M3 card stolen, new iPhone not yet setup as key...but still can drive?

[QT123]

Yeah. I guess it's that part where the behavior has to be verified.

We all know that "Auto Lock" when using a "Keycard" doesn't work. That's only a feature when "Phone as a Key" when the Model 3 detects the phone is no longer in the cabin and has moved out of range. Also, my assumption is your wife has no way to lock the vehicle after she exits. So, there's no way to lock the vehicle when she gets to work.

If the car is turned on or put into gear, specifically via the "Phone as a Key" method and not via the "Keycard", while the car is on and in gear and the phone is no longer detected (i.e. You're gone for hours, phone and key with you miles away), I don't think the car ever "shuts off"... Can probably test this theory by:

1. Get into car using "Phone as Key".
2. Put the car into gear and drive a bit.
3. Turn off Bluetooth on your phone or put into Airplane mode.
4. Stop and exit the vehicle. Close the door.
5. Wait some time... Maybe, not 9 hours.
6. Re-enter the door and see if the car is still on and allows you to drive off.

Again, this is just a theory.

Yeah. Interesting idea. It's crazy though that the car shows exactly what her phone does -- that it's not even setup or registered as a key. It's nowhere in the system at all, on either end.

 

[Shygar]

I had a weird thing happen the other day where my phone was in the house charging and was 'Connected' according to the notification (close enough to my garage). But I wanted to drive so I used the key card. I used the key card to get in the car, but I noticed I never needed to put the key card in the center console to start driving the car.

I'm guessing it's because my phone was 'connected', but I was surprised it would work being that far away from the car. In theory if I was near my car and it was unlocked for some reason, someone could just jump in it and start driving it away. Shouldn't it check for a much shorter range for the phone before allowing the car to drive off?

 

[Need]

But I wanted to drive so I used the key card. I used the key card to get in the car, but I noticed I never needed to put the key card in the center console to start driving the car.

I just tested this, it seems like you don't need the keycard on the console to drive if you just opened the door with the keycard. There seem to be a grace period though. I went back inside for 5 min and go back out, car is still unlocked because car was unlocked with keycard, but I can't put the car in drive any more... got the tap keycard on console screen.

 

[JeffK]

I just tested this, it seems like you don't need the keycard on the console to drive if you just opened the door with the keycard. There seem to be a grace period though. I went back inside for 5 min and go back out, car is still unlocked because car was unlocked with keycard, but I can't put the car in drive any more... got the tap keycard on console screen.

Yes, the grace period is two minutes according to the manual (page 7)

 

[TT97]

I just tested this, it seems like you don't need the keycard on the console to drive if you just opened the door with the keycard. There seem to be a grace period though. I went back inside for 5 min and go back out, car is still unlocked because car was unlocked with keycard, but I can't put the car in drive any more... got the tap keycard on console screen.

From Page 39:

Powering Off
When you finish driving, shift into Park by pressing the button on the end of the gear selector. The parking brake automatically engages and all systems keep operating. When you leave Model 3 with your authenticated phone and key card, it powers off automatically, turning off the touchscreen.

Model 3 also powers off automatically after being in Park for 15 minutes, even if you are sitting in the driver’s seat.

 

[Kermee]

From Page 39:

Powering Off
When you finish driving, shift into Park by pressing the button on the end of the gear selector. The parking brake automatically engages and all systems keep operating. When you leave Model 3 with your authenticated phone and key card, it powers off automatically, turning off the touchscreen.

Model 3 also powers off automatically after being in Park for 15 minutes, even if you are sitting in the driver’s seat.

Interesting — Great find!

The key phrase is "When you leave Model 3 with your authenticated phone..." — But if you put the vehicle into park and there's no authenticated phone active or keycard at the time, what does it do? And if I'm only using a keycard, I know I have to touch the pillar after I exit in order to properly lock the vehicle.

 

[TT97]

Interesting — Great find!

The key phrase is "When you leave Model 3 with your authenticated phone..." — But if you put the vehicle into park and there's no authenticated phone active or keycard at the time, what does it do? And if I'm only using a keycard, I know I have to touch the pillar after I exit in order to properly lock the vehicle.

I didn't quite get their method as while the car can identify the phone leaving, it has no way of detecting the location of the key card. As a fall back, it does state it shuts down 15 minutes after putting in Park.

 

[trm2]

Where is her old phone? Could it be in the car?

 

[Kermee]

I didn't quite get their method as while the car can identify the phone leaving, it has no way of detecting the location of the key card. As a fall back, it does state it shuts down 15 minutes after putting in Park.

Yeah. Exactly. Hrm... I might have some time to try to "simulate" this scenario later today. Now I'm curious...

 

[TT97]

Where is her old phone? Could it be in the car?

The screen shows last time the old phone was used was 9/28.

 

[JeffK]

Alright folks. Much appreciate the expert sleuthing. Unfortunately -- it's as suspected. Something very strange is going on.

Reminder of details:
-- Wife's key card was stolen on Oct 2.
-- Her new iPhone is logged into our account on the app, but not setup as a key.
-- Nor is it registered in the system (as you can see).
-- The only other key and phone are mine (which activated when I got in the car to take this pic).
-- My phone obviously stays with me (I barely drive it), and my card is always (and currently) in my wallet.

Somehow she's driven her car to work 5 miles away from home, every day, parked there, worked 9 hours, drove home, parked at home, charged, etc, every day since Oct 2.

Apologies if this is hard to read!

What I don't understand is why was it necessary to use your card at 8:23 AM today?

 

[Big Earl]

Can anyone just walk up and drive your wife's car? Are you able to drive it if you leave your phone and key card in the house?

 

[brobinson]

the obvious answer is that she ate the card

 

[Need]

Maybe your car is in service mode or something. I think I read somewhere that when you take your car into service, they could put your car in that mode so that as long as the car is unlock, anyone could drive it around without keyfob or keycard or phone....

 

[Shygar]

the obvious answer is that she ate the card

Or the phone

 

[iwannam3]

It's entirely possible it's in the car somewhere, but I tore through it last night for about 45 minutes and didn't see it anywhere -- much less in the center console. It's so bizarre.

It is a black card that may have dropped between the black console and the black seat and the black carpet and black seat rails. I know, took me 1/2 hour searching multiple times.

 

[Camera-Cruiser]

Is it too obvious to ask, but have you gone to the service center? Rebooted etc? Otherwise, I want to know where you live

 

[SMAlset]

I know you can delete a phone that is used as a key. Would think you could do this for a key card that is lost or stolen.

 

[NathanielHrnblwr]

Any update on this mystery?

 

[SoCalMom]

Something similar happened to my mom's car earlier this week. I met with her for lunch, as we were about to finish lunch, she mentioned that she had left her cell phone at home. My first question was "How did you drive the car?". We figured she must have had her phone in her purse. We search thoroughly and didn't find it. Our next guess was that it had fallen out of her purse and into the car. I went outside to look for it. Her car was unlocked, when I got in the screen and AC started up normally. I looked everywhere and could not find her cell phone. I went back into the restaurant and we called my dad and he confirmed her cell phone was at home.

Luckily she had her key card with her. She used it to lock the car while we finished lunch. We haven't had a chance to try and reproduce this scenario.

She did not swipe her key card to start driving when she left home to go to the restaurant. In fact, she had to dig through her purse a lot to find the card. I'm not sure how she was able to drive.