Key Fob not working STRANDED!

[VikH]

Ummm... Either you missed some steps, or that wasn't gonna work. Congrats on the Helpful and Informative votes, though...

Technically OP is referring to the car not getting a LTE signal. Maybe some phone networks work?

If not, get a bunch of phones and daisy chain the hotspots

 

[XwingTom]

My auto present doors weren’t working and I thought the fob had a dead battery so replaced the battery. Still had problems. I took it into service and it was a faulty receiver on the car. You might have a similar thing going on

 

[alphainfinity]

I am curious to know what the solution is here. Was it a dead 12v battery or was the OP able to use a hotspot to connect the car to the internet via Wifi and then drive the vehicle?

 

[Steinmetz]

Do you remember any of the WiFi networks your car has been connected to? Take an extra phone - create a hotspot with the same network name and password. Then wake up the car by pressing the door handle or charge port. See if it connects to WiFi and remote start via app.

I realize the OP has no internet connection, and I assume no connection to the internet from the internal Tesla connection and also no cell phone service provider coverage. Is it possible to make a peer to peer connection, intranet, as VikH is suggesting? The Tesla app talking directly to the WiFi in the car? If not by WiFi how about BlueTooth, or is it an issue of waking the car up to listen?

I ask because I do not have the IT skills to know, but sounds plausible.

 

[Need]

I realize the OP has no internet connection, and I assume no connection to the internet from the internal Tesla connection and also no cell phone service provider coverage. Is it possible to make a peer to peer connection, intranet, as VikH is suggesting? The Tesla app talking directly to the WiFi in the car? If not by WiFi how about BlueTooth, or is it an issue of waking the car up to listen?

I ask because I do not have the IT skills to know, but sounds plausible.

I don't think @VikH was suggesting a direct WiFi connection. I think he was suggesting that maybe Tesla has no connection to its wireless provider but OP could have a different carrier that has connection in that garage.

Personally, I think OP's 12v dies. When our 12v died, the service center guy told us that the 12v on the Model X dies on average 3 to 4 years and it does not always give a warning message. He said our MX gave a warning message 3am in the morning and died in a few hours, so we didn't even get to see it.

 

[VikH]

I don't think @VikH was suggesting a direct WiFi connection. I think he was suggesting that maybe Tesla has no connection to its wireless provider but OP could have a different carrier that has connection in that garage.

Personally, I think OP's 12v dies. When our 12v died, the service center guy told us that the 12v on the Model X dies on average 3 to 4 years and it does not always give a warning message. He said our MX gave a warning message 3am in the morning and died in a few hours, so we didn't even get to see it.

Yep. Agreed that it could very well be 12V failure.

 

[Libstar]

So update for you all....tried everything except the daisy chaining/hotspot and no luck.

The road service (non Tesla) finally turned up, and had to put our MX on wheels (low tow) to move it up into mobile coverage area. Hooray it opened with our App!

So after 3 days of not being able to access the car and an extra 2 nights of accommodation we to get home, it was an expensive delay.

 

[linux-works]

so, the ONLY thing that was wrong was no LTE? your remote was ok and the car's 12v was ok?

 

[Libstar]

We are still about 5 hrs from home now, so will let you know if it was a FOB or receiver issue.

 

[Libstar]

so, the ONLY thing that was wrong was no LTE? your remote was ok and the car's 12v was ok?

It's either the Remote or the car receiver (death spot chip) issue as the Tesla app worked once it was in mobile coverage area.

 

[linux-works]

I have to admit, I don't know much about the X, being a 3 owner..

it does seem like its a design oversight to have omitted the key card. key cards require NO power, no moving parts, less to fail.

I kind of want an active rf keyfob with buttons, but not as my only entry (other than phones).

as you found out, phones and lte and that whole network behind it can't be 100% relied on.

I wonder if tesla is regretting not having keycard access on the X.

that said, keyfobs and the receivers for them usually are pretty reliable and an understood tech. LTE, well, not so much (in my experience).

 

[SSonnentag]

 

[linux-works]

is that an NFC feature of the fob?

maybe that's the equiv of the key-card that model 3 guys get?

does the battery HAVE to be in the fob, for that bottom spot to be activatable when you move the fob to that exact position?

 

[SSonnentag]

Yes, it's RFID. No battery required. It's extremely short range though. Must be within a couple inches of the transmitter/receiver.

 

[linux-works]

ah, good then. so this is like the nfc card on the model3 but its built into the fob.

that's not a bad idea. they did design a '2nd way in' if LTE fails (and LTE will fail, we all know that).

really wondering why your fob didn't trigger the car. your HV and LV batts in the car are ok, as you got in when lte reappeared and you are driving it home now, yeah?

once you got it above ground, did you re-try the key fob?

 

[SSonnentag]

Just as an FYI so everyone knows where the Model S RFID spots are, here's an image for that vehicle. I saved both images to my phone just in case I need to remind myself or someone else how to get in when the FOB dies.

 

[mxnym]

Just as an FYI so everyone knows where the Model S RFID spots are, here's an image for that vehicle. I saved both images to my phone just in case I need to remind myself or someone else how to get in when the FOB dies.

Do you KNOW this is a Model X vs Model S thing? I thought I read that it was based on production date, but that was years ago, and even if I read it, that doesn't mean it was right.

 

[mxnym]

really wondering why your fob didn't trigger the car. your HV and LV batts in the car are ok, as you got in when lte reappeared and you are driving it home now, yeah?

The fobs seem to have a knack for completely and utterly dying. You'd think the NFC component would be isolated, so another possibility is that there was still interference even though the fob power was extremely low. In a scenario where the "dead fob" method doesn't work and there is no mobile signal available, trying to remove the battery from the fob might be advisable, just in case.