Phone key unlocks but doesn't start the car

[trisk]

I took delivery of a new Model 3 this week and I've been experiencing an issue with using my paired Android phone as a key. It started after installing the 2018.44.2 firmware yesterday morning, though I'm not sure if it's related to the update.

My phone works fine for unlocking the door when I walk up to the car, but when I try to put it in drive or reverse nothing happens until I tap the key card on the center console. What's also strange is there is no prompt to use the keycard or other message appearing on the display when I try to use the gearshift. Prior to yesterday my phone would reliably start the car.

 

[nicholb]

I occasionally have either that issue, or the doors not unlocking either the day of or day after an update. Usually toggling airplane mode on the phone resolves it. One time I had to reboot my phone.

Also make sure you have the Tesla app excluded from battery optimization on the phone. Otherwise it could get shut off by the phone.

 

[ewoodrick]

I took delivery of a new Model 3 this week and I've been experiencing an issue with using my paired Android phone as a key. It started after installing the 2018.44.2 firmware yesterday morning, though I'm not sure if it's related to the update.

My phone works fine for unlocking the door when I walk up to the car, but when I try to put it in drive or reverse nothing happens until I tap the key card on the center console. What's also strange is there is no prompt to use the keycard or other message appearing on the display when I try to use the gearshift. Prior to yesterday my phone would reliably start the car.

The phone should handle both, unless for some reason it looses connectivity when in t he car. Does it still show connected on the App?
The card key will do exactly as you are saying. If you use the card key, you have up to 30 seconds to sit and put your foot on the brake. If you do it before 30 seconds, you can drive away, if you take longer, you have to put the key on the console.

It does take a few weeks for many people and phones and cars to all learn and trust each other.

 

[jsmay311]

Has this continued to happen every time you get into the car?

It happened once to me the first time I got in the car after updating to 44.2 last night (I just toggled on/off airplane mode to get the car to recognize it), but it worked normally this morning.

 

[DanL3]

The Explanation that makes sense to me is that some Android phones turn off response to Bluetooth beacons that are intermittent. This is done to save the phone battery life. Toggling airplane mode resets the response to all beacons. My LG xCharge did this and nothing I did or any added app improved it. I got good at toggling airplane mode as a walked to my car.

Anyway the car has 4 beacons. These are in addition to hands free and music. The door post is letting you in, but the response to the center console had been turned off in your phone.

I got a iPhone SE to replace my android and all is good. I am working 100% now.

 

[SMAlset]

If you get access to your car with your phone, when you get in first thing to do is tap on the brake. Leave it in park but tap the brake. If I wait too long I have gotten the prompt to use the key card even if I was able to open the door handles with the phone walking up to the car. But I am on 42.4 and have an iPhone. I find that tapping the brake will set my profile right away too.

 

[sduck]

Yes, you have to press on the brake pedal before putting the car in gear.

 

[trisk]

The problem seems to have resolved itself after I rebooted my phone. I had already done this before I saw the suggestion to toggle airplane mode on and off, but I'll try that if it happens in the future. Note that I was holding down the brake pedal the whole time and NOT getting the prompt to use a key card. It already loaded my driver profile.

 

[JTwo]

This has been happening for me the last couple of days. I’ve tried turning Bluetooth on and off and that hasn’t worked. There have been a few posts above this so maybe a current update is the cause?

 

[animorph]

So far I've been successful getting the car started by just pulling the phone out of my pants pocket. Maybe I'm attenuating the signal a little too much for the car to trust it.

 

[substance12]

So far I've been successful getting the car started by just pulling the phone out of my pants pocket. Maybe I'm attenuating the signal a little too much for the car to trust it.

this was the common theme the 2 times this problem happened to me. moving the phone to the cup holders solved it one time-- mind you, not the spot where you start the car using the card key. i've also read some people hold their phone up to the left pillar to fix the issue. i tried to recreate the problem another time by purposely leaving the phone in my right pocket but the car started normally. maybe because it was the right pocket or maybe because i was inside my garage. i wonder if indoor vs outdoor matters for this problem.

 

[DA717]

I'm also on 44.2 with an iPhone XS Max and it also has an issue where the M3 display doesn't turn on. This did not happen pre 44.2. Occasionally the car doesn't unlock as well. The only solution for me was to open the app up then the car wakes up shortly after or immediately. I hope this gets resolved soon.

 

[BigMo]

Same issue here with not unlocking the car as I walk up to it. And this just started after I had last software update Dec 10th.
If my Model 3 is in sleep mode, and is locked, and I am standing next to car, my iphone does not automatically unlock - even if phone out of my pocket.
I have to press the Tesla icon on my iphone, then it wakes up Tesla and unlocks.

If I turn off car, walk away from it, hear it automatically lock and then return to car in next 5 minutes it does automatically unlock as i walk up to car with iphone in pocket.

I can use my iphone and remotely unlock car while inside my house.

I tried all the re-booting of phone / bluetooth, etc Hoping for fix to automatically unlocking.