Key fob locked in car - I thought this was not possible

[Golflaw]

I thought this could not happen. Oct 2016 MS. As I do EVERY morning, I put the dog in the back seat, then my briefcase containing my key fob on the front passenger seat. Close the doors and walk around to the driver's door, press the handle - nothing. Trunk release button won't open it, nor any other handle. This may not be a problem in other locations since usually I could just open the car with the app on the phone. In my garage, however, the car itself does not get a signal because, I suspect, the roof is lined with a foil backing.

It gets worse. My spare fob is in another briefcase in the trunk - where from a prior incident I know is a dead spot. Tesla service tries to open it remotely, but (foil lined roof again) they cannot connect to the car. Eventually, someone was sent to physically break into the car, which they were able to do rather easily.

So, how does this happen? Especially when the fob was in the exact location where it had been literally hundreds, if not thousands of times? I am far too aware of the dead spot in the rear, but the fob on the front seat?

 

[Snowstorm]

I had that happen to me with the key in the cup holder of the armrest

 

[eschummer]

Check the battery in the fob..

 

[Derek Kessler]

Future planning: connect the car to your phone's hotspot so it has that stored in the saved Wi-Fi networks. Then you can fire up the hotspot, let the car connect, and then send the command to unlock from your phone (to the server, back to your phone, to the car).

 

[HeinrichJ729]

Future planning: connect the car to your phone's hotspot so it has that stored in the saved Wi-Fi networks. Then you can fire up the hotspot, let the car connect, and then send the command to unlock from your phone (to the server, back to your phone, to the car).

If you phone can connect to the Tesla server, then the car should be able to connect also -- right? Or are you thinking about placing your phone as a relay between the car and where there is cell phone reception?

 

[75Shappyt]

I did that also, phone was in the car also, had roadside service open the car for me.

 

[Golflaw]

Future planning: connect the car to your phone's hotspot so it has that stored in the saved Wi-Fi networks. Then you can fire up the hotspot, let the car connect, and then send the command to unlock from your phone (to the server, back to your phone, to the car).

Very good idea. Thank you. As tech challenged as I am, I THINK I can do that. Perhaps I'll enlist the services of the neighbor kid - if I can withstand the eye-rolling at my incompetence.

 

[Need]

So your dog was locked in the car until Tesla roadside came?

 

[Golflaw]

So your dog was locked in the car until Tesla roadside came?

Yes. Fortunately, it was cool out and inside the garage. It did very much speed up the response. They estimated an hour or two, but when I said the dog was in the car, they were there in 20 minutes. He was oblivious. He is a VERY mellow guy.

 

[Little364]

The sensor for the key being in the car is located in the center console near the arm rests. I have had my car not recognize the key due to my cell phone blocking the antenna reception.

 

[cmaster]

Skip to ~9.33 and you will see how Rich Rebuild breaks into a Tesla without breaking a window.

 

[Golflaw]

Skip to ~9.33 and you will see how Rich Rebuild breaks into a Tesla without breaking a window.

 

[Golflaw]

That is how they got into my car. Took the guy about 45 seconds.

 

[Derek Kessler]

If you phone can connect to the Tesla server, then the car should be able to connect also -- right? Or are you thinking about placing your phone as a relay between the car and where there is cell phone reception?

Relay.

 

[Solarman004]

Eventually, someone was sent to physically break into the car, which they were able to do rather easily.

@Golflaw , how did they break in?

 

[Golflaw]

@Golflaw , how did they break in?

They pry open the front side window slightly, then they slip a thin, inflatable bag in the area opened between the window itself and the window post of the car. Then that bag is inflated slightly to give them access to slip in a long curvey rod to manually unlock the door from inside. Literally took less than 45 seconds.

 

[SucreTease]

Future planning: connect the car to your phone's hotspot so it has that stored in the saved Wi-Fi networks. Then you can fire up the hotspot, let the car connect, and then send the command to unlock from your phone (to the server, back to your phone, to the car).

That seems like it causes other problems: whenever you are near your car or in it, it will connect to your phone instead of remaining on LTE, in which case all data goes through your phone service.

 

[Akikiki]

Check the battery in the fob..

Don't check the battery. Replace the batteries. And make sure they are fresh batteries, and have not been sitting on a shelf or rack for years.

And concentrate on training the dog to unlock the car since he's already inside. Then he will really be a Service (center) dog.

 

[Derek Kessler]

That seems like it causes other problems: whenever you are near your car or in it, it will connect to your phone instead of remaining on LTE, in which case all data goes through your phone service.

You're assuming you're walking around with your hotspot turned on all the time, which is never the case.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

Generally speaking anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

So with that thinking in mind I turned off the auto-lock. It's reliant on two devices working correctly (the fob having energy from the battery, and the antenna picking it up).

The good side is I don't have to worry about the car automatically locking on me.

The bad side is if I valet the car I have to make sure to remotely lock it because valets don't lock it.