Key FOB "out of stock"...or "out of production because it sucks"?

[ratsbew]

Do you think the FOB is really out of stock, or they realized that they need to redesign and figure out a passive entry FOB since the current one sucks majorly?

My guess is that they will create an "active" bluetooth FOB with a charging cradle and a rechargeable battery that needs to be charged about weekly. Hopefully it isn't crazy expensive.

 

[electracity]

My guess is that they will create an "active" bluetooth FOB with a charging cradle and a rechargeable battery that needs to be charged about weekly. Hopefully it isn't crazy expensive.

Apple bluetooth remotes last months between charges. It's probably possible to make key fob that is charged once a year. But Musk probably doesn't like the need for any maintenance for a key.

 

[chillaban]

Apple bluetooth remotes last months between charges. It's probably possible to make key fob that is charged once a year. But Musk probably doesn't like the need for any maintenance for a key.

FWIW those have big actual batteries in them as opposed to a tiny fraction of the interior space dedicated to a CR2032 coin cell, which itself is also just mostly metal and a bit of battery.

 

[skitown]

I bought one as a gift for a family member about a week ago. Just shipped today. Ergo, my money says they are simply backordered.

 

[Az_Rael]

Do you think the FOB is really out of stock, or they realized that they need to redesign and figure out a passive entry FOB since the current one sucks majorly?

My guess is that they will create an "active" bluetooth FOB with a charging cradle and a rechargeable battery that needs to be charged about weekly. Hopefully it isn't crazy expensive.

I love the current key - it works flawlessly. For me, having a key that needs weekly recharging would be a huge downgrade.

I am guessing they might eventually add the hardware to the car to enable passive entry with the key, since the fob has been such a popular option. Won't help current owners, but future 3's may have that capability.

 

[sduck]

The whole passive vs. active keyfob issue is just stupid. People don't get it. If you want a passive fob, just get a phone that works. Some people just really want to be able to control when their doors are locked and unlocked, and the current fob is perfect for that.

 

[SMAlset]

Received my Fob last week and set up. Works great and glad to have, especially when it will be raining and I can click in my cost pocket without pulling out.

I don't miss Passive entry with it. That's what my phone is for.

As for getting one more thing that needs charging, no thanks. Between all my computer, watch and phone devices and now our cars, that's enough plugging in. This is one case where for me the replaceable old battery in my fob is just fine and will last a good amount if time before needing to be replaced.

No, I don't think the fob was pulled for a redesign. Simply sold out. When I had called last week when my fob wasn't showing tracking info on FedEx site but Tesla had shipped out, the told me if lost would put me on priority ststus when the next batch came in. Said that batch was delayed in arriving, so glad my fob showed up by FedEx the next day. They're just selling faster than the can get them in.

 

[ratsbew]

If you unlock with the FOB, do you have to remember to lock with the FOB, or will your phone lock it when you walk away?

 

[timk225]

Good question. If the phone is no longer the key, and I have to press the fob when walking away to lock the car, that's just too much effort for this century.

 

[ratsbew]

That's not my point. My point is that it's confusing if the car will lock on its own or if you need to use the FOB. I have the same problem with the key card. Sometimes I need to use the keycard to get in the car, but then the phone key picks up and lets me drive. I have no idea if the car will lock itself then or if I need to use the stupid keycard to lock the car. I end up walking away and having to check the app to see if it locked an if not, lock it from the app.

The "key" situation is the single worst thing about the Model 3. Otherwise it's great!

 

[jjrandorin]

That's not my point. My point is that it's confusing if the car will lock on its own or if you need to use the FOB. I have the same problem with the key card. Sometimes I need to use the keycard to get in the car, but then the phone key picks up and lets me drive. I have no idea if the car will lock itself then or if I need to use the stupid keycard to lock the car. I end up walking away and having to check the app to see if it locked an if not, lock it from the app.

The "key" situation is the single worst thing about the Model 3. Otherwise it's great!

I actually think what is happening in the bolded situation is the fact that if you use the keycard, you have 2 minutes to start the car without having to put it on the console (so I dont think the car is picking up your phone key in the instances when you use the keycard).
=========================
On page 8 of the manual:

"once inside, power up Model 3 by pressing the brake pedal within 2 minutes of scanning the keycard (see starting and powering off on page 44). If you wait longer than two minutes, you must re authenticate by placing the keycard near the card reader located behind the cup holders on the center console. When your key card is detected, your two minutes authentication period restarts"
=========================

Im not typing that to be a @#Q$#$ or say RTFM at all, I am just trying to provide a reason for why I am saying that I dont think your phone key is being "picked up" when you use the keycard to start. Not sure how one would be able to tell, because you could start the car without putting the keycard on the console even when you open the car with the keycard.

I have been reading and re reading the manual in PDF form on my ipad, trying to understand how tesla wants all this to work, and remembered reading the above. Hope it helps. I havent had any issues with my phone key at all, but from limited perusing of the site here it appears most people dont have issues with apple devices (although some do).

 

[Need]

Our Model X keyfob got passive entry. My wife uses the fob to summon the car out of the garage everyday which require extra presses. The battery on the fob has been working for a year now and I have not changed it yet. I think maybe the Model 3 is just not equipped to have the same kind of passive fob entry and it requires a smarter device (smartphone grade) to do passive entry.

Now that I have switched to a new phone and it works 100% of the time, I wish I could passively open/drive our Model X with my phone too. I really don't miss the fob when the phone is working amazingly like it is supposed to.

 

[SMAlset]

If you unlock with the FOB, do you have to remember to lock with the FOB, or will your phone lock it when you walk away?

Yes, it's basically the same as a key card but better -- you can open the trunk and frunk with it as well as lock and unlock your car from a certain distance. You can hold it up to the B pillar as well.

 

[SMAlset]

That's not my point. My point is that it's confusing if the car will lock on its own or if you need to use the FOB. I have the same problem with the key card. Sometimes I need to use the keycard to get in the car, but then the phone key picks up and lets me drive. I have no idea if the car will lock itself then or if I need to use the stupid keycard to lock the car. I end up walking away and having to check the app to see if it locked an if not, lock it from the app. ....

That's why I set my Lock settings to Honk on walk away. If I don't hear the honk (which isn't as loud and obnxious as some cars), then I know either to go back and use the card key or click the fob (not sure of it's range) or use my phone app if I'm further away but connected to the car. It takes some getting use to and retraining habits but it's akin to adjusting to everything on a center screen, which I thought I was going to have more of an issue with than I did.

 

[ewoodrick]

Do you think the FOB is really out of stock, or they realized that they need to redesign and figure out a passive entry FOB since the current one sucks majorly?

My guess is that they will create an "active" bluetooth FOB with a charging cradle and a rechargeable battery that needs to be charged about weekly. Hopefully it isn't crazy expensive.

It is definitely out of stock. It wasn't designed to be passive entry and I'm going to guess that the only way to make it so is to add a cellphone to it.

It does what it is intended to.

 

[JST]

Out of curiosity, why are so may people capitalizing "fob"?

 

[Runt8]

My question is, why isn't it the same as the bluetooth fob for the S and X, which have passive entry and don't require weekly charging.

 

[N5329K]

My question is, why isn't it the same as the bluetooth fob for the S and X, which have passive entry and don't require weekly charging.

Because the same people who thought the phone-as-key was terrific created the fob, and they want to make very, very sure you understand the phone-as-key is terrific, too. Even if it's not. So they likely subtracted capability.
Robin

 

[artsci]

Received my Fob last week and set up. Works great and glad to have, especially when it will be raining and I can click in my cost pocket without pulling out.

I don't miss Passive entry with it. That's what my phone is for.

As for getting one more thing that needs charging, no thanks. Between all my computer, watch and phone devices and now our cars, that's enough plugging in. This is one case where for me the replaceable old battery in my fob is just fine and will last a good amount if time before needing to be replaced.

No, I don't think the fob was pulled for a redesign. Simply sold out. When I had called last week when my fob wasn't showing tracking info on FedEx site but Tesla had shipped out, the told me if lost would put me on priority ststus when the next batch came in. Said that batch was delayed in arriving, so glad my fob showed up by FedEx the next day. They're just selling faster than the can get them in.

Agree totally. Got mine last night and set it up immediately. Phone for passive entry (works every time) and Fob for access to frunk and trunk — much more convenient for that than the phone. I don’t understand what all the complaints about the fob are for (beyond the price, which is ludicrous). We can’t expect it to work like the S fob. I have and S and a 3 and keep both fobs on the same lanyard.
I wished my phone worked with the S.

 

[artsci]

My question is, why isn't it the same as the bluetooth fob for the S and X, which have passive entry and don't require weekly charging.

Weekly charging? Wrong. The S, X, and 3 fobs have batteries that last a year or much more.