Improved Key FOB Range

[djp]

I talked to my local service tech about the fix. They have no idea what I'm talking about and there's no "service bulletin" about it.

Is there any more info I can give them regarding the fix?

They can ask Eli in the Toronto Service Centre or Mark in the Vancouver Service Centre for more details. I don't think there's an official service bulletin on it.

The key fob antenna wire is bundled with other wires in a harness behind the trunk release button. They'll need to remove the cover, pull the antenna out of the bundle and route it separately under the dash. It's a five minute job and the dash doesn't need to come apart.

 

[slcasner]

Also you don't need to take the dash apart, you can access and reroute the wire by removing the trunk release cover. It's a quick and easy fix.

I recently had the key fob (both of them) stop working intermittently. The problem was determined to be the module in the car, which was replaced. A consequence of this replacement is that the antenna, which had been rerouted to the more favorable position with the original module, no longer is. Johnny says the dash has to be removed to reroute it, at a cost of 3 hours labor. I wonder if that is true for a 1.5 on which the trunk release is different.

 

[djp]

I wonder if that is true for a 1.5 on which the trunk release is different.

Right, on the 1.5 the antenna is behind the VDS which makes it a lot tougher to access.

 

[Doug_G]

I recently had the key fob (both of them) stop working intermittently. The problem was determined to be the module in the car, which was replaced. A consequence of this replacement is that the antenna, which had been rerouted to the more favorable position with the original module, no longer is. Johnny says the dash has to be removed to reroute it, at a cost of 3 hours labor. I wonder if that is true for a 1.5 on which the trunk release is different.

Improper installation. Does Tesla not warranty their repair work?

 

[jordanthompson]

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures, but.... On my 2.0/early 2010 I did the following:

I unwrapped the purple wire, bared half an inch and added a long length of wire to it (and taped the connection - I was reluctant to solder the antenna while connected to the car.) I ran this new (very long) wire under the door sill (that is Velcro-ed to the frame) and up the rubber door seal immediately to the left of the drive'rs shoulder. I taped the wire to the inside of this rubber seal and cut off the excess so it didn't stick up above the rubber seal.

I effectively lengthened the antenna wire by about 6 feet and brought it out of the dashboard and up to nearly the height of the roll bar.

The results are much better! I can now access the car from over 25 feet :-D

 

[dhrivnak]

On my 1.5 the wire was black not purple.

 

[jordanthompson]

Black must conduct RF better than purple

 

[Botbldr45]

That is a great idea!
I will definitely try that...... Are the side panels that hold the trunk release button velcroed on or is there a trick to removing them?
.....or do you need to remove them at all? Can you fish the new wire under them?

 

[djp]

That is a great idea!
I will definitely try that...... Are the side panels that hold the trunk release button velcroed on or is there a trick to removing them?
.....or do you need to remove them at all? Can you fish the new wire under them?

The plastic cover over trunk release pops off once you take out the two screws. You'll be able to access the wire harness once the cover is off.

 

[shrink]

Going to revive this over 1-year old thread because this was an incredibly helpful and simple fix. Thank you for posting this.

My key fob range has always been inconsistent. Sometimes I'd be standing next to the car and nothing would happen, other times it was very responsive.

I ended up doing something similar to what jordanthompson did above, but I actually butt spliced the end of purple wire to some green ground wire I got at Radio Shack, then tucked the green wire under the driver's side door sill.

You can see a tiny bit of where the green wire is coming out from behind the dash, but it's hardly noticeable. I obviously cut off the excess green wire at the top.

Range and responsiveness is greatly improved thus far. It is so much more usable. Sometimes I'd be stuck outside a Circle K or other store and the doors wouldn't lock. I'd have to use the ever handy OVMS to lock and unlock the doors. Crazy.

This is MUCH better and a very easy fix.

 

[Habious]

Just did this mod tonight. Wow, what a huge difference in quality-of-life!

Couldn't get over what complete and utter crap the range of the fob was originally. Some days, I'd have to stand up against the driver's side mirror to get the car to unlock.

Now it's a good 50-75 feet, reliably.

 

[gregd]

I don't suppose the AM/FM antenna is in the same bundle...? We could kill 2 problems at the same time.

 

[Doug_G]

Nope.

 

[Habious]

Between CD, Sirius, and mp3s on the USB stick, I don't think I've ever even tried the AM/FM radio in the car (I hate commercials).

 

[ViperDoc]

antenna

Between CD, Sirius, and mp3s on the USB stick, I don't think I've ever even tried the AM/FM radio in the car (I hate commercials).

A few years ago, my Tesla service center was quite to move my antenna wire for the key fob on my 2.5, and my range improved.

 

[Msjulie]

On my 1.5 the wire was black not purple.

Probably no chance you have a photo - I had a bunch of those wires moved about when the rear camera was put in - I could use getting better remote range!

 

[dhrivnak]

Probably no chance you have a photo - I had a bunch of those wires moved about when the rear camera was put in - I could use getting better remote range!

Just a small chance as I have the wire barely poking out through the dash and attached with a small piece of black Gorilla tape. You can see the black wire just below the the bottom of the Tesla T.

 

[Msjulie]

maybe tomorrow i'll poke around, is there a pic online of the module at the other end?

 

[dhrivnak]

maybe tomorrow i'll poke around, is there a pic online of the module at the other end?

The likely challenge is you need to pull the dash which for me is quite a bit of work. Not that difficult but it takes me about 4 hours to pull the dash and then put it back. ANd I almost always break the air bag clips doing it.

 

[ecarfan]

Thanks for that very helpful photo. Just checked my #425 and no sign of that wire. Darn.

Just a small chance as I have the wire barely poking out through the dash and attached with a small piece of black Gorilla tape. You can see the black wire just below the the bottom of the Tesla T.View attachment 265660