more fun with the phone "key"

[crackers8199]

the phone key is absolute garbage at this point, and seems to be getting worse...not better. for me, anyway.

tonight was a fun one...went to dinner, spent about an hour at the restaurant. when we came out, the car recognized the phone key and let me open the door (i know it was locked because i heard the walk away lock beep and watched the mirrors fold in when i went into the restaurant). sat down in the drivers seat, wife got into the car in the passenger seat. buckled seat belt. pressed brake, all the lights come on and the car starts dinging.

press the stalk up to go into reverse...nothing. down to go into drive...nothing. tap the brake about 10 more times...repeat stalk movement. nothing. go into "locks" section of setup...no keys are active. tap key card, and it lets me put it in gear then.

get to the light at the end of the parking lot, with the locks setup screen still up...now the phone key is active.

this entire system is just madness at this point. they either need to make a FOB available or fix it, now. this is just pathetic for a $60k car.

 

[diamond.g]

Are you submitting bug reports and escalating for executive review?

 

[theblindtree]

I think the phone key is a one of those situations where when it works, it's the best thing in the world...but when it doesn't, it's pretty inconvenient. It doesn't bother me as much others though, as I have a decent idea about the wake/sleep state relationship between the two devices, but it definitely could be better. Did you try unlocking your phone or at least powering on the screen? I have a Pixel XL (Pie) and that generally works to wake the car about 95% of the time if it doesn't respond the first time.

 

[miltymoots]

FWIW, I have very seldom had an issue with the phone as key. Maybe 2-3 times it hasn’t immediately unlocked the car when I get there, only twice of those times have i needed to get my iPhone out and unlock it (the phone) for the key to be recognized. Never used the keycard.

Because tesla doesn’t own the hardware or software on your phone, there is definitely a higher chance that this doesn’t “just work”, with a key you kind of want that guarantee. As to who is at fault though for failures, that is waaay more tricky. IOS/ANDROID versions, your Bluetooth settings, your phone settings, your phone hardware, your tesla app version, car firmware version could all play an interesting part in all of this.

My good experience is currently iPhone 7, iOS 11.4.1, Bluetooth on. Tesla app Version 3.4.3 build 349. Background refresh on, cellular on, Location on (always). Model 3 version 2018.28.3. I also paired the phone through Bluetooth for audio/phone. Hope this helps

 

[Linkeds2]

OP to avoid this hassle next time. Just go into the app > go to controls > press the ‘start’ button. From there, the vehicle gives you 2 minutes to get in and press the brake pedal and it will be ready to drive.

 

[brkaus]

OP to avoid this hassle next time. Just go into the app > go to controls > press the ‘start’ button. From there, the vehicle gives you 2 minutes to get in and press the brake pedal and it will be ready to drive.

Downside is that requires the car to have cellular connectivity. So may not work in a parking garage, etc.

 

[miltymoots]

Downside is that requires the car to have cellular connectivity. So may not work in a parking garage, etc.

IPhone app waking up your car over cellular/WiFi is waaaaaaay more problematic than phone as key in my experience.

 

[AnarchyEOD]

I’ve never had this issue but I’ve only had the car for a few days and I miss the phone key. The car dropped out of my account while they process paperwork.

 

[crackers8199]

Are you submitting bug reports and escalating for executive review?

I haven't yet, been too busy messing with my phone trying to find a way to make it work...but last night might be the straw that broke the camel's back.

OP to avoid this hassle next time. Just go into the app > go to controls > press the ‘start’ button. From there, the vehicle gives you 2 minutes to get in and press the brake pedal and it will be ready to drive.

I shouldn't have to do anything to avoid the hassle...they are advertising it as the primary method for entering and driving the car, and it almost never works.

I'll say it again...it's sad that my $30k 2013 Volt has a better system for entering the car and driving away without ever taking anything out of your pocket than my 2018 Tesla Model 3 that is packed to the gills with tech and cost me $30k more. The Volt has not failed to unlock or start or let me drive it away once...not once in 5+ years.

 

[Joe_M3_Owner]

I am fairly certain that the car is only recognizing the phone via it's bluetooth unique key. Having the Tesla app running in the background shouldn't matter. Therefore, it is important that bluetooth is on and the car recognizes the phone as a bluetooth device.

 

[N5329K]

I still believe Model 3 is the best EV out there for my mission. But the Phone Key Phollies is why I canceled my reservation. It's intended to optimize the experience for users who do not even exist (those renting Model 3's from owners willing to watch strangers drive off in their new cars) and does so at the expense of the actual owners. Crazy.
Hope the company makes fobs available soon. If (and only if) they do, I'd be happy to reenter the queue.
Robin

 

[Lasairfion]

They ought to switch to NFC from bluetooth, or at least add NFC. It's much more stable.

 

[crackers8199]

They ought to switch to NFC from bluetooth, or at least add NFC. It's much more stable.

NFC would require you to get your phone out of your pocket, though. i think the whole point is to make it so that's not necessary...

 

[crackers8199]

it just did it AGAIN! phone unlocked the car but won't allow me to drive.

I give up.

 

[fiatlux]

I wonder if something regressed with 2018.2x.x.

Until a few days ago, I had 100 percent easy success with phone as key (iphone 6s). In the past few days since updating, have had my first entry fail, two auth to start/drive fails, and am seeing a delay between entry and being able to start/drive even when it works. Something definitely seems off.

fwiw, I’ve been otherwise surprised at how well phone as key works as an elegant experience, but the frustration factor on even one fail is very high.

 

[Matt L]

I think the phone key is a one of those situations where when it works, it's the best thing in the world...but when it doesn't, it's pretty inconvenient. It doesn't bother me as much others though, as I have a decent idea about the wake/sleep state relationship between the two devices, but it definitely could be better. Did you try unlocking your phone or at least powering on the screen? I have a Pixel XL (Pie) and that generally works to wake the car about 95% of the time if it doesn't respond the first time.

Best thing in the world here. Love it

 

[miltymoots]

it just did it AGAIN! phone unlocked the car but won't allow me to drive.

I give up.

Just to check as you mentioned above something about tapping the brake 10 times... you are holding the brake down when making the shift?

 

[jsmay311]

I think the phone key is a one of those situations where when it works, it's the best thing in the world...but when it doesn't, it's pretty inconvenient.

I see it exactly the opposite. When it works, it's pretty convenient. When it doesn't work, it's the worst thing in the world.

 

[crackers8199]

Just to check as you mentioned above something about tapping the brake 10 times... you are holding the brake down when making the shift?

yes. I tap the brake and the lights come on (like it normally would), but then after buckling and putting my foot back on the brake to put the car in gear, it doesnt work. it then continues to not work until I tap tth card.

 

[theblindtree]

I see it exactly the opposite. When it works, it's pretty convenient. When it doesn't work, it's the worst thing in the world.

But that's the thing...it doesn't just NOT work for me, I just sometimes have to hit the power button on my phone to jump start the Bluetooth connection. That's a very minor inconvenience for me, but YMMV.