Model Y Phone Key

[ysalee]

Anyone having issues with adding phone key?

I was able to pair my phone bluetooth with the car but cannot add Phone Key. I tried two different iPhones both same issue. My service appointment is in a week but just wondering if anyone had the issue and was able to resolve it.

Tried power cycling phone, turning on / off bluetooth, made sure phone wasn't on low battery mode, etc. I am able to play my songs from my phone on the car as well through bluetooth, but phone pairing on app kept saying cannot locate vehicle.

I am able to lock / unlock remotely with my phone app though..

Thanks all!

 

[Carlx1]

How was your issue resolved. I a having same trouble.

 

[Puma2020]

Did you follow the steps on page 9 of the Owner's manual? You have to have a linked phone but then go through the steps and use the key card to authenticate the phone.

 

[LosAngelesBonW]

Do you have to have the app open to use the phone as a key? Mine seems to work that way, but that seems more cumbersome than I'd expect from Tesla.

 

[Flybuddy]

Do you have to have the app open to use the phone as a key? Mine seems to work that way, but that seems more cumbersome than I'd expect from Tesla.

No, the phone key should still work with the app closed.

 

[Puma2020]

Actually, you can't close the app. You can minimize it, but if you close it, the car doesn't seem to recognize your phone as a key. That happened to me yesterday. Closed all of the apps on the phone. Later went to the car and it was asking for the key card. Started the app on the phone, and bingo, it was happy again. Happy car = happy driver.

 

[DaveORD]

App running or not is a crap shoot, different results reported. For me, IOS iPhone XS Max the app must be running to unlock. Maybe I am missing a setting, who knows. But it should unlock if your app is running, Bluetooth is enabled and the key card was used to authenticate the phone. The car only trusts the key cards initially, you have to use the key card to vouch for the phone.

 

[RedMyMind]

My phone key wouldn't work for my new Y, service didn't figure it out at first, then suggested i delete and re-install the app. That fixed it.

 

[rick1906]

Actually, you can't close the app. You can minimize it, but if you close it, the car doesn't seem to recognize your phone as a key. That happened to me yesterday. Closed all of the apps on the phone. Later went to the car and it was asking for the key card. Started the app on the phone, and bingo, it was happy again. Happy car = happy driver.

App running or not is a crap shoot, different results reported. For me, IOS iPhone XS Max the app must be running to unlock. Maybe I am missing a setting, who knows. But it should unlock if your app is running, Bluetooth is enabled and the key card was used to authenticate the phone. The car only trusts the key cards initially, you have to use the key card to vouch for the phone.

In Settings, if you change location services for the Tesla app to “Always,” you don’t need to have the app open or minimized for the phone key to work. I had an iPhone XR and just got an 11 Pro Max and it worked fine with either phone.

 

[DaveORD]

In Settings, if you change location services for the Tesla app to “Always,” you don’t need to have the app open or minimized for the phone key to work. I had an iPhone XR and just got an 11 Pro Max and it worked fine with either phone.

Thanks, will give it a try. One question though, if my phone key is always active with this change, and my MY is in the garage so close to my phone (10 feet away on other side of a wall), does it still go to sleep? Right now if on the other side of that common wall with garage and I turn on the app, I can hear my MY power up and come alive. It is still locked, but it is now awake and able to be opened if I pull the door handle. So the concern is with the phone being so close to the MY in my scenario, does this change to key always on prevent the MY from going to asleep? If so, then I am better off leaving it as is. I guess I need to run a test, unless somebody here already knows the answer..

 

[filotej]

Recommend for those who use an Apple Watch. Get this app Home - Watch app for Tesla

 

[E_R_N]

Thanks, will give it a try. One question though, if my phone key is always active with this change, and my MY is in the garage so close to my phone (10 feet away on other side of a wall), does it still go to sleep? Right now if on the other side of that common wall with garage and I turn on the app, I can hear my MY power up and come alive. It is still locked, but it is now awake and able to be opened if I pull the door handle. So the concern is with the phone being so close to the MY in my scenario, does this change to key always on prevent the MY from going to asleep? If so, then I am better off leaving it as is. I guess I need to run a test, unless somebody here already knows the answer..

No issues there. My phone and my wifes are set to always use the location and are right above the car, about 10' away and the car wont wake up and unlock until the phone is almost within arms distance of the car.

 

[dingular]

My phone key wouldn't work for my new Y, service didn't figure it out at first, then suggested i delete and re-install the app. That fixed it.

congrats on getting your Y!!!

I had this exact issue and time solved it, not deleting the app. I decided to take it home in spite of it not working at the lot, and it magically worked 2-3 hrs after getting home.

 

[Roxy6]

Anyone having issues with adding phone key?

I was able to pair my phone bluetooth with the car but cannot add Phone Key. I tried two different iPhones both same issue. My service appointment is in a week but just wondering if anyone had the issue and was able to resolve it.

Tried power cycling phone, turning on / off bluetooth, made sure phone wasn't on low battery mode, etc. I am able to play my songs from my phone on the car as well through bluetooth, but phone pairing on app kept saying cannot locate vehicle.

I am able to lock / unlock remotely with my phone app though..

Thanks all!

I was having this exact same issue and it was so frustrating! Fortunately, I found a solution and I hope it works for you and others too.

If you have an IPhone, try going into Settings > Privacy > Bluetooth > Tesla (turn on). This will allow the Tesla app to use Bluetooth to setup the Phone Key option. Hope this helps!