hole and the main body and cable are hidden behind.
Bill D

[Andrew Seemann]

My toll transponder is stand alone box a little larger than a deck of cards that attaches to the windshield by my mirror. It probably has some kind of RFID chip on it, no batteries or power cord. I think there is a smaller version; mine is set up so I can switch it on and off depending on whether I am alone or a carpool.

[Bruce Page]

Thanks, I've sent the dealer the pictures but haven't heard back from them yet. I am almost positive it is not a factory install, it is too sloppy. I have no idea where the other end of the wiring leads to.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Doubt it's a toll transponder (even a very old one) - requiring it to be hard-wired in like that would be crazy.

I bet it's a retrofit satellite radio antenna. The "spring" coil looks similar-sized to other satellite radio antennas, and having to put it on the windshield makes sense (need line-of-sight not obstructed by the metal roof).

[Roger Feeley]

Patrick, I assume you meant ‘spring loaded’. I don’t think that’s a spring. My first thought was a coiled antenna which means RF of some sort.

Do you have a car fax report or something that would tell you the previous owner?

[Bruce Page]

Mystery solved. It turns out that it is an aftermarket remote start. The car came with two start/stop fobs that I assumed were OEM. I don’t need a remote start and as anal as I am, I don’t want this thing stuck to the windshield. Can I just clip the wire and remove it?

[Lee Schierer]

Mystery solved. It turns out that it is an aftermarket remote start. The car came with two start/stop fobs that I assumed were OEM. I don’t need a remote start and as anal as I am, I don’t want this thing stuck to the windshield. Can I just clip the wire and remove it?

Probably, but cutting it might start the car.... ;) I would find the other end first and remove the receiver and the connections to the starter.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Lee. Get rid of the business end, at least electrically first, before you cleave that thang from the window view.

[Bruce Page]

Gone! I traced the wire to under the dash, pulled the connector, and pulled the wire out of the windshield trim. It was pretty easy. It was more trouble getting the adhesive glue off of the glass, Goof-Off to the rescue!