Phone key no longer working after update(s)

[Jason71]

As it's been almost a month since my original post, I just wanted to see if anyone has any progress with the issues if they have been resolved by recent tesla updates, or if it's purely an Android 13 issue.

Model Y: 2022.20.8 > 2022.28.1
Tesla App: 4.11.2-1215 > 4.12.1-1271

I ask as I have now upgraded from a Pixel 4a running android 13 to a Pixel 6a running android 12.
Currently my Pixel 6a running android 12 is working absolutely as expected.
However the phone is begging to me updated to android 13, and I am avoiding this as much as possible until I know for sure the issues are fixed.

Are you sure it is not battery management putting the app to sleep. This has been an issue in the past on various phones. You can normally tell the phone not to do this for specific apps. I could tell you how on a samsung on 12. But no idea about a pixel on 13

 

[meavydev]

Yes, this looks like a stupid mistake to me. I always have to remember to start the Tesla app after a phone reboot. A quite unnecessary mistake.

I'm not sure if they did this on purpose, as it was around the time of the Bluetooth relay hack was made public, so it is possible they did it so a user has to make a decision to start the app.

 

[Skie]

I’ve just transferred from an older iPhone to a new one and the app got itself into a weird state where I could see everything but it complained about not having Bluetooth access (it did) and that the data connection wasn’t working.

Logging out and back in on the app fixed it. Had to pair the new phone as a car key but that’s a 30 second process.

 

[bedoig]

As it's been almost a month since my original post, I just wanted to see if anyone has any progress with the issues if they have been resolved by recent tesla updates, or if it's purely an Android 13 issue.

Model Y: 2022.20.8 > 2022.28.1
Tesla App: 4.11.2-1215 > 4.12.1-1271

I ask as I have now upgraded from a Pixel 4a running android 13 to a Pixel 6a running android 12.
Currently my Pixel 6a running android 12 is working absolutely as expected.
However the phone is begging to me updated to android 13, and I am avoiding this as much as possible until I know for sure the issues are fixed.

No improvements for me on a Pixel 4 XL running the September update of Android 13. Still need to toggle BT to get it to work periodically. You're probably aware the Pixel 6 series can't be rolled back to Android 12 after the update, so definitely think hard before hitting that update button

 

[Fursty Ferret]

I also have issues with a Pixel 5. I’m guessing it’s Google’s buggy Bluetooth stack since it also drops the connection to my Garmin watch on a regular basis.

Changing to iPhone 14 next week so will hopefully solve the problem, though I wish they’d pull their collective fingers out and implement the NFC unlock that Android gets.

 

[hgmichna]

Pixel 6 here. I can confirm that one of the causes seems to have something to do with Bluetooth. Sometimes, when the phone car key does not work, disabling and re-enabling Bluetooth makes it work again.

But at other times it doesn't. If memory serves, temporarily going into airplane mode then sometimes solves the problem. This also disables and re-enables Bluetooth on the side, so there can be mistakes in identifying the cause.

 

[Mad Professor]

Thanks for the updates everyone.
I am sure that Tesla are aware of the issue, but if this issue is to do with the Android 13 Bluetooth stack, I don't think there's going to be a quick fix unless Tesla fines a workaround or google fixes the issue.
At this point in time I am going to keep declining the prompts to upgrade, I just hope that android is not like windows and ends up doing a forced update.

Just for reference here is my phones current details.

Pixel 6a - Android 12

Baseband version
g5123b-99903-220705-B-8798262

Kernal version
5.10.66-android12-9-00007-g66c74c58ab38-ab8262750
#1 Mon Mar 7 01:27:36 UTC 2022

Build number
SD2A.220601.003.B1

 

[airpor41]

Pixel 4A here. I did the Android "security" update about a week ago and believed, until today, that it was all fixed. This morning, broken again.

 

[yessuz]

Pixel 4A 5G - it breaks once in a while. I just disable and re-enable bluetooth and it starts working again.

I also, on most cases, cary my work phone, which is iphone and set tesla app there as well - so to be sure it will work all the time

waiting for new update from google.

 

[doats1]

My wife had the same issue with her Android phone. Android's power management will often disable services/hardware that haven't been used for a while to optimise power; Bluetooth included.

Has anyone tried going into the battery optimisation settings and turning off battery optimisation for both Bluetooth AND the Tesla app? This will give both unrestricted use. I know the OP mentioned it in but wasn't clear if the optimisation was turned off or on and if the Tesla app was included in that setting.

 

[hgmichna]

Bluetooth is not an app, for which battery use can be optimized. I don't know of any such setting.

But I have the same problem on a Pixel 6. It works, but the next day it doesn't. Often disabling and re-enabling Bluetooth makes it work again.

 

[doats1]

I know Bluetooth is not an app, but battery optimisation isn't limited to apps on Android. It also includes services like Bluetooth and Wifi.

 

[Zilla91]

I’ve had two instances today of my car not unlocking until I took my phone out of my pocket and unlocked it. iPhone 13 Pro Max on iOS 16.

Not had this happen since my first week with the car in March.

 

[hgmichna]

I know Bluetooth is not an app, but battery optimisation isn't limited to apps on Android. It also includes services like Bluetooth and Wifi.

But how can I exempt Bluetooth from battery optimization? I suspect I can do that only for apps, not for system functions.

 

[meavydev]

I'm not having to disable and re-enable Bluetooth, only start the Tesla app if the T isn't showing after a restart.
Perhaps having the Wear watch active helps here.
I guess the other thing I do is turn the phone off over night, so perhaps more restarts are good for Bluetooth
As far as battery optimisation goes, you can't control Bluetooth, but there is one for the app, although I haven't changed it.
You do need the Nearby permission.

 

[doats1]

But how can I exempt Bluetooth from battery optimization? I suspect I can do that only for apps, not for system functions.

Battery optimisation isn't limited to just apps. It applies to anything that can drain the battery without you actively using the phone.

 

[meavydev]

Just to be clear. There is no specific setting in Android for Bluetooth battery optimisation. Unlike WiFi scanning, there isn't even a developer setting.
Apps have individual settings Keep Adaptive Battery and battery optimisation on - Pixel Phone Help

 

[doats1]

Taken just now from my wife’s phone:

Though this is Android 11 so not sure if it’s been recently deprecated. After turning off optimisation my wife’s phone has never had an issue with acting as a phone key and waking the car.

 

[Irata]

I think people forget, Android is an open platform, very diverse, many implementations and even Google can't decide from version to version how to do things.

So, what one Android phone has can be very different to another. There is no single truth with Android.

 

[thewishy]

I just said sod it and bought an actual key...