Exterior Lock Button

[Thunder7ga]

I know a lot of people have said both positive and negative things about the phone app and auto lock/unlock, and the key card. One feature on my current car that I use A LOT is a exterior button that I can push that will lock/unlock as long as the FOB is near the car. This would be a nice to have feature too on the M3 so you don't have to use the auto feature or pull out the app/card to press to unlock/lock. Now, if bluetooth is still acting up, it may not work perhaps.

 

[Zaphod]

Unfortunately would take a decent amount of re-engineering to add something like that so don't see that happening. S and X don't have that ability either, so don't see that changing anytime soon.

 

[jsmay311]

I'm accustomed to using the auto-lock feature on my current car, but it requires a reliable fob.

Assuming you had a reliable fob and could therefore rely on auto-lock working every time, is there any reason why someone would prefer manually hitting a lock button on the door instead of using auto-locking? (I guess there could be some worry about someone sneaking into your car in the few seconds after you exit when it's still unlocked, but that seems like a remote risk.)

 

[Thunder7ga]

I'm accustomed to using the auto-lock feature on my current car, but it requires a reliable fob.

Assuming you had a reliable fob and could therefore rely on auto-lock working every time, is there any reason why someone would prefer manually hitting a lock button on the door instead of using auto-locking? (I guess there could be some worry about someone sneaking into your car in the few seconds after you exit when it's still unlocked, but that seems like a remote risk.)

I don't like having to fish for the fob either...its not a big deal, but a convenience thing. I know this isn't likely as someone else said would require whole new hardware added to the car. No biggie, just liked the feature on my current car. Guess I'll see how the auto lock works, and if the location of where my phone lives at night (i.e. directly above the garage by like 10-12 feet) impacts that feature with it communicating constantly to car.

 

[RyanDe]

I would take a button the screen to lock once the doors shut, or something similar. I don't trust the auto lock as I've come back to my car unlocked before.

 

[Scrutmonkey]

The best thing to just put the black card into your wallet...I'm able to just put my wallet side against the door or cup holder area to use the M3 when the BT connection fails.

I haven't had an autolock failure yet. *knocks on wood*

I've only had it when, I supposed it's in deep sleep or a glitch prevents me from opening the car and then I got to the wallet key card method.

 

[SDKoala]

I know a lot of people have said both positive and negative things about the phone app and auto lock/unlock, and the key card. One feature on my current car that I use A LOT is a exterior button that I can push that will lock/unlock as long as the FOB is near the car. This would be a nice to have feature too on the M3 so you don't have to use the auto feature or pull out the app/card to press to unlock/lock. Now, if bluetooth is still acting up, it may not work perhaps.

My other car has the button, which I think is fine for opening the car. Auto-lock is the one key-related feature of the Model 3 that has not failed on me yet, to the point where I never look back at the car to see if the lights flash or the mirrors fold in anymore. What it's done is made be forget to press the button to lock my other car., which is super annoying.

 

[EV-lutioin]

I know a lot of people have said both positive and negative things about the phone app and auto lock/unlock, and the key card. One feature on my current car that I use A LOT is a exterior button that I can push that will lock/unlock as long as the FOB is near the car. This would be a nice to have feature too on the M3 so you don't have to use the auto feature or pull out the app/card to press to unlock/lock. Now, if bluetooth is still acting up, it may not work perhaps.

But doesn't it already lock if you walk away or if you are standing next to the car for more than ~ 60 seconds. Maybe it's a iPhone thing, but in 5 months I have never had to use the app or the card to lock my Model 3.

 

[TT97]

I don't like having to fish for the fob either...its not a big deal, but a convenience thing. I know this isn't likely as someone else said would require whole new hardware added to the car. No biggie, just liked the feature on my current car. Guess I'll see how the auto lock works, and if the location of where my phone lives at night (i.e. directly above the garage by like 10-12 feet) impacts that feature with it communicating constantly to car.

Our bedroom is directly above the garage and never have any issues, my car sleeps better than I do.

 

[lairdb]

Assuming you had a reliable fob and could therefore rely on auto-lock working every time, is there any reason why someone would prefer manually hitting a lock button on the door instead of using auto-locking? (I guess there could be some worry about someone sneaking into your car in the few seconds after you exit when it's still unlocked, but that seems like a remote risk.)

Remote but non-zero. Think of it this way: if I were required to testify under oath whether I'd left (for example) the organization-owned laptop in a locked car, I could answer:
- Yes, the car was locked when I left it.
...or:
- I have reasonable belief the car locked itself after I walked away from the unlocked car.

Which of those is a better answer?

Must do every time I leave the car? No. A reliable recipe needed occasionally? Yes.

That said: the wife "owns" our 3, so I haven't spent the time to be certain of the behaviour, but I believe I can hit the on-screen lock icon after opening the door, and the effect is to immediately lock the other doors and to be in the locked state once the driver door is closed. Someone needs to experiment to find the nuances, but there may be a path there.

(Personally, I'd also like to have an option to ONLY have the [driver's door/door-the-phone-is-nearest] unlock -- I don't like the current behaviour of the other doors unlocking automatically.)

 

[RyanDe]

So I didn't know about the lock icon, this works pretty well and I'll use that for now on. Basically, Park button, lock button, get out.

 

[lairdb]

So I didn't know about the lock icon, this works pretty well and I'll use that for now on. Basically, Park button, lock button, get out.

Park button, lock button, get out? Or is it park button, open door, lock button, get out? What is the state of the other doors after you open the driver's door? What happens if after exiting and closing, you then push a door handle or the trunk button?