Latest App update doesn't work on my android phone

[beths11]

I thought I would start documenting my process here in case anyone else has the issue.

We have two old android phones in our household (2013 Moto E2 and 2015 Moto G3), please don't tell me to upgrade my phone.

We took delivery of our Model X December 2016. The latest update does not allow me to sign in to my Tesla account.
The sign on screen does not provide a drop down keyboard for the password field.

The service app has long NOT worked on my phone but I could get around it by texting/calling Tesla. It was too much effort to try and fix.

This current problem is another story. I have depended on the phone app in the past to get me into the car when my fob has stopped working, or it was left on the counter letting me leave, but not come home.

I spent 30 minutes on hold 12/17/20 with a very unhelpful support person. Rather than connect me with software support Tesla scheduled an on sight service visit to look at my phone. The phone connects to the car with blue tooth. It seems like a clear problem with the app.

Any information is helpful and I will keep this updated.

 

[fr100]

You can try to change your keyboard to another one like Gboard.

Maybe your Android version is too old. Try hitting up XDA developers for a custom ROM with newer Android OS.

Why are you avoiding a phone upgrade? Not many people use phones that old.

 

[Akikiki]

@beths11, I read your post a couple of times. You didn't express what you expected someone at Tesla to do about your old phone problem. And I can't guess what would be reasonable that you are expecting. Tesla doesn't control Google Play Store, so how could they do a special offering for an old version of the app for you. It was inevitable that some day a newer version would simply not work. That's the nature of apps on both iOS and Android.

 

[dgatwood]

@beths11, I read your post a couple of times. You didn't express what you expected someone at Tesla to do about your old phone problem. And I can't guess what would be reasonable that you are expecting. Tesla doesn't control Google Play Store, so how could they do a special offering for an old version of the app for you. It was inevitable that some day a newer version would simply not work. That's the nature of apps on both iOS and Android.

Not really. On iOS, the App Store typically won't let you download a version that won't work on your device, and the App Store automatically downloads the most recent compatible version instead.

This is probably not an "it doesn't work on my device" problem, but rather a "Motorola shipped a bunch of nonstandard (and likely substandard) code on the device that requires lots of extra testing by app makers to keep apps from randomly breaking" problem.

 

[Art VandeIay]

I thought I would start documenting my process here in case anyone else has the issue.

We have two old android phones in our household (2013 Moto E2 and 2015 Moto G3), please don't tell me to upgrade my phone.

We took delivery of our Model X December 2016. The latest update does not allow me to sign in to my Tesla account.
The sign on screen does not provide a drop down keyboard for the password field.

The service app has long NOT worked on my phone but I could get around it by texting/calling Tesla. It was too much effort to try and fix.

This current problem is another story. I have depended on the phone app in the past to get me into the car when my fob has stopped working, or it was left on the counter letting me leave, but not come home.

I spent 30 minutes on hold 12/17/20 with a very unhelpful support person. Rather than connect me with software support Tesla scheduled an on sight service visit to look at my phone. The phone connects to the car with blue tooth. It seems like a clear problem with the app.

Any information is helpful and I will keep this updated.

Can't you just uninstall your current Tesla app and then side load an older version from here?

If you do, don't forget to desable the auto update feature on the Play Store for that app.

 

[Akikiki]

Can't you just uninstall your current Tesla app and then side load an older version from here?

If you do, don't forget to desable the auto update feature on the Play Store for that app.

Very Cool, Art. Thanks for jumping in to help.

 

[beths11]

Can't you just uninstall your current Tesla app and then side load an older version from here?

If you do, don't forget to disable the auto update feature on the Play Store for that app.

Thank you for the suggestion. I could get an old version working but it won't do me much good as the Service App. stopped working long ago. I was told by Tesla support last night, "service has stopped texting and now will be communicating about service appointments only by phone" through the service App. "Dashboard for Tesla" is installed and works flawlessly, except for the service app. which of course is still Tesla's code as DFT is only providing a pass through. I guess I have to get the service app. working on my phone

To the person who says "get a new phone, you can't expect Tesla to support it forever." If Tesla still provided me the option of scheduling service appointments any other way (from my laptop, with a phone call) I would agree. If they are going to rely solely on the service app. Tesla needs to keep it working on all phones. It is an issue they are creating for themselves.

A tech. is supposed to be here today to address the issue.

Thanks for the responses I'll keep this updated.

 

[beths11]

The service call started in a predictable way. The technician was sitting in my driveway sending me notices, through the app., that he had arrived...lol. Uh, the app. doesn't work which is the reason for the visit. Finally, he called after two tries with the app. (Dashboard for Tesla gave me notifications about the messages, but I could not view them as the service app. does not load.)

The technician replicated my problems using my phone and tablet. He told me Tesla is going to all communications through the App. to ease the communication burden for technicians (his words). My words, making it harder to communicate with technicians (he shook his head yes).

He asked me for the software version of the phone (did this with online support already) we did it again. My phone is at an android level which Tesla says is supported.

He made another service appointment (????). Still will not escalate to software.

 

[beths11]

Reset the security module in the car and that fixed the app. on my phone...Crazy. Service App. still fails to load. I'm going to contact [email protected] per the service rep. We will see. Case closed

 

[IsthataTesl.a?]

One of my phones, a Samsung Galaxy S5 that was found in an alley by a friend in Chicago just received a notification to update from the Tesla app to upgrade to the most recent version. I probably will, but not today. If I don't do it soon, it may be impossible at some point in the future, particularly since an S5 is supposedly six generations old. That being said, I also have a smartphone which is a slider very similar to one on display at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. It still works, for most things, but there's certainly no Tesla app on it and since it's running Android 2.2 Froyo, just visiting the Google Play Store would probably crash the phone.

One of my biggest disappointments with this S5 was updating the OS and maybe even the application of the carrier. HUGE MISTAKE. Phone has only gotten slower. Wish I could easily undo it, but that ain't gonna happen.

 

[Akikiki]

Wow. Thanks for sharing.

 

[mswlogo]

Not really. On iOS, the App Store typically won't let you download a version that won't work on your device, and the App Store automatically downloads the most recent compatible version instead.

This is probably not an "it doesn't work on my device" problem, but rather a "Motorola shipped a bunch of nonstandard (and likely substandard) code on the device that requires lots of extra testing by app makers to keep apps from randomly breaking" problem.

Android does exactly the same thing as iOS. It’s not the App Store that stops you from downloading on an unsupported phone it’s the Developer.

Problem is, there are so many variants of Android it’s not productive to test them all. It might work on some phones with that vintage Android so they might not have dropped it yet. They can drop phones by model number or by Android version.

OP,

It’s totally ridiculous running that old a phone. I’ve thrown newer ones into the recycle bin.

You could pickup an Android 8 phone for probably $20 or wait by the recycle bin at BestBuy and someone will hand you one. Do you run tires past their time too?

Please don’t waste Tesla’s time on stupid *sugar*. You just use up their time from helping a fellow Tesla owner with a real problem.

You already knew the solution when you posted. And don’t waste your time with a custom rom because you won’t find help because ROM folks have long moved on. Lucky if you see activity on a custom ROM on any phone after 2 years never mind 5-7 years.

Newer ROMs also need beefier hardware and it will run like *sugar* anyway.

Older version of the app will eventually cause problems too. Maybe you should go back to a mini van tech to match your phone tech.

 

[beths11]

Well, I have been working with customer support and the Service App. is now fully functional!!!! I was pushed one level higher than the support center. I communicated with a specialist via email and she worked with the team. I believe they pushed a download to my phone and it works again. I tested it making an appointment and then cancelling it.

If the app does not work on your phone report it. As I said, mine is a Motorola G3 2015 .

 

[IsthataTesl.a?]

Here's an update on the Tesla application and the Samsung Galaxy S5, just now. The Tesla app wouldn't allow signing in with my password and I wasn't able to update the Tesla app while it was open within the Google Play Store.

A quick internet search led me to do the following:
● Clear the cache for all of the Google Play applications including Google Play Services.
● Clear the cache for the Tesla app.
● Go to the Google Play Store where all applications needing an update are listed.
● Update the Tesla app.
● Log in to the Tesla app, this time via a login screen that appeared different than it had previously.

☆ Voila! It works again! And I thought I was going to need to replace the phone or at least take it to someone with way more official technical skills. Nope! The outdated phone found in an alley in Chicago lives on...

 

[TxPanda]

I’m curious why he is holding on to an 8 year old phone as well. Is there a sentimental value or something?

 

[Akikiki]

I'm not curious. Got enough and more important to worry about like; what's for dinner, how many more episodes are left on Last Man Standing; who the Sam Hill is Sam Hill.

 

[beths11]

I’m curious why he is holding on to an 8 year old phone as well. Is there a sentimental value or something

Android does exactly the same thing as iOS. It’s not the App Store that stops you from downloading on an unsupported phone it’s the Developer.

Problem is, there are so many variants of Android it’s not productive to test them all. It might work on some phones with that vintage Android so they might not have dropped it yet. They can drop phones by model number or by Android version.

OP,

It’s totally ridiculous running that old a phone. I’ve thrown newer ones into the recycle bin.

You could pickup an Android 8 phone for probably $20 or wait by the recycle bin at BestBuy and someone will hand you one. Do you run tires past their time too?

Please don’t waste Tesla’s time on stupid *sugar*. You just use up their time from helping a fellow Tesla owner with a real problem.

You already knew the solution when you posted. And don’t waste your time with a custom rom because you won’t find help because ROM folks have long moved on. Lucky if you see activity on a custom ROM on any phone after 2 years never mind 5-7 years.

Newer ROMs also need beefier hardware and it will run like *sugar* anyway.

Older version of the app will eventually cause problems too. Maybe you should go back to a mini van tech to match your phone tech.

Tesla support fixed the problem. Thanks so much for your kind and supportive post.

 

[TxPanda]

I'm not curious. Got enough and more important to worry about like; what's for dinner, how many more episodes are left on Last Man Standing; who the Sam Hill is Sam Hill.

Lol. Yeah he didn’t ask the question anyway too