Help: Left my Key fob in the car.

[essmd]

I have received a message sometimes that the key in not in the car. Of course it is. The message seems to go away soon. The car is only 6 months, so the battery should be good. I'll try placing it in my right pocket.

In a related question, I have an unused key fob. Should I bother to remove the battery to prevent it from running down?

Great question, and the obvious answer is yes if you really want to preserve that battery capacity, but realize you will need to insert before able to use it. It definitely uses some energy as it is always sending out a small signal and "looking" for a response by a Tesla, but the batteries cost less than $5, and after 10 months my batteries both tested almost full power, and I leave my fob in the car whenever at home, and the yearly service includes battery replacements.

So maybe not really necessary after all.

 

[Vip]

I have had my car since 2013 and I can tell you from my experience is that if you leave the fob in the car it will always keep the car unlocked. It doesn't matter if you lock the car from the app or even if you use the other fob and lock the car. The car detects the fob in the car and thus wants to unlock the car.
I have placed the fob in an altoid container and then into the car. The container prevents signal transmission to the car thus the car will lock and then you can unlock the car via the app for yourself or anyone else that needs to get into the car.

 

[essmd]

Well to be fully accurate, the Model X actually does lock and shut down, mirrors fold in, etc if you lock the vehicle with the fob and throw the fob inside as the door is closing. However a press on the door handle simply opens the doors, so not secure.

At least I did that earlier today.

 

[wdolson]

I have had my car since 2013 and I can tell you from my experience is that if you leave the fob in the car it will always keep the car unlocked. It doesn't matter if you lock the car from the app or even if you use the other fob and lock the car. The car detects the fob in the car and thus wants to unlock the car.
I have placed the fob in an altoid container and then into the car. The container prevents signal transmission to the car thus the car will lock and then you can unlock the car via the app for yourself or anyone else that needs to get into the car.

I think this is dependent on settings and possibly the vintage of the car. My SO left the spare key in the car and it was there about a week. I noticed during that time the door handles didn't auto present, but I was able to lock the car in parking lots.

I do have the auto lock when you walk away shut off. I want the car unlocked in the garage. I also have a 2016 vintage S.

 

[ABC2D]

Well to be fully accurate, the Model X actually does lock and shut down, mirrors fold in, etc if you lock the vehicle with the fob and throw the fob inside as the door is closing. However a press on the door handle simply opens the doors, so not secure.

At least I did that earlier today.

Well, if "a press on the door handle simply opens the doors" then it doesn't really lock, does it. I guess to be fully accurate, all it does - folds the mirrors in, that's it.

 

[essmd]

Did I not just say that in my last post???

I must be invisible...

 

[Nvbob]

The Tesla App does not work with the Roadster, AFAIK. It will only works on the S & X.
OVMS will, OTOH, unlock the Roadster.

 

[Texas]

Why not include an audible alert if you leave the fob in the car? This would be a simple OTA firmware upgrade that would eliminate all of these problems.

 

[FlyF4]

Why not include an audible alert if you leave the fob in the car? This would be a simple OTA firmware upgrade that would eliminate all of these problems.

Can you expand on that? I assume you are talking about an alert outside the car and it would probably have to occur by detecting no one is in the drive seat when the door is closed?

 

[Reciprocity]

Wow, forgot about this thread. Definitely found that a Faraday bag works great to block the fob signals. Just remember that you will need internet access to get back into the car or the other FOB.

 

[Texas]

In reply to FlyF4, if you leave the fob in the car and you get out, the alert would sound off audibly outside the car, just as you suggest. I had this alert on my last car, a Lexus LS460, and it was a good backstop if you leave the key in the car. Like the Tesla, the Lexus would not lock with a key inside. But with the Tesla, you get no warning signal and will not likely notice that the mirrors haven’t folded.

This leaves the car easily subject to the kind of car thief who simply goes around trying door handles to see if any are open. He can then sit on the driver’s seat, place his foot on brake, shift to Drive, and drive away a $100,000 prize.

My fob frequently gets left in the car after I reclaim it from Valet parking. They always put the fob in the cup holder, where I don’t always remember to look. This is a serious problem with a simple firmware solution. I don’t think my 2015 MS has a buzzer, unfortunately, but activating the flashers ought to be acceptable.