Phone as Key Issues

[crackers8199]

of course I jinxed it. I had the trifecta just now in a 30 minute trip to a few stores...first the charge cord wouldn't unlock. then at the first store the car didn't lock as I walked away. then at the last store it didn't recognize the phone key at all.

Tesla really needs to get this sorted. I'm sure they will, but right now it's just not reliable enough at all to use. I'm going to have to turn the phone key off and use the card exclusively at this point...it's sad that my volt which cost $30k less has a better experience for walking up to the car, opening the door, sitting down and driving away...

 

[slipnslider]

A new problem I discovered with the phone key thing is that while washing my car I was constantly wrestling with my car to keep it from locking me out or turning on the stereo and air conditioning. Never had this problem with my "dumber" cars.

 

[diamond.g]

A new problem I discovered with the phone key thing is that while washing my car I was constantly wrestling with my car to keep it from locking me out or turning on the stereo and air conditioning. Never had this problem with my "dumber" cars.

Guess you should turn BT on your phone off. Having a fob won't fix that issue unless you leave your fob in the house while washing the car. Other cars with real keyless entry (like VW) should exhibit the same issue if you have the fob in pocket while washing the car.

 

[tivoboy]

A new problem I discovered with the phone key thing is that while washing my car I was constantly wrestling with my car to keep it from locking me out or turning on the stereo and air conditioning. Never had this problem with my "dumber" cars.

I haven't had this problem, but i use the APP to just unlock the button on the car. Then I put the phone back in the garage (since I wash outside). and didn't have any problem with the car locking.

 

[JDea]

I don't know if this happened to anyone else, but ever since my phone upgrade to Android Pie (9.0) and maybe the update to 28.1, but my bluetooth has been a lot more consistent. I haven't had any issues opening my door now.

I believe it's something that changed in the Android Pie update on my Pixel XL since my smartwatch also stays connected more consistently now as well. It was kind of a way to reference if my bluetooth was crapping out (losing connectivity and missing smart watch notifications).

Wondering if anyone has the same experience if they updated to Android Pie.

 

[slipnslider]

Guess you should turn BT on your phone off. Having a fob won't fix that issue unless you leave your fob in the house while washing the car. Other cars with real keyless entry (like VW) should exhibit the same issue if you have the fob in pocket while washing the car.

I'm sure there are workarounds, it just seems like things that are "better" or "more convenient" shouldn't also require more workarounds.

 

[diamond.g]

I'm sure there are workarounds, it just seems like things that are "better" or "more convenient" shouldn't also require more workarounds.

I guess it could be more annoying with the mirrors folding and unfolding.

 

[slipnslider]

I guess it could be more annoying with the mirrors folding and unfolding.

I turned that off completely simply because I don't want to wear out those motors and have to replace them after the warranty ends. I rarely need to shrink my car by 2 inches.

 

[RTPEV]

A new problem I discovered with the phone key thing is that while washing my car I was constantly wrestling with my car to keep it from locking me out or turning on the stereo and air conditioning. Never had this problem with my "dumber" cars.

I'm having the mobile car wash service come tomorrow to wash my car, so we'll see how that works out. Hopefully using the key card to unlock will keep it permanently unlocked. I do hope the A/C stays on for him when the door is open though.

Guess you should turn BT on your phone off. Having a fob won't fix that issue unless you leave your fob in the house while washing the car. Other cars with real keyless entry (like VW) should exhibit the same issue if you have the fob in pocket while washing the car.

Definitely don't agree with this, although maybe the VW is a special case. Keyless entry systems I have used require a button press on the handle to lock the door, so keeping the fob in your pocket will not result in getting locked out unless you specifically press the lock button on the handle or the fob.

 

[diamond.g]

I'm having the mobile car wash service come tomorrow to wash my car, so we'll see how that works out. Hopefully using the key card to unlock will keep it permanently unlocked. I do hope the A/C stays on for him when the door is open though.



Definitely don't agree with this, although maybe the VW is a special case. Keyless entry systems I have used require a button press on the handle to lock the door, so keeping the fob in your pocket will not result in getting locked out unless you specifically press the lock button on the handle or the fob.

As far as I can tell only VWaG, and Mercedes have keyless entry similar to Tesla, in the sense of you can walk up to the car and pull the handle and it unlock without you having to press a button on the door. I am not sure if Aston Martin, the Nissan GT-R and some of the Jaguars are the same (no button). I know the first two of those have door handles like the Model 3 though.

 

[pdxrunr]

Put the car in neutral, apply parking brake. Car stays on and unlocked while washing. Crank audio loud enough to hear while washing

 

[drawfour]

As far as I can tell only VWaG, and Mercedes have keyless entry similar to Tesla, in the sense of you can walk up to the car and pull the handle and it unlock without you having to press a button on the door. I am not sure if Aston Martin, the Nissan GT-R and some of the Jaguars are the same (no button). I know the first two of those have door handles like the Model 3 though.

My wife's 2010 Toyota Prius works like that. You walk up with the fob in your pocket, and just pull on the door handle. It's got a sensor in the handle, so you can call it a button press if you want, but there is no place you have to press first. You just put your hand in and pull, and it unlocks and opens. Locking can be done via pushing a button on the fob, or just by touching a specific area of the handle with your fob in your pocket.

It's nice.

 

[diamond.g]

My wife's 2010 Toyota Prius works like that. You walk up with the fob in your pocket, and just pull on the door handle. It's got a sensor in the handle, so you can call it a button press if you want, but there is no place you have to press first. You just put your hand in and pull, and it unlocks and opens. Locking can be done via pushing a button on the fob, or just by touching a specific area of the handle with your fob in your pocket.

It's nice.

Nice, to be fair the Model 3 got the lamest keyless presentation of the Teslas so far. The S handles pop out, and the X opens the door for you. All the 3 would do is unfold the mirrors. This was before Tesla removed walk up unlock from the 3 due to complaints.

 

[drawfour]

Nice, to be fair the Model 3 got the lamest keyless presentation of the Teslas so far. The S handles pop out, and the X opens the door for you. All the 3 would do is unfold the mirrors. This was before Tesla removed walk up unlock from the 3 due to complaints.

I will note that in the Prius, only the front doors unlock that way. So if you need to put a kid in the backseat, you have to go to the front and just touch behind the handle so the sensor kicks in and unlocks, then open the rear door. Or use your fob. I don't have a Model 3 yet, so I don't know if the back doors open the same way as the front, or if you need to "unlock" the car from the front doors first. I assume any door will just open as long as your phone-as-fob is in range.

And locking on the Prius is the same - either use the fob, or touch the front driver/passenger handle in the right spot to lock.

 

[crackers8199]

the phone as key that was so solid last week after i updated to a new rom has been absolute garbage the past few days, back to working maybe one of every 3 or 4 tries.

 

[RodF]

Nice, to be fair the Model 3 got the lamest keyless presentation of the Teslas so far. The S handles pop out, and the X opens the door for you. All the 3 would do is unfold the mirrors. This was before Tesla removed walk up unlock from the 3 due to complaints.

Did Tesla remove the walk up unlock? Both our MS and 3 still have the feature.

 

[BioSehnsucht]

Did Tesla remove the walk up unlock? Both our MS and 3 still have the feature.

It might be that before it would unfold the mirrors as you walked up, just as it folds them as you walk away? People complained that merely walking around their house or going through the garage would cause it to constantly operate the mirrors. You might leave your key fob inside but many tend to keep the phone on you...

 

[diamond.g]

It might be that before it would unfold the mirrors as you walked up, just as it folds them as you walk away? People complained that merely walking around their house or going through the garage would cause it to constantly operate the mirrors. You might leave your key fob inside but many tend to keep the phone on you...

Pretty much this. Even though those same folks could turn the feature off, or Tesla could have set it off as the default, Tesla chose to remove it all together. So now you have to actuate the door handle before the car will unlock.

 

[crackers8199]

my phone key has gotten exponentially worse over the past few days. the second i walk out of range, it's done. i have to tap the card on the door to unlock...

amusingly, once i do that it recognizes the phone key to allow me to drive away. it's almost as if the car is asleep but once tapping the card on the pillar wakes it up, it then connects to the phone key again. this is madness. i wonder if this has to do with me sending a lock via the api as soon as bluetooth disconnects (as my workaround for walk away lock not working half the time)...

 

[jsmay311]

i have to tap the card on the door to unlock...

amusingly, once i do that it recognizes the phone key to allow me to drive away.

Could this just be due to the fact that after unlocking with the key card you have 2 minutes to start the car without having to place the key card by the sensors behind the cup holders? I.e., maybe it's not actually pairing with the phone key?