Is walk away lock via iPhone reliable for you?

[notsure11]

I use my iPhone 8 as a key to my Model 3. Walk-away lock feature was hit or miss when I first got the car in July, but it has been more or less reliable recently (probably due to a firmware update). But there still are times when I would walk away from the car and not hear the honk, so I'd open the Tesla app on my iPhone only to see that the door is still unlocked.

Does this happen to you? I wonder what causes this. I thought opening the Tesla app right after getting out of the car might be the cause, but then I tested it, and that's not it. Thanks!

 

[whatthe2]

I use my iPhone 8 as a key to my Model 3. Walk-away lock feature was hit or miss when I first got the car in July, but it has been more or less reliable recently (probably due to a firmware update). But there still are times when I would walk away from the car and not hear the honk, so I'd open the Tesla app on my iPhone only to see that the door is still unlocked.

Does this happen to you? I wonder what causes this. I thought opening the Tesla app right after getting out of the car might be the cause, but then I tested it, and that's not it. Thanks!

Yes. iPhoneX, never had a problem with it locking.

 

[toohec]

Yes, it seems to be very reliable in regards to auto-locking with an audible light honk when I walk away. Unlocking however still fails every once in a while when I activate the door handle. Cycling power on my iPhone X will usually resolve the unlocking issue for a while at least.

 

[astrowunder]

Works every time as long as I don't leave my phone in the car!

 

[ChrisianZ]

I've only had the car since Monday, but it's worked every time with my iPhone 8+

 

[Gavyne]

Works every time with iphone XS, and also every time prior with iphone 6 plus.

 

[Birdman325]

Worked every time. When it doesn’t it reminds me I left my phone In The car.

 

[ChrisH]

It has worked every time but one for me. Not sure what the issue was.

 

[mike123abc]

It has always worked for me, but I am paranoid. I turned on the honk sound for the lock and always listen for it.

 

[DR61]

100% reliable with our two iPhone 7's after 3 months. I always listen for the honk of course.

 

[JBT66]

100% success rate on IPhone 8.

 

[Dorkiedoode]

Yes, iPhone X.

 

[SoundDaTrumpet]

100% reliable on iPhone X. I also never force quit the Tesla app, which isn't recommended by the app.

Caveat is that I created a "garage" driver profile which is set to not auto-lock when unloading/loading the car with kids. I left it on "garage" driver profile by mistake, and then it will not auto-lock. I make for certain to listen for the honk and the mirror to fold as verification when parking in public.

Maybe your copilot/friend/spouse configured a profile with auto-lock disabled.

 

[Starman76]

100% for me too on iPhone 6S.

Only time it has "failed" was when it was indicating a human error issue. Like when I left the phone in the car on accident, or one of the kids hasn't fully closed a door, or I took my phone with me but my spouse left her phone in the car. All cases where I'm really happy it "failed" so I could correct the issue.

I absolutely love the phone as a key.

 

[nalang]

Yes, works every time but it doesnt lock consistently in terms of the distance I have walked away from the car. Sometimes it locks after a few steps away and other times when I’m 20-30 feet away. iPhone X.

 

[Starman76]

Yes, works every time but it doesnt lock consistently in terms of the distance I have walked away from the car. Sometimes it locks after a few steps away and other times when I’m 20-30 feet away. iPhone X.

I'd agree with that... But I'm not sure they are shooting for a solely distance based trigger for the lock? I think it might be a combination of distance + time away from the car. Like once you are 5 feet away, trigger it the lock after 10 seconds? or something like that?

 

[beastmode13]

100% success rate since 9/9 with iPhone 7 and XR.

 

[blake6551]

100% with both iPhone 7 and XS Max.

 

[ℬête Noire]

Works every time as long as I don't leave my phone in the car!

Came here to post the same. Never had a "failure to lock" that wasn't my own due to forgetting the phone in the car.

I'm using an iPhone SE, though, not an iPhone 8. It's innards are functionally closer to a 7 I think?

P.S. What I do find is that occasionally is it won't unlock right away. I need to stand next to the vehicle a few seconds to here a contact "clunk" letting me know it's now noticed me walk up. This almost always is when my battery is low and the phone has gone into low power mode. Rare times it's not responded within say 5 seconds and I pull the phone out and bring up the app, which is then enough to have the car recognize that I'm nearby and allows me to open the door.

 

[brkaus]

100% success with iPhone 6s. Do still check it occasionally in the app to be sure. I hate the honk, but do look for the mirrors to fold.