Car recognizing key fob delay

[LN1_Casey]

So I just took delivery of my 2021 Model S in December. I use sentry mode when I am not at home. Whenever I approach the car it seems to take longer than it should to recognize my key fob. I have filled my USB drive once already with all the "sentry alerts" of myself approaching the car. After I'm next to the car, it generally takes anywhere from a few to a dozen or two seconds for the car to turn off sentry mode and let me in, as well, even as I poke at the door handles to present.

Is this delay normal? Or is the key fob battery dying and needs replacement? Is this because of Sentry mode?

 

[DerbyDave]

If you have a USB Drive, not USB memory, and it is placed in the tray next to the USB ports, this is where the receiver for the key fob is located. It may be just blocking signal strength or RF interferring with the key fob receiver. Try moving the USB drive away from the tray, or at least uplug it for a test to see if that is the issue.

 

[LN1_Casey]

If you have a USB Drive, not USB memory, and it is placed in the tray next to the USB ports, this is where the receiver for the key fob is located. It may be just blocking signal strength or RF interferring with the key fob receiver. Try moving the USB drive away from the tray, or at least uplug it for a test to see if that is the issue.

I am not a tech person; I said USB drive, but I just know it's a flash drive SD chip in a mini thumb drive. Is that a USB memory? IDK. It's not one of the big ones, so I don't think it could interfere physically.

 

[DerbyDave]

Nevermind what I was saying. You should be OK. I doubt the things I mentioned are an issue.

 

[Cripps]

My 2018 S100D is occasionally slow to recognize my approach but not in the 10-20 second range you experienced.

I don’t think sentry mode makes a difference. It is all about the key being detected. The antenna is somewhere near the driver door so if you approach from then back of the car it might just be slower.

Try either opening the trunk manually to wake up the car (with key in hand) or double press the fob to lock/unlock it.

 

[BPeter]

This isn't a normal delay but my car has been doing this for about a month now. I wonder if it was the rushed December update that caused some issue.

Try shaking your fob and seeing if that gets the car to immediately sense it. It seems like there is an accelerometer in there that gets the fob to transmit more. I'm not sure on how it works exactly but shaking it works for me. I'm also getting "key not in car" messages and shaking the fob makes them go away.

I have tried replacing the fob battery and have tried my other fob and get the same issue, so I do think it's something in the car causing it.

 

[drklain]

If you have a USB Drive, not USB memory, and it is placed in the tray next to the USB ports, this is where the receiver for the key fob is located. It may be just blocking signal strength or RF interferring with the key fob receiver. Try moving the USB drive away from the tray, or at least uplug it for a test to see if that is the issue.

Unless there has been a substantial redesign of the Model S since my 2017 model, this doesn't make any sense. There are antennas to detect the key fob located at the rear of the car, back left quarter (near the charge port), and both side view mirrors. Having something sitting in the center console will have no impact on the car's ability to detect a key fob as someone walks up to the car.

For @LN1_Casey, this is often a sign of a degrading key fob battery (as the battery level gets lower, the fob transmitter is putting out less power making it harder for the car to detect the passive transmission. Once you press the "unlock" button on the fob, a stronger signal is transmitted and the car detects it and unlocks. While the car is new to you as of December, often the batteries were installed in the key fob much earlier (especially in the case of a car shipped overseas where the car was likely built months before you received it). Replacing the battery is a cheap test...its a standard car fob battery and you can replace it yourself. I'd recommend doing that first.

It is possible that your car is going into a sleep mode. There is a deep sleep mode where the car doesn't even wake up with the app (I travel a lot and my car spends a lot of time parked at the airport...have had times when I returned after a 2 week trip and the only way to get the car to wake was to press the key fob unlock button in the vicinity of the car). It is unlikely that is your problem, but a way to test it is to see if you can connect to the car via the app when it doesn't respond to you walking up with the fob. If the app doesn't connect either, that is the sign that the car is at some level of "sleep"...

All that said, I'd try the battery first. If that doesn't work and you can reliably duplicate the symptom, put in a service call for Tesla to look at it as a warranty claim. The key is RELIABLY duplicate the symptom. It is possible that the antenna connection to the driver side mirror was not fully plugged in or something. You might also see if the car unlocks/responds if you walk up to the passenger door or to the trunk...

Good luck, enjoy your new car and let us know how it goes!

 

[LN1_Casey]

Unless there has been a substantial redesign of the Model S since my 2017 model, this doesn't make any sense. There are antennas to detect the key fob located at the rear of the car, back left quarter (near the charge port), and both side view mirrors. Having something sitting in the center console will have no impact on the car's ability to detect a key fob as someone walks up to the car.

For @LN1_Casey, this is often a sign of a degrading key fob battery (as the battery level gets lower, the fob transmitter is putting out less power making it harder for the car to detect the passive transmission. Once you press the "unlock" button on the fob, a stronger signal is transmitted and the car detects it and unlocks. While the car is new to you as of December, often the batteries were installed in the key fob much earlier (especially in the case of a car shipped overseas where the car was likely built months before you received it). Replacing the battery is a cheap test...its a standard car fob battery and you can replace it yourself. I'd recommend doing that first.

It is possible that your car is going into a sleep mode. There is a deep sleep mode where the car doesn't even wake up with the app (I travel a lot and my car spends a lot of time parked at the airport...have had times when I returned after a 2 week trip and the only way to get the car to wake was to press the key fob unlock button in the vicinity of the car). It is unlikely that is your problem, but a way to test it is to see if you can connect to the car via the app when it doesn't respond to you walking up with the fob. If the app doesn't connect either, that is the sign that the car is at some level of "sleep"...

All that said, I'd try the battery first. If that doesn't work and you can reliably duplicate the symptom, put in a service call for Tesla to look at it as a warranty claim. The key is RELIABLY duplicate the symptom. It is possible that the antenna connection to the driver side mirror was not fully plugged in or something. You might also see if the car unlocks/responds if you walk up to the passenger door or to the trunk...

Good luck, enjoy your new car and let us know how it goes!

Thank you for the info, I'll try this today.

Same as @BPeter 's shaking idea. Maybe the battery is just loose in the little fob, or maybe they used an older battery when installing it.

 

[BPeter]

Thank you for the info, I'll try this today.

Same as @BPeter 's shaking idea. Maybe the battery is just loose in the little fob, or maybe they used an older battery when installing it.

Just a clarification, shaking my fob isn't about getting a loose battery to work. It just seems like it causes the fob to transmit more often or stronger, triggering an unlock.

This issue started at the same time for both of my fobs, and I replaced the battery in one of them with a brand new battery and that didn't fix the issue. Something else is going on. Either both my fobs have started to fail in the same way at the same time or something in the car has changed (or started to fail).

 

[IChillinz]

I’m going to resurrect this thread. I’ve still been battling this issue with my 2020 S performance since I bought it few months ago from Tesla used. My research shows (if I’m accurate) they did a software update for key fobs for better security to prevent theft which is understandable but a side effect is made the key much less responsive and delayed and literally a pain to use.

Yes it always works but you have to have it out of your pocket or have it right next to door and hold it for seconds waiting to get into your car. The auto approach does work but the delay makes it laughable to not really even be auto approach.

So yes the added security is great but the lack of functionality is not a fix. It makes it worse. Fix it right by upgrading the car to work without the fob or get the fob to work as it was originally designed.

I never had this issue with my 3 with just using phone app and I am actually regretting getting this model now. I’ve tried service twice and get no real solution except it works as expected. Very frustrated

Anyone else get a resolution or just been dealing with it as well.

 

[DerbyDave]

Have you tried using the other fob to see if it does the same thing? Also, have you replaced the battery? The software and key fob update was in 2019, so your vehicle came with any changes. I have not experienced any issues with my 2020 S I purchased new in 6/2020. You might want to try to update the bad key fob using the Owner's Manual instructions just in case your key fob has gotten corrupted.

 

[IChillinz]

I have two fobs. Replaced batteries. They gave me a new fob. All same thing.

So you have auto approach on your 2020 S and works no problems without delays?

Also when sitting in car with in pocket it doesn’t say no key in car? Sometimes I get that too. Have to take it put of pocket and put it in center. This weekend I had it in center pocket area and had same message and had to move it around to detect so car would “start”

 

[DerbyDave]

I very rarely have an issue with the car not unlocking before I touch the handle, usually it is an indication for a fresh battery on mine. The Key FOB Not Detected was an issue I had while driving the car, and Tesla is aware that if you have certain cell phones, particularly Samsung, charging in the wireless charger, this can cause the error. Evidently a sensor antenna is in the console where you place the FOB to update it. This area must be sensitive to interference, so certain electrical and USB devices one may put in the center console could impair the key being sensed. I think the approach antenna sensing the FOB approach is in a different area (side pillars?). Maybe this antenna is being blocked or not functioning properly.

 

[KalJoMoS]

My research shows (if I’m accurate) they did a software update for key fobs for better security to prevent theft which is understandable but a side effect is made the key much less responsive and delayed and literally a pain to use.

Yes it always works but you have to have it out of your pocket or have it right next to door and hold it for seconds waiting to get into your car. The auto approach does work but the delay makes it laughable to not really even be auto approach.

I must say I did asked to change out my fobs for these better security statements (payed to get them exchanged) back then when the news was released. I have now the opposite, I have to especially “hide my fob” to not get that much of a detection just walking by the car in my driveway. I usually hold the fob next to a phone so the car will not eventually get detected. Even a faraday pouch does not give expected result, so is there in your case a phone been involved?

 

[IChillinz]

I usually have fob in lower right zipper pocket in my jeans. And phone is in left pocket.

I will say sometimes I have AirPods in right pocket so fairly close to fob. But not all the time.