Locked out!

[Habious]

The antenna wire (that you want to get to, to extend the range) is located behind the left dash panel. You take off the dash panel (and I think the driver's side sill panel) and you can get to it. I'm going from pictures and memories, since I don't have a Roadster any more. I think you have to remove a couple of screws on the headlight switch panel/cubby.

From the factory, the wire is wrapped up with several others, and just...ends.

Unwrapping it from the bundle helps with the range a bit. Taking another piece of wire, connecting that to it, and routing the extended wire along the underside the driver's sill helps A LOT with the range.

 

[simonog]

If you have an OVMS then you can unlock the car from your phone with the PIN.

Thank you - I do, and it would be easier than the key in the lower door panel and lying on the ground.

It doesn’t, however, unalarm the car so I still need to know how to stop the alarm and enter the code to let me drive.

 

[markwj]

It doesn’t, however, unalarm the car so I still need to know how to stop the alarm and enter the code to let me drive.

Cars outside USA are fitted with an immobiliser/alarm that will _only_ work from the keyfob. No code on VDS (or OVMS) can disarm that.

 

[PV-EV]

On our 2.5 a Ranger showed me that you remove the cubby where the trunk button is and then you can see the FOB antenna wire wrapped around a wiring bundle. We were able to reach in, unwind it and pass it up between the dash and the windshield. Then I routed it up the edge of the windshield and hid behind a piece of EDPM. No dash disassembly required. Did take some perseverance. Range much improved.

 

[simonog]

Cars outside USA are fitted with an immobiliser/alarm that will _only_ work from the keyfob. No code on VDS (or OVMS) can disarm that.

Mark - Thank you. Not what I wanted to hear but better than hoping vainly!

Makes the manual unlock a bit of a waste of time doesn’t it?

 

[bolosky]

I had a problem where my key fob would not lock the car, but it was fine with unlocking and opening the trunk. It didn't seem to be an RF problem, because you'd expect that to hit all three functions, not just one.

It turned out that what happened was that pocket lint had worked its way into the contacts of the lock switch, and so it was tricky to get it to make contact. Tesla service cleaned it out and it worked fine for a while, then eventually started happening again, so I replaced the fob.

 

[markwj]

Mark - Thank you. Not what I wanted to hear but better than hoping vainly!

Makes the manual unlock a bit of a waste of time doesn’t it?

Security is sometimes inconvenient. I'm glad the cars outside North America have that separate security system, and don't rely solely on a 4 digit PIN. Remember the movie "Gone in 60 Seconds"?

 

[NigelM]

If the 12v battery is starting to die (I've found they last about 3 years but YMMV) it also helps to open the charge port and wait for a few sections till systems power up and then try unlocking the car.

I've also had the experience (like the OP) where the car suddenly wouldn't unlock, then was fine for a few days then would refuse to unlock the doors again....rinse and repeat.... Turned out to be a fault in the switchpack assembly which needed replacing (cost ~$1k incl labor)

 

[simonog]

Security is sometimes inconvenient. I'm glad the cars outside North America have that separate security system, and don't rely solely on a 4 digit PIN. Remember the movie "Gone in 60 Seconds"?

Mark: you make an excellent point!

 

[ML Auto]

Security is sometimes inconvenient. I'm glad the cars outside North America have that separate security system, and don't rely solely on a 4 digit PIN. Remember the movie "Gone in 60 Seconds"?

But fortunately, its up to an eight digit PIN if you want it to be. As long as you don't use your birthday you should be fine.

 

[markwj]

But fortunately, its up to an eight digit PIN if you want it to be. As long as you don't use your birthday you should be fine.

8 digit PIN will certainly help. It'll extend brute force from less than a minute to a few hours. It's not like we leave our cars unattended anywhere for a few hours, right?

Oh, and let's hope nobody is listening on the CAN bus when that disarm/arm/valet code is entered - because then 4 or 8 digits makes no difference.

 

[simonog]

Oh, and let's hope nobody is listening on the CAN bus when that disarm/arm/valet code is entered - because then 4 or 8 digits makes no difference.

Can arm/disarm actually be entered on the CAN bus? If so, why doesn’t OVMS let me disarm and just lets me unlock?

 

[markwj]

Can arm/disarm actually be entered on the CAN bus? If so, why doesn’t OVMS let me disarm and just lets me unlock?

The CAN bus can arm/disarm the Tesla side of things. But the immobiliser on vehicles outside North America is a completely separate system (operated by key fob).

 

[simonog]

I wonder why they took such a different approach in and outside the US?

 

[markwj]

I wonder why they took such a different approach in and outside the US?

They built the USA 1.5 cars first, with their simple PIN code locking system.

Then, when it came to cars for Europe, they presumably found that EU regulations mandated the fitting of immobilisers in new cars. Same thing for side indicator lights, reversing vs fog lights, etc. Each market has slightly different homologation requirements.

 

[Rotarypower]

The CAN bus can arm/disarm the Tesla side of things. But the immobiliser on vehicles outside North America is a completely separate system (operated by key fob).

This immobilizer system also exists in Canadian vehicles. My 2011 Sport has this system, it was originally a Canadian car.