How Did the Service Center Move My Car?

[dannycamps]

So yesterday, I received an alert on my IC that my low voltage battery (e.g. 12v) needed service. I made an appointment and brought my car in to have the work done today. I checked in and went to the waiting room. Soon after, I saw a tech enter my car in the parking lot and drive it into the shop to do the repair.

The only problem? I never gave them my key - it's in my hand right now as I sit in the waiting room.

So how was Tesla able to enter my car and move it without my key fob? I assume they have some master key type of thing they can get from the mothership but who knows...

Anyway, just found that interesting.

 

[Tam]

So yesterday, I received an alert on my IC that my low voltage battery (e.g. 12v) needed service. I made an appointment and brought my car in to have the work done today. I checked in and went to the waiting room. Soon after, I saw a tech enter my car in the parking lot and drive it into the shop to do the repair.

The only problem? I never gave them my key - it's in my hand right now as I sit in the waiting room.

So how was Tesla able to enter my car and move it without my key fob? I assume they have some master key type of thing they can get from the mothership but who knows...

Anyway, just found that interesting.

I assume they can use app-to-drive. Once you checked in with them, they have control of your car: lock you out of your app and let them use their own app.

 

[Hayseed_MS]

I assume they can use app-to-drive. Once you checked in with them, they have control of your car: lock you out of your app and let them use their own app.

This is the case.

I have given my car to a flatbed driver who took it to a SC. Never gave the key but the SC was able to move it , replace the tire, and get it back to me.

 

[Ostrichsak]

You want a crazier example of Tesla being able to drive a car w/o a key fob? Due to a miscommunication (they claim) Tesla drove 45-minutes to my wife's work and picked up the loaner car they loaned us while our car was being fixed w/o even so much as going into her office. She was left stranded and the best part: our car was at Tesla so I couldn't even use it to go pick her up. On top of all of that this isn't a highly populated city that that office is in so ride share took nearly 2 hours and we didn't think anyone was going to pick the ride up. Great example where having a local phone number to call and explain how they just stranded my wife and ask for solutions for their screw up would have saved tons of headache. But hey, they all got to go home to their families at 4:01pm that day so what do they care, right?

 

[Ash83]

You want a crazier example of Tesla being able to drive a car w/o a key fob? Due to a miscommunication (they claim) Tesla drove 45-minutes to my wife's work and picked up the loaner car they loaned us while our car was being fixed w/o even so much as going into her office. She was left stranded and the best part: our car was at Tesla so I couldn't even use it to go pick her up. On top of all of that this isn't a highly populated city that that office is in so ride share took nearly 2 hours and we didn't think anyone was going to pick the ride up. Great example where having a local phone number to call and explain how they just stranded my wife and ask for solutions for their screw up would have saved tons of headache. But hey, they all got to go home to their families at 4:01pm that day so what do they care, right?

next time get one of those

https://www.amazon.com/Steering-Universal-Anti-Theft-Adjustable-Self-Defense/dp/B07NRYR24V/

Tesla always surprises me but I agree their service department needs a lot of work to be on par with other manufacturers in terms of customer service.

 

[dannycamps]

Thanks for the comments all. Makes sense about them effectively using an administrative-type app to gain access to the car. I just found it strange because it's the first time they didn't ask for my key when doing service.

I wonder if they could just gain access to any random Tesla on the street using the VIN or if the car has to be checked into service.

 

[Tam]

Thanks for the comments all. Makes sense about them effectively using an administrative-type app to gain access to the car. I just found it strange because it's the first time they didn't ask for my key when doing service.

I wonder if they could just gain access to any random Tesla on the street using the VIN or if the car has to be checked into service.

As you stated, an App Administrator can take over your account.

Thus, I would imagine Tesla would place some restrictions to Service Center to avoid abuse. The easiest way is geofenced. The second one is the car must be registered as checked in so that the paper trail can be tracked in case of abuse.

 

[David.85D]

Thanks for the comments all. Makes sense about them effectively using an administrative-type app to gain access to the car. I just found it strange because it's the first time they didn't ask for my key when doing service.

I wonder if they could just gain access to any random Tesla on the street using the VIN or if the car has to be checked into service.

A ranger (mobile service) has done work on my car in the parking lot at my work and was able to unlock and power it up. I had an appointment, but there was no check in procedure. He just showed up, found the car and got to work. I have no doubt they maintain remote access. The only question that remains is if there is any firewall. Does it have to have a service appointment or a supervisors sign off…?

 

[maximizese]

Tangent alert:

I got the low voltage battery needs replacement warning, checked the voltage through the 12V outlet and was getting readings between 12.8V-13.8V throughout the following days. I used the app to request Tesla remotely clear the alert as I explained that the battery never registers below 12.8V. Instead of doing what I requested, they set up a mobile service appointment to replace the battery and estimated the cost to be $265. The battery has about 20K/2yrs on it and seems perfectly fine according to the voltage.

After searching around the forum, I decided to cancel the appointment and not replace the 12V battery. I was able to reset the alert by switching the wheel configuration through the MCU -> Service menu, and read that keeping the HV battery below 50% for days on end will increase the vampire drain on the 12V battery even though the contactors seem to open and close a few times each day while the car sits in the garage.

 

[dannycamps]

Tangent alert:

I got the low voltage battery needs replacement warning, checked the voltage through the 12V outlet and was getting readings between 12.8V-13.8V throughout the following days. I used the app to request Tesla remotely clear the alert as I explained that the battery never registers below 12.8V. Instead of doing what I requested, they set up a mobile service appointment to replace the battery and estimated the cost to be $265. The battery has about 20K/2yrs on it and seems perfectly fine according to the voltage.

After searching around the forum, I decided to cancel the appointment and not replace the 12V battery. I was able to reset the alert by switching the wheel configuration through the MCU -> Service menu, and read that keeping the HV battery below 50% for days on end will increase the vampire drain on the 12V battery even though the contactors seem to open and close a few times each day while the car sits in the garage.

I was wondering if the alert was valid but TBH, at 3.5 years and 53k miles, I didn't want to take the chance of getting stranded/locked out of my car (I know I could access the battery through the emergency frunk opening procedure). That and the cost of $200 ($165 for the actual battery) seemed more than reasonable to me.

 

[Ash83]

Imagine the damage if someone hacked that system.

 

[Wol747]

It makes perfect sense that an SC has total control while they are working on the car - the last thing they need is for any accidental access to it when there's potentially 400v running around.

 

[Watts_Up]

I gave my car to a body shop and they contacted me because I did set the Valet Mode
and I needed to have my password to go to Service Mode?

 

[David29]

A ranger (mobile service) has done work on my car in the parking lot at my work and was able to unlock and power it up. I had an appointment, but there was no check in procedure. He just showed up, found the car and got to work. I have no doubt they maintain remote access. The only question that remains is if there is any firewall. Does it have to have a service appointment or a supervisors sign off…?

Interesting. When I have had mobile service, they have asked for the key.

 

[aesculus]

I was at one of those mass inspection events. Dozens of cars lined up and the SC personnel would check people in and then ask them to leave their fob on the dash if they left their car. Of course a few people didn't, and just wandered off. The SC personnel copied down the VIN, made a call and voila, got into the car and moved it.

So obviously Tesla, with a VIN, can unlock a car to drive just like I had them do for me once when my fob battery died on me and my phone app would not work.

 

[Droschke]

Not leaving the fob with them works for me. One less item to clean.

 

[SkyDog]

Totally different for me - I have my first service appointment today and they instructed me to leave a key in the cup holder.

 

[Droschke]

Totally different for me - I have my first service appointment today and they instructed me to leave a key in the cup holder.


View attachment 823035

How does that Uber voucher work? A code they send you to enter in your Uber app to get a ride back home?

 

[Mooda]

How does that Uber voucher work? A code they send you to enter in your Uber app to get a ride back home?

They send you a like though the tesla app, when you click it, it adds the voucher to your uber account and then your trips are covered. voucher expires as soon as you pick up the car.

 

[SkyDog]

How does that Uber voucher work? A code they send you to enter in your Uber app to get a ride back home?

Yes, it showed up as text message for the service appointment in the app. All I had to do was click the link in that text message and I immediately had a $100 voucher in Uber. Besides using that to get back home, you can use it for anything else you need to do that day, until the $100 is used up. The voucher covers the ride, but any tip you leave comes off your credit card.