Both Key Fobs Dead within 2-months of Ownership

[silverwolfe08]

So I picked up my X on 5 August. About a week and a half ago my key fob simply stopped working while we were out at dinner. I had driven the car to dinner with no issues, but when we got back to the car to drive home, the car would not respond in any way to the key fob. I was able to use the Tesla app to unlock the car & drive home. When I got home, I swapped batteries with my spare fob (which still worked perfectly) to see if it was a dead battery, but still no luck.

Since I live an hour away from a SC and had the spare fob, I wasn't in a hurry to get it fixed, or so I thought. Last night, I went into the garage to get the car ready for our night out and found that now the spare fob is not working. I did noticed the car will still detect the fob when holding it in that special spot next to the driver's door in order to unlock the car. It will also detect the fob when it's in the center console, which lets you drive.

When I contacted Tesla, they said that sometimes the fobs just need to be reprogrammed. I'm at a loss here because the fobs are still new and in near perfect condition. I guess I'll find out what Tesla says when I take the car in this week.

Anyone else have similar issues?

 

[VikH]

How old is your car? Is it an inventory vehicle? Did they say it may just be old batteries in the fob? See below for key fob battery replacement info. Regardless of issue, I would keep a few extra batteries lying around -

How to Replace the Tesla Key Fob Battery

 

[silverwolfe08]

How old is your car? Is it an inventory vehicle? Did they say it may just be old batteries in the fob? See below for key fob battery replacement info. Regardless of issue, I would keep a few extra batteries lying around -

How to Replace the Tesla Key Fob Battery

I really don't think it's a dead battery. My multi-meter shows both batteries at over 3V (i.e. very healthy) and in 1.5 months of driving, the car has never warned of a low fob battery. Like I said in the original post, I swapped the battery in from the good fob when the first fob died and it didn't help. Both batteries worked in the spare while neither worked in the dead one. Now both are dead :-( But you are correct, it was an inventory car produced at the end of May.

 

[Blissedout]

So I picked up my X on 5 August. About a week and a half ago my key fob simply stopped working while we were out at dinner. I had driven the car to dinner with no issues, but when we got back to the car to drive home, the car would not respond in any way to the key fob. I was able to use the Tesla app to unlock the car & drive home. When I got home, I swapped batteries with my spare fob (which still worked perfectly) to see if it was a dead battery, but still no luck.

Since I live an hour away from a SC and had the spare fob, I wasn't in a hurry to get it fixed, or so I thought. Last night, I went into the garage to get the car ready for our night out and found that now the spare fob is not working. I did noticed the car will still detect the fob when holding it in that special spot next to the driver's door in order to unlock the car. It will also detect the fob when it's in the center console, which lets you drive.

When I contacted Tesla, they said that sometimes the fobs just need to be reprogrammed. I'm at a loss here because the fobs are still new and in near perfect condition. I guess I'll find out what Tesla says when I take the car in this week.

Anyone else have similar issues?

I had a similar problem with one key fob. The battery kept dying. After changing the battery twice with the same problem, I insisted the SC replace the key fob, which they did. Now it is fine.

 

[RayW]

Similar thing happened to me a few weeks ago. Took my MS in for annual service, returned home, and discovered the wife's fob was dead.

After switching batteries to verify the fob is dead, and convincing the wife she can no longer drive the Tesla until fixed, I called the SC.... they are sending out a mobile tech to reprogram it next week.... unless I reschedule for a later date...

BTW, I've heard about putting a dead fob on the MS windshield to open the doors, but don't know the exact location. Where should it be placed?

 

[patrick40363]

So I picked up my X on 5 August. About a week and a half ago my key fob simply stopped working while we were out at dinner. I had driven the car to dinner with no issues, but when we got back to the car to drive home, the car would not respond in any way to the key fob. I was able to use the Tesla app to unlock the car & drive home. When I got home, I swapped batteries with my spare fob (which still worked perfectly) to see if it was a dead battery, but still no luck.

Since I live an hour away from a SC and had the spare fob, I wasn't in a hurry to get it fixed, or so I thought. Last night, I went into the garage to get the car ready for our night out and found that now the spare fob is not working. I did noticed the car will still detect the fob when holding it in that special spot next to the driver's door in order to unlock the car. It will also detect the fob when it's in the center console, which lets you drive.

When I contacted Tesla, they said that sometimes the fobs just need to be reprogrammed. I'm at a loss here because the fobs are still new and in near perfect condition. I guess I'll find out what Tesla says when I take the car in this week.

Anyone else have similar issues?

Make sure you keep the fobs out of the working range when not in use.

 

[silverwolfe08]

BTW, I've heard about putting a dead fob on the MS windshield to open the doors, but don't know the exact location. Where should it be placed?

It's on page 7 of the Model S Owner's Manual, but it's a different spot for the X.

https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/model_s_owners_manual_north_america_en_us.pdf

 

[polymathic]

One of my fobs' battery died after a couple of weeks on my first road trip. It got replaced while I was SuperCharging at a dealership. If I didn't have a phone to login and start the car, I would have been stuck! Since then, no issues. Could be a bad batch of batteries.

 

[Blissedout]

One of my fobs' battery died after a couple of weeks on my first road trip. It got replaced while I was SuperCharging at a dealership. If I didn't have a phone to login and start the car, I would have been stuck! Since then, no issues. Could be a bad batch of batteries.

See the manual on how to unlock the car and start the car with a dead key fob.

 

[FarmerDave]

One of my fobs' battery died after a couple of weeks on my first road trip. It got replaced while I was SuperCharging at a dealership. If I didn't have a phone to login and start the car, I would have been stuck! Since then, no issues. Could be a bad batch of batteries.

I'm starting to see a connection here between new key fob failures and the current shortage of key fobs for new car deliveries Shortage of keys?

Maybe the vendor produced a bad batch of fobs?

 

[nativewolf]

I'm starting to see a connection here between new key fob failures and the current shortage of key fobs for new car deliveries Shortage of keys?

Maybe the vendor produced a bad batch of fobs?

Continental AG was the maker, German parts/tire company.

 

[silverwolfe08]

FYI - Tesla replaced both fobs for me yesterday, so all is good now.

 

[nativewolf]

FYI - Tesla replaced both fobs for me yesterday, so all is good now.

Yep, I guess Conti is having build issues. Interesting. Wonder if Tesla moves more of that part of the supply chain back in house over time?

 

[Xhning]

Both of my key fobs dead last week. SC tech says they need a new key controller module. Waiting for the part now...

 

[SocalT3sla]

This is some known issue that Tesla doesn't like to talk about. I took mine in for service and they replaced both Fobs.
It apparently affects even newer cars that have been released in late 2017, early 2018..I received delivery of mine the day after Christmas 2/26/17.

 

[hill]

Besides replacing our defective passenger side view mirror soon, we have a mobile appointment set up to swap hoth fobs out. The X continues to "not see" them - regardless of changing out batteries.
.

 

[InTeRnEt_RyAn]

Both key fobs are dead and my car is stranded. Since i haven’t received the title, bought used 12/20 Tesla won’t help. How do you schedule mobile service?
I emailed Tesla and the dealer and no reply. Pretty disappointed in response time. I worked in the auto biz for twenties years and heads would roll with such pathetic reply times.