now that I have a Tesla, my phone battery lasts only 24 hours

[garth_angst]

I have a Moto G5 Plus. I always got 48 hours on my battery. I don't use it much for other than texting and checking email. Now that I got my Tesla LR AWD yesterday, my battery didn't last the day. I charged to 100% this morning and it's below 50% by evening.
Is it because the phone is trying to connect to the car constantly? I'd like to test to see if it's not within bluetooth range if it goes back to regular battery drain speed. Or maybe just not take it with me in the car at all. I'd like to know if there is anything I can do to get back at least some of that battery length.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

How long have you had your phone?
What does the battery drain curve look like?

 

[21miDay]

Were you using Bluetooth before? I turn it off when I am away from the car and that seems to help.
Same question and suggestion for GPS location.

Also, don't keep the app open - just leave it in the background until you want to use it.

 

[garth_angst]

How long have you had your phone?
What does the battery drain curve look like?

I had the phone well over a year. Always lasted 2 days until yesterday when I got my car. Maybe I'll try to turn off bluetooth when away from my car like 21miDay said. And yes, I always had blueetooth on all the time. I think it would be a pain in the add to turn it off every time I get out of my car.

 

[Leafdriver333]

you can tell what app is draining the battery, right?

 

[garth_angst]

you can tell what app is draining the battery, right?

Yup, I just checked. Tesla app shows used for 10h 27m, which is the total time it has been since I unplugged when it hit 100%, so the app seems to be always active.

 

[Leafdriver333]

Yup, I just checked. Tesla app shows used for 10h 27m, which is the total time it has been since I unplugged when it hit 100%, so the app seems to be always active.

Mine is iPhone and Tesla App accounts for only 4% of battery usage while Chome used 44% when I just checked.
I don't always leave the Tesla App in the background. I close it when I am not using it.
occasionally, I do have trouble opening the door to my car.
Then I open the App and unlock it. Part of the reason may be that I have 2 other family members' phones linked to it and they walk by the car in the garage throughout the day.

 

[garth_angst]

Mine is iPhone and Tesla App accounts for only 4% of battery usage while Chome used 44% when I just checked.
I don't always leave the Tesla App in the background. I close it when I am not using it.
occasionally, I do have trouble opening the door to my car.
Then I open the App and unlock it. Part of the reason may be that I have 2 other family members' phones linked to it and they walk by the car in the garage throughout the day.

My phone shows only 3% battery usage, but active for the 10h 27m. So I force stopped it and went into the car using my key card. When I left the car, the doors of course did not auto lock. I had the start up the app again to lock them and now the usage time is going up again, even though I don't have it running in the background. I actually do not see a need for using the app and prefer to open the doors and drive with the key card, but then I don't know how I will be able to lock the doors, so it's a no win situation.

 

[Leafdriver333]

My phone shows only 3% battery usage, but active for the 10h 27m. So I force stopped it and went into the car using my key card. When I left the car, the doors of course did not auto lock. I had the start up the app again to lock them and now the usage time is going up again, even though I don't have it running in the background. I actually do not see a need for using the app and prefer to open the doors and drive with the key card, but then I don't know how I will be able to lock the doors, so it's a no win situation.

you touch the B pillar to lock, I thought.

3% is 3% no matter how long it was active, I thought.

Edit: I am sorry. I missed the 'trying to connect' part.
Maybe your phone does try harder than my phone to connect BT.

 

[ewoodrick]

You know, you may want to give it more than a single day to make a conclusion.

 

[Dana1]

I have a Moto G5 Plus. I always got 48 hours on my battery. I don't use it much for other than texting and checking email. Now that I got my Tesla LR AWD yesterday, my battery didn't last the day. I charged to 100% this morning and it's below 50% by evening.
Is it because the phone is trying to connect to the car constantly? I'd like to test to see if it's not within bluetooth range if it goes back to regular battery drain speed. Or maybe just not take it with me in the car at all. I'd like to know if there is anything I can do to get back at least some of that battery length.

No, it’s not. You’ll note the range left and location is sometimes incorrect when first opening app.

 

[garth_angst]

You know, you may want to give it more than a single day to make a conclusion.

Good point, but it didn't last the day yesterday and won't make it through today. But like LeafDriver said 3% is 3%. I don't think the active time make a difference because I am pretty sure I have seen other apps in the past with very high active time, but with no battery drain issues.
I'll do some testing. Maybe reboot, try bluetooth off, force stop app, etc. and see which makes a difference.

 

[21miDay]

I actually do not see a need for using the app and prefer to open the doors and drive with the key card, but then I don't know how I will be able to lock the doors, so it's a no win situation.

You can lock it after you open the door but before you get out by pressing the lock icon on the upper part of the screen.

 

[afty]

I've seen something similar. When at home my Pixel 3 phone remains connected to the car, and my phone seems not to go into deep sleep. If I turn off Bluetooth, my phone does go to sleep and my battery drain is much slower.

Here's my battery graph for the past two days, with the overnights circled. The red part is with Bluetooth on, the green with it off.

 

[YusufT]

Mine is iPhone and Tesla App accounts for only 4% of battery usage while Chome used 44% when I just checked.
I don't always leave the Tesla App in the background. I close it when I am not using it.
occasionally, I do have trouble opening the door to my car.
Then I open the App and unlock it. Part of the reason may be that I have 2 other family members' phones linked to it and they walk by the car in the garage throughout the day.

You know closing the background app drains your battery more than if you kept it running right? Newer phones(especially iPhone) with more memory can keep an app suspended for a long time. The very act of closing an app and then reopening it when you need it consumes more battery than you just leaving it suspended in the background.

 

[Franchise88]

I have a Moto G5 Plus. I always got 48 hours on my battery. I don't use it much for other than texting and checking email. Now that I got my Tesla LR AWD yesterday, my battery didn't last the day. I charged to 100% this morning and it's below 50% by evening.
Is it because the phone is trying to connect to the car constantly? I'd like to test to see if it's not within bluetooth range if it goes back to regular battery drain speed. Or maybe just not take it with me in the car at all. I'd like to know if there is anything I can do to get back at least some of that battery length.

Having same problem. My battery life sucks since I have had TESLA. I have iPhone XS Max and can’t go a day without battery draining completely.

 

[ammulder]

My battery life sucks since I have had TESLA.

Get rid of TESLA. Lower electric bills, higher battery life. Problem solved!

 

[garth_angst]

Having same problem. My battery life sucks since I have had TESLA. I have iPhone XS Max and can’t go a day without battery draining completely.

So my first test was to keep bluetooth on, but not go into the Tesla app at all. The doors open and lock and I can drive because it is using the phone as a key, but not using the app at all. About 9 hours after full charge, I am still at 84%. At work, I am far form my car, so it is disconnected. At home, I may be within range of the car, so it may either stay connected or keep trying to connect.

My next test after my next phone recharge is to have the app open in the background but do not use it. Maybe every little thing you do in the app is like turbo battery drain.

 

[garth_angst]

No, it’s not. You’ll note the range left and location is sometimes incorrect when first opening app.

I was talking about my phone battery left, not my car range left.

 

[Dana1]

I was talking about my phone battery left, not my car range left.

You asked if car was polling your phone. It’s not. If it was frequently communicating with your phone the app would always be up to date.