Got locked out of the car

[jzhan]

I can't be the only one to have this ever happen to... The key fob's signal is surprisingly weak. If I put the key fob in the pocket with my phone the car wouldn't recognize it. If I put the key in the center console and leave my phone in the same general area, the car will say the key is not in the car.
So last night, I got home and had the key chain with my key fob in my bag. I got out of the car to retrieve the bag on the passenger seat, and guess what... the car locked itself just as I was about to open the door. I had my laptop in the bag.
The car is parked in an underground garage so I had no cell signal. I had to try three different exits to get a reliable signal on my phone to unlock the car and run back to open the door. (I probably looked exceptionally stupid by propping the door open with my foot and extending my arm all the way out to get a signal). The car has better reception than my phone; it gets one bar in the garage (thank god).
Just for clarification, the key was just sitting on top of the laptop. Just having the key next to the laptop or the phone will cover the key fob's signal.
I never had this problem with Mercedes or BMW keys... I couldn't believe I was locked out of the car this day and age...

 

[Lloyd]

I might help to put a fresh battery in the key. I keep my key in my left pocket and put no keys phones etc along with the key in that pocket and it seems to work well.

 

[Max*]

Are you sure it locked? The handles retract when the doors are closed, did you try to push on them to get them to re-open?

 

[kort677]

you do not be next to the car to have the cell phone app unlock the door, find a place where you can receive a signal and open your door.

 

[Erandhawa]

As Max* said the car probably wasn't locked if the key was in the car. You just need to push the handle in. Now if the battery is so low that the car didn't recognize it in the car then it could have locked the car and as others have said it is probably time to replace the key battery.

 

[jfoxny]

I had a few packages of eye glass wipes (the small, square individually packaged) kind in the same pocket as the key the other day and it wouldn't open the door. So, I rearranged my pocket slightly and viola, it worked. While driving, however, the car told me the key was "no longer in the car" and the car would not restart once stopped. So, I pulled the key out of the pocket and all was well again. Does seem to be pretty weak (brand new car and brand new key). Lesson learned: don't put anything else in the key pocket.

 

[jzhan]

Are you sure it locked? The handles retract when the doors are closed, did you try to push on them to get them to re-open?

Definitely locked. The mirror folded in and the handle wouldn't come out.
I usually leave the keys inside the car when I'm back at the other house, so I know how it behaves when keys are in the car and properly detected.
The car was only delivered like a month ago... so it shouldn't be a battery issue. I know I shouldn't leave the key with my phone from a month and some driving the car, but I forgot that laptop does the same thing to the key and just dropped the key in the bag. The weird thing is during the hour of driving back, the car didn't say the key is not in the car, so didn't think of it.
The problem is the garage is covered and secured... my key chain was in the car, so I couldn't leave the garage to get better reception or I wouldn't be able to get back in the garage even if I unlocked the car... my other key fob is more than 40 miles away in another house..

 

[AMPd]

My car doesn't lock with the fob in the car, the handles go in but will come out when pressed on.

 

[siucity]

The car was only delivered like a month ago... so it shouldn't be a battery issue

You may have received your car a month ago, but that battery in the key fob could have been sitting around somewhere, and therefore much older than your car.

 

[Mike K]

Nobody here is going to want to hear this but the Model S is a surprisingly easy car to break into. I've never broken into a car in my life but a couple months ago I found myself at the Mountain View supercharger in the same situation. I left my phone and the key in the cup holder, got out to plug the car in and it locked itself on me. Not good.

So I went and scoped out the nearby trees, ripped off a branch, grabbed the window and pulled. With just enough room to jam that branch in there I was able to reach the handle and pop it. It took all of 20 seconds. The frameless windows really lend themselves to break-ins.

The good news is the alarm went off. So at least we have that.

 

[AMPd]

Nobody here is going to want to hear this but the Model S is a surprisingly easy car to break into. I've never broken into a car in my life but a couple months ago I found myself at the Mountain View supercharger in the same situation. I left my phone and the key in the cup holder, got out to plug the car in and it locked itself on me. Not good.

So I went and scoped out the nearby trees, ripped off a branch, grabbed the window and pulled. With just enough room to jam that branch in there I was able to reach the handle and pop it. It took all of 20 seconds. The frameless windows really lend themselves to break-ins.

The good news is the alarm went off. So at least we have that.

Tesla is not the only car with frameless windows
If you leave your car window open then I don't see how that's Teslas fault

 

[GoTslaGo]

Nobody here is going to want to hear this but the Model S is a surprisingly easy car to break into. I've never broken into a car in my life but a couple months ago I found myself at the Mountain View supercharger in the same situation. I left my phone and the key in the cup holder, got out to plug the car in and it locked itself on me. Not good.

So I went and scoped out the nearby trees, ripped off a branch, grabbed the window and pulled. With just enough room to jam that branch in there I was able to reach the handle and pop it. It took all of 20 seconds. The frameless windows really lend themselves to break-ins.

The good news is the alarm went off. So at least we have that.

Maybe OP should try with coat hanger.

 

[freeewilly]

@jzhan
how about your second key, do you have the same experience with the other key?
It's unlikely 2 keys have the same problem.

 

[Mike K]

Tesla is not the only car with frameless windows
If you leave your car window open then I don't see how that's Teslas fault

I didn't leave my window open. I was just able to pull it far enough off the seal to squeeze a 5/8ths inch thick branch through there.

Maybe OP should try with coat hanger.

Yes, a much better option. I had to MacGyver my solution though and branches were the only tools available.

 

[AMPd]

I didn't leave my window open. I was just able to pull it far enough off the seal to squeeze a 5/8ths inch thick branch through there.

Hmm I assumed tempered glass could not be bent without shattering it.
The more you know

 

[Mike K]

Hmm I assumed tempered glass could not be bent without shattering it.
The more you know

I don't believe it was the glass bending. Next time you have your door open try moving the glass. You can move it without it bending.

 

[Akikiki]

From page 5 of the owners manual.
Radio equipment on a similar frequency can affect the key. If this happens, move the key at least one foot (30 cm) away from other
electronic devices (phone, laptop, etc).

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

One of the first things I did when I got the Model S was to turn off the automatic door locking.

Why people want automatic locking doors is beyond me.

Automatic door locking at some point will come back to bite anyone who uses it. They do make for some entertaining stories though.

The Model S in particular is prone to not always detecting the key, and not always knowing if the key is inside the car or outside the car.

 

[MP3Mike]

I usually leave the keys inside the car when I'm back at the other house, so I know how it behaves when keys are in the car and properly detected.

That might be your problem right there. Unless Tesla has changed something the fobs are very "chatty" with the car and run the battery down fast if they are left in/near it all the time.