I am a big key fob fan as well. we also have the cards and our phones but I would much rather have the fob for everyday use. Like PP, i like to just walk up and not have to fumble with my phone or take out a card.
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I’ll get roasted but here goes anyway
- Thread starter Johnny Mac
- Start date
iPhone 11 Pro Max user
Occasionally when I walk up, door will unlock. All too often not only do I have to remove phone from rear pocket, I have to allow facial recognition to unlock device. Then door unlocks. Sometimes door will let me in and car still asks for key on console to operate car. This can go away or require launch of Tesla app. All independent of car seeing iPhone as evidenced on model 3 screen. Pixel 3 XL at delivery of model 3 would routinely unlock as I walked to car. But with an update that eventually got wonky. I’d hoped for better result from iPhone frankly. Still better than carrying normal car key. Using Apple Watch app to unlock car also and responsive developer is tweaking based on feedback. Sooner or later the best desired result will hopefully surface.
GHammer
Dark Star
I dont have problems with my phone key and use that for day to day and keep a card in my wallet for backup. I do love the having the fob for traveling when I'm in and out of the trunk and frunk a lot, just reach in the pocket and press. Beauty of the 3, it allows for flexibility for what fits you.
DMLou
Member
Here near Boston, some of the major hospitals and their satellite offices for outpatient treatment also pretty much require valet parking, so I hear you there.
I'm going to use my card, but I also got this gizmo so that valets can hang it up on their key holders like a normal key: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B9KJSCF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I initially had lots of issues with my phone unlocking our Model 3, until I came across a post a week or so ago that made me realize the "it doesn't work through your butt" issue. Since then I haven't had any problems with my phone key, it was all due to my years long habit of just leaving my phone in my back pocket until I opened the door to the car.
However - I do still have an issue, just want to make sure I am not missing anything:
We keep all of our cars in the garage. At home, in the garage, there is no need for them to be locked. Prior to the Model 3, any car we had used a fob, and simply touching the handle locked / unlocked. If we were not at home, we just touch the handle when leaving the car and it locks. At home we do nothing, and that makes going into the garage and getting into any car at any time easy, because the car is not locked.
With teh 3 it seems the two options are: use auto lock or don't use auto lock. If we don't use auto lock and have no fob, then it becomes a chore to have to manually lock the car with the phone when anywhere but the house. If we do use auto lock, then the car locks itself which is convenient. But - it also does that when in the garage, making it to where if I decide to get into the car for any reason at home, I need to go grab my phone before I do so. I still forget to to do this and go all the way out to the garage and then can't get into the car.
Unless I am missing another option (doesn't seem like the 3 will lock / unlock by touching the door handle), I do prefer the "keyfob / touch the door handle" setup because then I choose when I want to lock or unlock the car (and its easy), and I can leave the cars unlocked in the garage.
It'd be nice if you could make an exception to auto lock when at home, like you do with Sentry mode. Any other ideas?
However - I do still have an issue, just want to make sure I am not missing anything:
We keep all of our cars in the garage. At home, in the garage, there is no need for them to be locked. Prior to the Model 3, any car we had used a fob, and simply touching the handle locked / unlocked. If we were not at home, we just touch the handle when leaving the car and it locks. At home we do nothing, and that makes going into the garage and getting into any car at any time easy, because the car is not locked.
With teh 3 it seems the two options are: use auto lock or don't use auto lock. If we don't use auto lock and have no fob, then it becomes a chore to have to manually lock the car with the phone when anywhere but the house. If we do use auto lock, then the car locks itself which is convenient. But - it also does that when in the garage, making it to where if I decide to get into the car for any reason at home, I need to go grab my phone before I do so. I still forget to to do this and go all the way out to the garage and then can't get into the car.
Unless I am missing another option (doesn't seem like the 3 will lock / unlock by touching the door handle), I do prefer the "keyfob / touch the door handle" setup because then I choose when I want to lock or unlock the car (and its easy), and I can leave the cars unlocked in the garage.
It'd be nice if you could make an exception to auto lock when at home, like you do with Sentry mode. Any other ideas?
i keep a clear plastic keycard holder with key ring in the car, with my keycard in my wallet. You can get a holder on Amazon.
The phone key is incredibly convenient and is in my opinion one of the key features.....
I think that it would be more helpful to new owners on this forum to assist them with resolving whatever issue is causing their phone to be an unreliable key than to just have everyone buy a fob and never use the feature.
I've had my Tesla since Sep '18 and have used 3 different Pixel phones with basically zero issue.
I think that it would be more helpful to new owners on this forum to assist them with resolving whatever issue is causing their phone to be an unreliable key than to just have everyone buy a fob and never use the feature.
I've had my Tesla since Sep '18 and have used 3 different Pixel phones with basically zero issue.
GHammer
Dark Star
I leave a card holder like this in the car. https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Polycarbonate-Vertical-Protection-Specialist/dp/B079ZCXMHH
I forgot my phone at home once, and only realized it after I already got to work... since I had my keyfob with me.
Wouldn't have happened otherwise I agree. I had a weird scenario. I was in my T3 with my 90 year old uncle who has no idea how the Tesla operates. He got in the passenger seat and I got in the driver seat. I put my phone in the car central tray ( which opened initially opened the car) along with my wallet which had the key card in it. I got out of the car as I had forgotten something in the house. When I got back to the car a few minutes later the car was locked. For some reason the phone lost its connection with the Tesla. I didn’t have the other key card and it took me several minutes to explain to my uncle which card to use and how to unlock the car with the key card. My guess is, if my uncle had not been there I would have had to ask someone with a smartphone to download the app, log in and then open the car…. not sure, haven’t tried it.
I have a model s as well and the car never locks if the key fob is in the car. Usually I keep it in my pocket as I can drive with it in my pocket.
I am now planning on buying a fob for the T3 soon
I've had my M3 since Aug 2018, and occasionally still have that panic when I walk out reach for the key and there's nothing in my pocket
My keycard works even while still in my wallet. No need to take it out. Of course I only use it when I go out to the garage to get something from the car and don't have my phone with me.
XLR82XS
D M C
Zero problems ever with phone key. Worst case I have the access card. Why have an expensive key fob if you dont need it. Why carry extra *sugar* in your pocket.
drdumont
Member
Of all the things I miss on the Money Sewer, the '87 Lincoln Town Car my wife refused to give up (Thank you to the guy who hit and totaled it in a parking lot), the keypad on the door is the most missed. You could open the door or trunk without fishing for keys, if you were outside without your normal pocket junk, at the beach, etc.
I would pay as an add on for a keypad on one door.
And to remain on topic, I use Android phones exclusively and have not had an issue normally. I carry my phone in a pouch more to the front of my pants. However, comma, I have noticed that if I have the phone in a back pocket, there can be issues. Maybe if I lost some weight...
I would pay as an add on for a keypad on one door.
And to remain on topic, I use Android phones exclusively and have not had an issue normally. I carry my phone in a pouch more to the front of my pants. However, comma, I have noticed that if I have the phone in a back pocket, there can be issues. Maybe if I lost some weight...
SynapticAcid
Member
My spouse has a Model X and she left her phone in the car once; only to discover when she returned that the car was locked and she didn't have her phone (or keyfob). Luckily, after 20 mins of trying to reach me from strangers' phones, I was able to remotely unlock the car from 10 miles away using the phone app.
On my 3, the car is sometimes very slow to wake up and recognize the phone app (usually in the morning after being in my garage all night). In those instances, I have to press the unlock button in the app to force the car to open. Another issue I sometimes have with the car/app is when attempting to open the charge port. If the car has been parked in my garage for a while... I often have to physically open one of the doors to fully wake the vehicle before the charge port will respond and open (even though the car has sensed the phone and is otherwise unlocked).
Ultimately, I see all these things as minor annoyances, which to me are far outweighed by the convenience provided by the phone app.
Compared to other vehicles I've owned, Tesla's phone app is immensely superior. Years ago I forgot my Saab 93's keyfob in my pocket at the beach and only realized it after swimming in the ocean for 15 minutes. While you could disassemble the keyfob to reveal a mechanical key, which allowed me to enter the vehicle, there was no way to use that key to start the engine (and OnStar was unable to remotely start it for me). Ultimately, I had to call a taxi to ride home, locate the second keyfob, and return to retrieve the vehicle. Replacing that keyfob cost me over $300 too.
My phone is a Samsung Galaxy GS10+
On my 3, the car is sometimes very slow to wake up and recognize the phone app (usually in the morning after being in my garage all night). In those instances, I have to press the unlock button in the app to force the car to open. Another issue I sometimes have with the car/app is when attempting to open the charge port. If the car has been parked in my garage for a while... I often have to physically open one of the doors to fully wake the vehicle before the charge port will respond and open (even though the car has sensed the phone and is otherwise unlocked).
Ultimately, I see all these things as minor annoyances, which to me are far outweighed by the convenience provided by the phone app.
Compared to other vehicles I've owned, Tesla's phone app is immensely superior. Years ago I forgot my Saab 93's keyfob in my pocket at the beach and only realized it after swimming in the ocean for 15 minutes. While you could disassemble the keyfob to reveal a mechanical key, which allowed me to enter the vehicle, there was no way to use that key to start the engine (and OnStar was unable to remotely start it for me). Ultimately, I had to call a taxi to ride home, locate the second keyfob, and return to retrieve the vehicle. Replacing that keyfob cost me over $300 too.
My phone is a Samsung Galaxy GS10+
My phone works great. The only times it's missed is when it did a reboot or if I turned on airplane mode and forgot to turn it off. I melted down an rfid card key and inserted the chip into my watch so my "backup" key is on my wrist whenever I drive (I also keep another key card in my wallet in case of valet).
You realilk
You do realize that you could put the keycard in your pocket like a fob right? And it's much less noticeable in your pocket than a thick fob (and never needs a battery replacement). I put the rfid chip from 1 of my key cards into my watch and and that's the most convenient backup ever.
