Bluetooth headaches: key range, key not working

[Colorado Y]

I frequently have trouble with my phone key.

• The range is terrible. I can be standing right in front of the A pillar and it won't recognize me -- because I keep my phone in my back pocket. I have to turn around and practically bump my butt on the door to get it to see me. Is this normal / common? This is an old phone, Samsung Galaxy S8.
  
  
• Sometimes, not often, the phone key doesn't work. Last night I had Tnxgiving dinner at my son's house, and I woke up the heating system to warm up the car before going out to drive home. I walked out to the car and it didn't unlock for me, even if I pointed my butt at the door. I had to set down my dishes &etc and pull out my phone so I could unlock the door with the app. Even after I got into the car, it still didn't honor the phone key. I had to get out my keycard to start the car. Any idea what might cause that?

What uses cell connectivity (app controls?) and what uses Bluetooth? (phone key, music/phone/etc?)

 

[GtiMart]

I believe range is by design, otherwise many would be complaining that it's a security risk that you are in your house and someone can unlock the car outside for example. I'm sure it could work from much farther away but they chose not to.

You are right, sometimes it just doesn't work. The easiest fix is to toggle bluetooth, or toggle airplane mode if you prefer. Most of the times this is because the phone's operating system is aggressive in saving battery and suspending the application or disabling its communications. However, on Android 13 I've configured everything I can to keep the app running, let it use all the cpu it wants even in the background, that sort of thing, and it still happens sometimes. We can only hope that eventually the mobile app gets modified to call whatever new api is in Android 13 to let it use the comms. I think many people report similar issues on the latest iOS too...

 

[Colorado Y]

Sure, you wouldn't want the Bluetooth to be enabled from 100' away or whatever. But it would be nice if it would work from 5-10' ...

Hm, true, could be the OS saving battery. The app IS the biggest drain when I'm not using the screen. Well that's a drag, but toggling airplane mode is relatively painless. Though I still would have to dump all my Thanksgiving dishes to dig out the phone.

 

[gallde]

I have the same issue, Google Pixel 5 keeps losing touch with my '20 Model Y, so it won't unlock. I toggle BT OFF/ON and it works again - until the next day or so. Seems it only started happening in the last year. If anyone solves this, please let me know.

 

[ledge01]

I've often seen this related to the OS using power saving features, make sure you go into the Tesla application settings and if it has restricted / optimized / etc power saving enabled to switch them off.

According to this survey it seems people have different experiences but it isn't clear what the differences are exactly: How Far Away Does Your Phone Key Work to Unlock ?

 

[Geech72]

I frequently have trouble with my phone key.

• The range is terrible. I can be standing right in front of the A pillar and it won't recognize me -- because I keep my phone in my back pocket. I have to turn around and practically bump my butt on the door to get it to see me. Is this normal / common? This is an old phone, Samsung Galaxy S8.
  
  
• Sometimes, not often, the phone key doesn't work. Last night I had Tnxgiving dinner at my son's house, and I woke up the heating system to warm up the car before going out to drive home. I walked out to the car and it didn't unlock for me, even if I pointed my butt at the door. I had to set down my dishes &etc and pull out my phone so I could unlock the door with the app. Even after I got into the car, it still didn't honor the phone key. I had to get out my keycard to start the car. Any idea what might cause that?

What uses cell connectivity (app controls?) and what uses Bluetooth? (phone key, music/phone/etc?)

S8 wow! Does it use a rotary dialer? Just kidding I’m an electronics addict and buy a new phone every year so I can’t relate to having a phone that old.

I’m not sure your issue is range the phone key is supposed to work from about 50 feet away. Do you have the auto lock feature enabled that locks your vehicle after you exit and walk away? If so how far away are you when the horn beeps to let you know it’s locked; this will give some idea about how far away your phone will work as a key.

Like a previous poster said your issue might be with the android power saving features. I’m not sure how old the OS is on an S8, and if they’re still getting the current updates, but I’ve had intermittent issues with different version of the Android OS.

 

[Colorado Y]

Heh. No dialer, but I do have to ring Daisy-Lynn the operator to place calls for me...

No, it's not disabled or anything like that. It just doesn't work until it's very close to the B pillar. I'll walk up to the car, pull the door handle, nothing happens. Then, still holding the handle open, I turn around and aim my butt at the car -- poof, it wakes up & unlocks.

I'm generally 20-50' from the car when it beeps & locks, but isn't that a timeout thing, not a distance thing? I've never tested it.

The OS is Android 9, which is the latest supported release.