Locked Out!!!

[Struja]

So, I have a bit of a hectic day today and my morning started out (pretty bad). Maybe you can offer some advice (other than the obvious).

I woke up this morning and went over the bank (at 7am). Was a ghost town but needed some cash because I was enroute to pick something up which I had to pay cash for right away. Went into the ATM with my wallet but left phone and keys in the car (yes...I hear the groaning).

Did my quick withdrawal and back to my car. Pressed the door handles and they deployed (proplerly) and off I went.

Went to pick up some food for an event I'm having and I asked the guy I was meeting to wait for me outside. He wasn't avaialbe so I ran into his store and left my keys and phone in the car. I spent all of 4 minutes in his store and when I came out, my car wouldn't open. Door handles would not present themselves. I pushed on them, I tried shaking the car, I tried opening the trunk... nothing. I kept trying over a period of 5-7 minutes but it was FREEZING cold and my jacket was in the car, so I gave up and went back in.

I went back inside the store and called my wife from the store landline and asked her to bring the extra keys (keep in mind, I changed the battery on my key less than 2 weeks ago - so it is a brand new battery).

Waited about 15 minutes for my wife to arrive and figured, let me give it one last try... and the door handles popped open.

No rhyme or reason as to why.

Now, I know the obvious solution is not to leave keys and phone in the car but is there something else I could have or should have done?

 

[benjiejr]

Sorry to the bad start. Not sure why it happened other than somehow the fob was in a location that couldn't give a good signal to the car. Where was the fob? In the cup holder maybe?

One idea off the top of my head... could have had your wife use her phone and Tesla app to unlock the doors to avoid her having to bring you the spare fob.

 

[BIG ACH]

Also Tesla can unlock remotely if you call them and answer some questions. I get your phone was in your car so you'd have to find someone to borrow their phone from.

The car is technically NOT supposed to lock when the key is in the car... the user guide talks about specific sensors in the vehicle that are supposed to interact with the key but they seem to be very picky and if your key is in the wrong spot, it won't pick up and the car will lock you out.

Also - I've read that the phone being in there by the key may also cause some interference.


This happened to me a few days ago, but I was in my garage and was able to just go inside and grab the other key.

 

[murphyS90D]

Keep the phone and fob as far apart as possible. Cellphones transmit a lot to maintain sync with the nearest tower. The cellphone transmitter can block the receiver in the fob because of front end overload. If the fob can't hear the car, it is not going to respond. If the fob doesn't respond the car assumes that none are nearby and locks the car.

 

[TampaRich]

Keep the phone and fob as far apart as possible. Cellphones transmit a lot to maintain sync with the nearest tower. The cellphone transmitter can block the receiver in the fob because of front end overload. If the fob can't hear the car, it is not going to respond. If the fob doesn't respond the car assumes that none are nearby and locks the car.

I wonder if that explains why my car doesn't auto-present as readily as it used to since I got my iPhone X. I carry my phone in my back right pocket and fob in the front right.

 

[Struja]

Sorry to the bad start. Not sure why it happened other than somehow the fob was in a location that couldn't give a good signal to the car. Where was the fob? In the cup holder maybe?

One idea off the top of my head... could have had your wife use her phone and Tesla app to unlock the doors to avoid her having to bring you the spare fob.

My wife doesn't have the app on her phone and I wasn't aware it could be on two phones. Will do! Much better solution.

The fob was in my suit jacket pocket, lying on the back seat. My cell phone was lying on the passenger seat.

 

[Struja]

Also Tesla can unlock remotely if you call them and answer some questions. I get your phone was in your car so you'd have to find someone to borrow their phone from.

The car is technically NOT supposed to lock when the key is in the car... the user guide talks about specific sensors in the vehicle that are supposed to interact with the key but they seem to be very picky and if your key is in the wrong spot, it won't pick up and the car will lock you out.

Also - I've read that the phone being in there by the key may also cause some interference.


This happened to me a few days ago, but I was in my garage and was able to just go inside and grab the other key.

It happened to me once before, but both my extra fob and phone were in my house, so it wasn't such a big issue.

I have noticed, several times, my car tells me "key not detected" even though it is sitting in the front seat beside me. Once I move it into the cup holder, the car detects it. I always figured that meant my battery might be low, but this is literally a brand new battery.

 

[Qbenjamin]

I did this last year, but I didn't have my fob on me, just the phone (which I left in the car). Long story short, I walked 2 miles in 95F heat with 3 bags of heavy groceries. I only use the fob when I go out now, too much of a risk since I habitually leave my phone in the car.

 

[Ande]

I did something similar.
Went out in freezing rain to remove ice from left windshield wiper... The car locked with my phone and fob inside. (On yacht floor)
I learned from that and don't think I'll ever do that again.

 

[scottm]

Also Tesla can unlock remotely if you call them and answer some questions. I get your phone was in your car so you'd have to find someone to borrow their phone from.

The car is technically NOT supposed to lock when the key is in the car... the user guide talks about specific sensors in the vehicle that are supposed to interact with the key but they seem to be very picky and if your key is in the wrong spot, it won't pick up and the car will lock you out.

Also - I've read that the phone being in there by the key may also cause some interference.


This happened to me a few days ago, but I was in my garage and was able to just go inside and grab the other key.

Keep the phone and fob as far apart as possible. Cellphones transmit a lot to maintain sync with the nearest tower. The cellphone transmitter can block the receiver in the fob because of front end overload. If the fob can't hear the car, it is not going to respond. If the fob doesn't respond the car assumes that none are nearby and locks the car.

These are so true.

When I have my phone and fob in same pocket walking up to the car, handles will not deploy... even touching them would not deploy.

I had to grab my phone and separate it from the fob. Then I could touch and they'd deploy, or do a double press on fob to deploy them.

 

[brandonk]

I had something similar, but even more infuriating happen to me -- i ran into the grocery store with just my phone, and by the time i came back out my car had decided to go into a deep sleep, so the app wasnt able to connect. I called Tesla, they were unable to connect as well. Their advice was to "wait 10-15 minutes and then try the app again". Not super satisfied with that advice, but 10 or so minutes later, it worked, so I guess I'm glad that I didn't have to break back into the car (i dont have a spare fob, how would breaking in work, anyways?)

 

[artsci]

So, I have a bit of a hectic day today and my morning started out (pretty bad). Maybe you can offer some advice (other than the obvious).

I woke up this morning and went over the bank (at 7am). Was a ghost town but needed some cash because I was enroute to pick something up which I had to pay cash for right away. Went into the ATM with my wallet but left phone and keys in the car (yes...I hear the groaning).

Did my quick withdrawal and back to my car. Pressed the door handles and they deployed (proplerly) and off I went.

Went to pick up some food for an event I'm having and I asked the guy I was meeting to wait for me outside. He wasn't avaialbe so I ran into his store and left my keys and phone in the car. I spent all of 4 minutes in his store and when I came out, my car wouldn't open. Door handles would not present themselves. I pushed on them, I tried shaking the car, I tried opening the trunk... nothing. I kept trying over a period of 5-7 minutes but it was FREEZING cold and my jacket was in the car, so I gave up and went back in.

I went back inside the store and called my wife from the store landline and asked her to bring the extra keys (keep in mind, I changed the battery on my key less than 2 weeks ago - so it is a brand new battery).

Waited about 15 minutes for my wife to arrive and figured, let me give it one last try... and the door handles popped open.

No rhyme or reason as to why.

Now, I know the obvious solution is not to leave keys and phone in the car but is there something else I could have or should have done?

I had this happen a few weeks ago near a coffee shop. My solution was to borrow someone’s phone, download the Tesla app, log in, and open the car with that person’s phone. Worked like a charm.

 

[Tiger]

@JonMc I hereby conclude )and declare) this is a design flaw (i.e., a bug) that needs to be fixed.

 

[Hugh Mannity]

I had something similar, but even more infuriating happen to me -- i ran into the grocery store with just my phone, and by the time i came back out my car had decided to go into a deep sleep, so the app wasnt able to connect. I called Tesla, they were unable to connect as well. Their advice was to "wait 10-15 minutes and then try the app again". Not super satisfied with that advice, but 10 or so minutes later, it worked, so I guess I'm glad that I didn't have to break back into the car (i dont have a spare fob, how would breaking in work, anyways?)

that is really weird; I've noticed the car going to "deep sleep" before too; sometimes many door handle pushes or key fob presses are required to open the car. Does the car go into REM sleep ? maybe I'll check the headlights next time to see if they are darting back and forth - LOL

 

[Evoforce]

My wife doesn't have the app on her phone and I wasn't aware it could be on two phones. Will do! Much better solution.

The fob was in my suit jacket pocket, lying on the back seat. My cell phone was lying on the passenger seat.

Yes, so your wife knows where you are at all times. And also, your phone may no longer be able to lie for you while riding shotgun! We are not even going to mention Fob languishing in your clothes in the backseat.

 

[Frisco-Dad]

@Struja maybe your 12V battery is starting to go bad. Take a look at this other thread. 12 volt battery replacement

1. My car wouldn’t recognize key fobs until I took them out and either put it in the cup holder or press buttons on the fob a few times. This made managing the doors, frunk, and trunk difficult. I used to be able to leave my fob in a pocket or in my purse and it would be recognized. I told the service center that I suspected the fob issue was related to the 12V. After the battery was replaced, they noticed that the fob problem (which they also observed) was gone.