Phone as Key Issues

[jomo25]

I think it’s well established, anyone on 2017.anything is having intermittent issues. Unfortunately, there seems to be a reason why older cars can’t take a 2018.x firmware. So until those are addressed, you may experience issues.

I’m wondering if anyone on 2018.4.6 or later are having issues. And if so, what phone, and what phone OS version, after confirming that the 3 was the selected car in the app at the time.

Also interested if anyone on 2017.x isn’t having issues.

 

[Pollux]

I can see the thriller plot now... the villain is chasing the heroine... she has but to reach her Model 3, jump in and speed away to safety... earlier, the audience has seen her leap into the car without hesitation because her phone-is-key (so cool!)... and they also saw another time when the car wouldn't unlock until she used the phone app while cursing her single signal bar and waving the phone around (so frustrating!)... [cut to] keycard, forgotten, at home on the mantlepiece (so useless!)... [cut back to] heroine approaching the car, villain a solid minute behind her... WILL SHE BE ABLE TO UNLOCK THE CAR IN TIME?

Or maybe a rom-com. It's raining, it's pouring.. juggling her Gucci and Prada bags in one hand and her umbrella and purse in the other, she approaches her new, shows-she-cares-about-the-environment-but-is-also-super-cool Tesla Model 3, not noticing the handsome man standing awestruck admiring the car's Aero wheels... and the damned car doesn't unlock. Again! Fumbling in her purse for her phone, she drops her umbrella and instantly gets soaked. Retrieving her umbrella, she punches in frustration at the phone app but the app is associated with her ex-husband's Tesla as well and now the various bugs make it impossible for her to use the phone app to unlock her car... stupid umbrella!.. rooting around in her purse again, trying to find that accursed keycard, she manages to drop her umbrella and her bags!... weeping with rage, shame and frustration, she tries furiously to recover... and by this time, the handsome man has picked up her bags... picked up her umbrella... in low, thrilling, hyper-masculine tones he rumbles, "I've been reading teslamotorsclub.com and I know some workarounds if you'll allow me to come to your assistance, madam"... so she gazes up at him, a welter of passionate, deep emotions flitting across her gorgeous face and, sighing uncontrollably, confesses, "you had me at teslamotorsclub.com".

 

[rogerbohl]

Hooray! Within the past hour, my Tesla 3 received a software update, and the phone-as-key problem evaporated. I was able to activate the feature from inside the car by clicking on the phone app and then the "activate phone key", after which I was asked to put the card-key on the console. Automatic recognition of the phone is now enabled!

"You can identify the pioneers by the arrows in their backs!"

Roger Bohl, early adopter

 

[CuriousG]

Received 2018.4.9 two hours ago. Only difference I noticed so far is the wiper setting screen. They have 4 individual wiper speed settings all lined up now. They added the add/remove key feature but that was already in previous updates. My Bluetooth contacts still doesn't work for iPhone. I turned back on unfold mirror on approach since I've been having issues with the door opening and trunk opening. I would have to work around it by opening the rear driver door just so I can unlock the trunk. Media player bugs still exist.

 

[zdre]

Is anyone having issues with Tesla app hogging the BLE service, not allowing other apps such as Fitbit to use it? My Fitbit text and call notifications stopped working after getting the Model 3. My phone is running the very latest Android version.

 

[Pinot.Noir]

We have not received the latest firmware yet, but for the last week my wife has had no issues with using her phone as key. Perhaps it was some issue that Tesla fixed on their end?

 

[gocken2]

Is anyone having issues with Tesla app hogging the BLE service, not allowing other apps such as Fitbit to use it? My Fitbit text and call notifications stopped working after getting the Model 3. My phone is running the very latest Android version.

I had the same issue with my Fitbit app. After uninstalling, re-installing, modifying all the settings and then putting them back I finally got the Fitbit app to work again. I don't have a clue how i did it. After I got it working I turned off all the auto-sync settings just in case it interferes with the Tesla Key. I have the Pixel also with the latest Android.

 

[roblab]

Tesla needs to figure how to get two phones to blue tooth to each car at once.

As an update: Both phones connect, bluetooth works from either phone since the last download.

 

[jomo25]

So, I experienced a lag or “need to open app” for the first time the other day. Twice. In both cases, I had used the camera on my iPhone X a few minutes before the “failure”. (I had finished washing/detailing and was taking glamour shots ). So, some odd behavior after opening the camera app.

Haven’t had any issues since. I’ve used the camera since, but not right before like that day.

 

[MrBilly]

S70D owner, M3 picked up late Dec. Started out with 2 card keys and 1 phone working as a key, later got the 2nd phone working. Actually both phones working maybe half the time on average, card key or unlock button on app as backup. Last few weeks, wifes phone stopped working as a key. Then both card keys stopped working completely from the B pillar, but both continued to work to start the car behind the cup holder as necessary. But could always push unlock on the phone app. Road trip last weekend, rolled the dice, I wanted to take the 3, the range is great and I don't get to drive it much since we haven't received the carpool stickers yet for my commute. After trip started, phone as key would rarely work from my phone. Then could no longer connect to the model 3 from the app on wifes phone. Just stopped working, could get to model S. Then came back to the parked car from a stop and after some time trying, oops, my phone battery went dead before I could connect, I think the cell reception is bad where the car is. Tried card keys, played with, reinstalled app and relogged in on wifes phone, still can't unlock car. Had to find a store that would let me plug into their charger for a while, finally got on app and pushed the unlock button. Set the car to not lock on walkaway, kept the car unlocked for the rest of the trip.

Took the car to Costa Mesa service for this and other issues first thing Monday. Said they would have it for several days, replacing the front drivers seat and a bunch of expensive sounding charging hardware also. I don't mind any of this, they gave me a nice S75 loaner (first one with carpool stickers as I suggested to them starting years ago!). Knew what I signed up for, I have confidence it will all get worked out.

Quick update. Picked up from service yesterday. They upgraded to 2018.4.9. Cards work B pillar again. Both phones have worked as keys 100% since. Happy...

 

[cwerdna]

I'm on iOS, so I was referring to double tap the home button and swipe the app up off the screen.

Which is true on recent iOS versions, UNLESS you have an iPhone X (which doesn't have a home button and has different steps). Steps for recent iOS devices, including X at How to force an app to close on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

 

[Bruinfan]

My update. Since updating to 4.9 5 days ago, my phone as key has been 100%success rate. A few times it seems i have to wait 15 sec for something to wake up, but it's before perfect besides that. Continuing to knock on wood

 

[UrsS]

Before the last update my phone worked some times - I could not figure out when or what made it work. After the update it does not work as a key at all. The other functions do work and If I enter the password I can unlock or lock the car and drive. So the problem continues.

 

[detlefo]

It is finally working on both my and my wife's phones. My confidence that it will continue to work is, unfortunately low. I am careful to always have the key card with me, just in case. Happily, I have not had to use it in over a week.

 

[RTPEV]

It is finally working on both my and my wife's phones. My confidence that it will continue to work is, unfortunately low. I am careful to always have the key card with me, just in case. Happily, I have not had to use it in over a week.

I appreciate this cautiously optimistic report. I've seen a lot of people report that after a day all is working fine, but in my opinion it's probably best to wait at least a week before declaring victory.

Unfortunately I don't have a Model 3 to share my own phone as key experience, but I would like to share some recent Bluetooth experience that shows, in my opinion, just how unreliable this technology is. Now I admit that this is a generic Bluetooth issue, and not really the exact same BLE technology that the key works on, but my experience is this, and just shows you how different devices will behave quite differently:

With my previous phone, my Bluetooth experience in my LEAF was pretty poor. It would take forever to connect, and occasionally it would fail altogether, requiring a manual reconnect, Bluetooth off/on or Airplane mode on/off to reset.

Then I got a brand new phone, and if it could get any worse, it did. The connection issues continue, and now add in some "skipping" behavior, and the fact that 50% of the time instead of resuming playback where I left off, it resumed playback from the LAST starting point. Again, I realize that this is not a phone as key issue, but just goes to show you that somewhere--either on the phone side or the car side, there is something screwed up.

So my LEAF has been in for service for almost 2 weeks, and I've had another Nissan loaner. The Bluetooth connection on this car, until today, has worked FAR better. I've had no connection issues, it's resumed right where I left off, etc. Aha! Must be the LEAF Bluetooth implementation is to blame.

Well, this morning, the loaner vehicle's Bluetooth acted up. I was getting random connects/disconnects, skipping on the audio, etc. It was horrible. I turned my Bluetooth off and on, and then it started working like a champ again.

All that is to say that even under the best of circumstances, there are still issues with Bluetooth, and so many different variables (different brands of phones, OS'es, versions of OS'es, etc.) that I just think it will be a miracle if this ever works reliably.

 

[slipnslider]

The mere fact that this thread even exists is solid evidence that tesla should be providing a FOB with the car. If you want to spend your time switching phones, making sure you're on the right software version, troubleshooting problems, that's fine you can use the app. For everyone else, a FOB is needed. The mandatory phone key system is the absolute worst part of the model 3 design, and the finicky key card is a poor band aid which only illustrates tesla's own lack of confidence in the phone key.

 

[slipnslider]

so far, in 4 days of interacting with my car... on 50.13, samsung S7edge. only my phone is connected
90% consistent.

once i had to do the bluetooth reset
a couple of times, it unlocked, but then once i got in the car, it wouldn't let me drive for a minute.. i had seat belt latched. it gave me the "tap keycard on cupholder" prompt. i took the phone out of my pocket, then it worked both times.

maybe 25% of the time, i have to wait 30 sec, then it unlocks.

the rest of the time, it works great.

90% is a terrible success rate. 25% delayed success rate is terrible too.
Fobs worked 99.99% of the time. Tesla is creating a ton of problems by trying to impress the phoneosexuals.

 

[napabill]

The mere fact that this thread even exists is solid evidence that tesla should be providing a FOB with the car. If you want to spend your time switching phones, making sure you're on the right software version, troubleshooting problems, that's fine you can use the app. For everyone else, a FOB is needed. The mandatory phone key system is the absolute worst part of the model 3 design, and the finicky key card is a poor band aid which only illustrates tesla's own lack of confidence in the phone key.

I totally disagree. Love not having yet another thing to carry around and misplace.

 

[RTPEV]

I totally disagree. Love not having yet another thing to carry around and misplace.

Like a key card that you can use when your phone app refuses to work?
Or even the phone itself?

 

[napabill]

Like a key card that you can use when your phone app refuses to work?
Or even the phone itself?

Should have elaborated. I use a wallet case for my iPhone, that allows me to carry credit cards, cash, and the iPhone together. No fob required. Has worked flawlessly so far. My only wish is that I could eliminate the fob for my X.