Android users: phone-as-key FIX

[SOULPEDL]

I have an older Samsung S5 running Version 5 Android (Lollipop), so those options aren't avail. Read on if you want to know how I fixed mine (I hope/think). Post Update... still testing, I think I need to enable Location Services as well (battery drain) to allow it to work at home all the time... I'll update this when I know I've got it right. Post-post update - I'm going to Service. Now it doesn't stay connected unless I go into Bluetooth settings and re-connect every time. I think I'm close (believe it or not) and stuff below may still apply.

I did a Google search on "Using Trusted Devices to Unlock Your Phone". When you dig in you'll find that you need to set up Smart Lock but I couldn't find anything to set Tesla device as "Trusted." That's because I was only requiring "Swipe" to unlock my phone, so security wouldn't allow Google Smart Lock.

When I applied a pattern to unlock my screen, then went to Settings - Security - Smart Lock (FYI, same screen - Trusted Agents is where you turn it on Smart Lock), then it will ask for your swipe pattern (or code I assume if that's how you set your phone security). Then press Trusted Devices. I found Tesla listed already, but there's an option to add a device. So far so good, phone still in pocket and my M3 unlocks just fine.

FYI, Tesla did tell me to set this months ago, but they had no idea how (and neither did I because it wasn't available without first enabling Smart Lock). I plan to update Tesla Service now - this is too important to not understand!!! Someone buy them a few versions of Android and include it in their testing - please! They could avoid having to create Key FOBs as once tweeted by Elon.

I'm on the right track... after removing the phone association in the car and reinstalling the app (as required to re-establish the link). Not sure why it hosed up, but I followed the same things above, got to that good point and it works again. Car opening at home, never having to pull it out of my pocket.

Hope this helps someone out there... Basically, the problem was that I was using a swipe only to unlock my phone.

 

[Solarman004]

I'm hoping someone out in forum land has another suggestion. My "phone as key" has not stayed connected one time since picking up the car 2 days ago. I'm thinking either phone upgrade, use key-card only, or wait for FOB are my only solutions, but I thought I would ask here first for any sage advice.
Symptoms: Every time I walk out of Bluetooth range, then return, my phone as key is disconnected and I have to either reset BT or turn on, then off, Airplane Mode on the phone to get the connection again. This is occurring 100% of the time. Once I reset, the phone will stay connected the entire time I am within BT range.

Car: Software version 2018.36.2
Phone: Droid Turbo with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
Tesla App: Ver 3.6.0-352 (Just updated on 29 Sep 2018)

What I've tried so far on the phone: Based on this, and other threads, I've...
1. Turned on all permissions for the Tesla app.
2. Under battery optimization, set the Tesla app as "Not Optimized"
3. Changed "swipe to unlock" to "enter PIN to unlock." Under Settings>Security>Smart Lock, listed Tesla Model 3 as a "Trusted Device"
4. Under Settings>Apps>"Can modify system settings", I set the Tesla app to "yes"
5. Did a thumbwheel reset of the car and signed out of the Tesla app then signed back in

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

 

[Need]

I'm hoping someone out in forum land has another suggestion. My "phone as key" has not stayed connected one time since picking up the car 2 days ago. I'm thinking either phone upgrade or wait for FOB are my only solutions, but I thought I would ask here first for any sage advice.
Symptoms: Every time I walk out of Bluetooth range, then return, my phone as key is disconnected and I have to either reset BT or turn on, then off, Airplane Mode on the phone to get the connection again. This is occurring 100% of the time. Once I reset, the phone will stay connected the entire time I am within BT range.

Car: Software version 2018.36.2
Phone: Droid Turbo with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
Tesla App: Ver 3.6.0-352 (Just updated on 29 Sep 2018)

What I've tried so far on the phone: Based on this, and other threads, I've...
1. Turned on all permissions for the Tesla app.
2. Under battery optimization, set the Tesla app as "Not Optimized"
3. Changed "swipe to unlock" to "enter PIN to unlock." Under Settings>Security>Smart Lock, listed Tesla Model 3 as a "Trusted Device"
4. Under Settings>Apps>"Can modify system settings", I set the Tesla app to "yes"
5. Did a thumbwheel reset of the car and signed out of the Tesla app then signed back in

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Someone else posted this on another thread to help with my phone. So far it seems to be working. You may want to try it to see if it helps you.

On top of setting Tesla app to "Not Optimized", also set the following apps to "Not Optimized"
Google Play Services
Google Services Framework
Motorola Sensor ... something (forgot the exact name but I don't have it since I have a LG phone. Look like you have a Verizon Droid which is Motorola?)

 

[Solarman004]

Someone else posted this on another thread to help with my phone. So far it seems to be working. You may want to try it to see if it helps you.

On top of setting Tesla app to "Not Optimized", also set the following apps to "Not Optimized"
Google Play Services
Google Services Framework
Motorola Sensor ... something (forgot the exact name but I don't have it since I have a LG phone. Look like you have a Verizon Droid which is Motorola?)

@Need thank you! I will give these a try. Yes, the Droid Turbo is from Motorola and on the Verizon network.

 

[Trips]

@Need thank you! I will give these a try. Yes, the Droid Turbo is from Motorola and on the Verizon network.

@Solarman004 I have the same phone and it works about 5% of the time and the unlock has never worked. I will try Needs additional Not Optimized and see if that helps. I have been trying for two weeks now.

 

[SOULPEDL]

You need to make Tesla a Trusted BT device. On my Android it's in Security, at bottom, Smartlock (enable it), then add as a trusted device. I think you must have a pattern or some level of security to unlock the phone or Smartlock won't work. Then you can also set Trusted Places and On-body detection (same screen as trusted devices).

Mine was working, now it's not unless it feels like it. Good luck!

 

[WhiteMountains]

I was having a lot of problems with the phone-as-key not working (Samsung Galaxy S9). I finally managed to get the "not optimized" option set and also, I have left the app always running on my phone. Since then it very rarely has an issue and those times I can just bring up the app and wait for it to say that it is connected and the doors open fine. I haven't had to use the card in many weeks.

 

[BOBTHEJOCKEY]

You need to make Tesla a Trusted BT device. On my Android it's in Security, at bottom, Smartlock (enable it), then add as a trusted device. I think you must have a pattern or some level of security to unlock the phone or Smartlock won't work. Then you can also set Trusted Places and On-body detection (same screen as trusted devices).

Mine was working, now it's not unless it feels like it. Good luck!

What's BT? I guess I am stupid but I spend way to much time on trying to figure out acronyms. DOWN WITH ACRONYMS. It doesn't make you look any smarter when you use them and you waste peoples time trying to figure out what you are saying. Acronym hatters unite. Maybe I am the only one that can't stand them. BBFN Ha now figure out what I just said.

 

[McFlurri]

What's BT? I guess I am stupid but I spend way to much time on trying to figure out acronyms. DOWN WITH ACRONYMS. It doesn't make you look any smarter when you use them and you waste peoples time trying to figure out what you are saying. Acronym hatters unite. Maybe I am the only one that can't stand them. BBFN Ha now figure out what I just said.

bluetooth

 

[Solarman004]

I'm hoping someone out in forum land has another suggestion. My "phone as key" has not stayed connected one time since picking up the car 2 days ago. I'm thinking either phone upgrade, use key-card only, or wait for FOB are my only solutions, but I thought I would ask here first for any sage advice.
Symptoms: Every time I walk out of Bluetooth range, then return, my phone as key is disconnected and I have to either reset BT or turn on, then off, Airplane Mode on the phone to get the connection again. This is occurring 100% of the time. Once I reset, the phone will stay connected the entire time I am within BT range.

Car: Software version 2018.36.2
Phone: Droid Turbo with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
Tesla App: Ver 3.6.0-352 (Just updated on 29 Sep 2018)

What I've tried so far on the phone: Based on this, and other threads, I've...
1. Turned on all permissions for the Tesla app.
2. Under battery optimization, set the Tesla app as "Not Optimized"
3. Changed "swipe to unlock" to "enter PIN to unlock." Under Settings>Security>Smart Lock, listed Tesla Model 3 as a "Trusted Device"
4. Under Settings>Apps>"Can modify system settings", I set the Tesla app to "yes"
5. Did a thumbwheel reset of the car and signed out of the Tesla app then signed back in

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

So in addition to all the above settings from my earlier post, I've added the recommendations from @Need :
- Under Battery Optimization, I set the following to "Not Optimized"
--Motorola Sensor Services
-- Google Services Framework
-- Google Play Services for Instant Apps
-- Google Play Services (this one is grayed out and permanently set to not optimized)

But, I had no luck. The phone will not automatically re-connect the Bluetooth key after I walk out of range and come back.
Thank you, though, to all that have posted suggestions. I'm running out of ideas and getting very close to just using the key card only.

 

[SDKoala]

So in addition to all the above settings from my earlier post, I've added the recommendations from @Need :
- Under Battery Optimization, I set the following to "Not Optimized"
--Motorola Sensor Services
-- Google Services Framework
-- Google Play Services for Instant Apps
-- Google Play Services (this one is grayed out and permanently set to not optimized)

But, I had no luck. The phone will not automatically re-connect the Bluetooth key after I walk out of range and come back.
Thank you, though, to all that have posted suggestions. I'm running out of ideas and getting very close to just using the key card only.

Make sure that any Bluetooth services are also not optimized too. Look through the whole list of things you can change optimization settings on, not just the apps. Short of that, consider that you're on a 4 year old phone running 3 major versions of Android behind. I hate being the one suggesting a new phone, but backward compatibility is probably not a high priority Tesla developers right now.