Reminder to new owners - Always carry your Key card!

[jefoth]

A reminder to all the new owners and soon to be new owners - ALWAYS carry your Tesla Key Card with you!

No matter how much fun the app on your phone is, it is not 100% reliable. As an example the Tesla network was down for a short while earlier today, rendering phone keys unusable. There are occasions when for some random reason your phone key will simply disconnect itself and it will need the Key Card to repair it.

This is well known by long term owners, but you really don't want to learn the hard way.….

 

[davidmc]

If your phone* has NFC abillities you can just tap your phone (if unlocked) on the door side and this does the same as your key card. Does not need the app to be connected to the tesla server.

*work on Android google pixel 4 & 5

 

[MrBadger]

If your phone* has NFC abillities

Unfortunately not an iPhone thing. Shame, as I'm getting key card required on an ever increasing frequency and not all are resolved by waiting a bit. I would rather not keep my keycard with my phone, but in this hotter weather, I often don't want my coat/wallet.

 

[AnthonyLR]

Unfortunately not an iPhone thing. Shame, as I'm getting key card required on an ever increasing frequency and not all are resolved by waiting a bit. I would rather not keep my keycard with my phone, but in this hotter weather, I often don't want my coat/wallet.

Oh! I never have my keycard on me as I never carry my credit cards with me (Apple Pay for the win!) Now I'm concerned...

 

[Durzel]

Oh! I never have my keycard on me as I never carry my credit cards with me (Apple Pay for the win!) Now I'm concerned...

Do you not carry a wallet at all?

I must admit I seldom need my wallet, and have got notes in there that haven't been touched for weeks. But, at the same time, I'd never leave the house with only the phone as a key.

 

[jmaddr]

Tesla network was down for a short while earlier today, rendering phone keys unusable

This is not true. The connection is Bluetooth so the connection is completely local and Tesla network does not have to be “active”. Mobile service is not even required.

I’ve going on three years never carrying my card. Full disclosure, I do have the ring but that’s for when I go swimming/running and don’t want to bring my phone with me. But still, the phone has never failed me (iPhone).

 

[PSmigg]

This is not true. The connection is Bluetooth so the connection is completely local and Tesla network does not have to be “active”. Mobile service is not even required.

I’ve going on three years never carrying my card. Full disclosure, I do have the ring but that’s for when I go swimming/running and don’t want to bring my phone with me. But still, the phone has never failed me (iPhone).

I was wondering that myself. That would imply that you need phone signal/reception to open your car which would be an awful design choice.

 

[s88ats]

From the moment I almost got stranded in my works underground parking (day 2 of ownership), I always keep my key card in my wallet - however, I have an android, and found out tapping my phone instead of the keycard works exactly the same. The only thing I'd add is if your phone battery dies it's probably best practice to have the keycard nearby to avoid any scares.

I seem to do roughly 8/10 journeys without my wallet (thanks google pay) and haven't had an issue (touch wood) since I found out I can tap my phone instead. Has been working flawlessly for me and on the odd occasion I haven't been able to get in, toggling aeroplane mode does the trick.

 

[Alistairuk]

I was wondering that myself. That would imply that you need phone signal/reception to open your car which would be an awful design choice.

Unless you've logged out of the app (which can also happen if you just happen to open the Tesla app on your phone / have the app open with background app refresh enabled and the App can't connect to Tesla's servers because they're down) your phone will still unlock the car.

You don't need a mobile/wifi connection to unlock the car as long as your bluetooth is on.

Having said that, I always have the card with me as I have it attached to my house key just incase!

 

[Dadawinsk]

This is not true. The connection is Bluetooth so the connection is completely local and Tesla network does not have to be “active”. Mobile service is not even required.

I’ve going on three years never carrying my card. Full disclosure, I do have the ring but that’s for when I go swimming/running and don’t want to bring my phone with me. But still, the phone has never failed me (iPhone).

I agree, however if you do get a request to show your keycard, and your phone is not playing along nicely with the Tesla. I find that switching Bluetooth On and Off Again on your phone clears most problems. I could probably get a job in IT with advice like that!

 

[Jason71]

The app works to open the car via Bluetooth in a server outage just fine.
The main time when people get stranded is when a need to log back into the app co-incides with a server outage. This is more likely than you think since sometimes when people find the app not functioning they decide to log in and out or even re-install to try to fix it. If it was not working due to server outage they then cannot log back in and at that point if they don't have a key card they are locked out.

I agree with the always carry the card advice but if you can't or wont do that then the next best piece of advice is.
1) Log in and out from time to time when at home to stop your session expiring at an inconvenient time
2) NEVER log out when you are not at home and don't have your key card. If the app is not working its probably the servers you will just have to wait. if that means you can't preheat /cool check the car etc then live with it. It's not worth the risk.

 

[Cardo]

I agree, however if you do get a request to show your keycard, and your phone is not playing along nicely with the Tesla. I find that switching Bluetooth On and Off Again on your phone clears most problems. I could probably get a job in IT with advice like that!

This. I’ve had occasional issues unlocking with my phone (hands free), where the car will ask me to present the keycard. Turning bluetooth off and back on again on my iPhone has sorted out the issues. I don’t carry a wallet, so I risk it with just my phone. I may be asking for trouble, but I‘m willing to risk it. I may take the keycard if going on a longer family holiday for paranoia protection, we’ll see. I do also have a Tesla app on my Apple Watch, so if phone dies, I can still unlock and turn on the car from my watch, as long as I have cellular coverage.

 

[GRiLLA]

Oh! I never have my keycard on me as I never carry my credit cards with me (Apple Pay for the win!) Now I'm concerned...

Same, or rather I have one credit card in a pocket on the back of my phone, no need for a wallet. I bought the Tesla key, as despite my best endeavors my domestic facilities committee hasn't approved fitting smart locks yet so I need to carry hunks of metal around. Gave me an excuse for buy an Airtag, so every cloud ...

 

[AnthonyLR]

Do you not carry a wallet at all?

I must admit I seldom need my wallet, and have got notes in there that haven't been touched for weeks. But, at the same time, I'd never leave the house with only the phone as a key.

It depends where I am going. If I go to the golf club (which is often) I use my golf club card and Apple Pay. If I am going into London with Mrs W for a night out I ask her to bring her cards as she has a handbag and I don't. So my Keycard is in my credit card wallet but I usually don't have it with me.

 

[Drew57]

Unfortunately not an iPhone thing. Shame, as I'm getting key card required on an ever increasing frequency and not all are resolved by waiting a bit. I would rather not keep my keycard with my phone, but in this hotter weather, I often don't want my coat/wallet.

The Tesla ring is a lifesaver & SO convenient as it's always on my finger and has exactly the same function as the card.

 

[Nick77]

I never leave the house without my keys, so I could just buy a ring as backup (blue for a blue car ) and put that on my keyring rather than a large clunky keycard.

I don't wear rings before anyone asks.

 

[PSmigg]

I never leave the house without my keys, so I could just buy a ring as backup (blue for a blue car ) and put that on my keyring rather than a large clunky keycard.

I don't wear rings before anyone asks.

That’s actually a good idea! I keep a key card in my wallet but the ring is quite a cool novelty addition.

 

[Drew57]

That’s actually a good idea! I keep a key card in my wallet but the ring is quite a cool novelty addition.

There's no novelty, it's just a very practical & always available solution.

I don't carry a wallet or even cash, just one each debit and credit cards in the phone case.

Apple watch to pay for everything below £45 (ApplePay - Amex/Visa/Mastercard). All my other shopping or reward cards are on the Stocard app.

 

[Durzel]

There's no novelty, it's just a very practical & always available solution.

I don't carry a wallet or even cash, just one each debit and credit cards in the phone case.

Apple watch to pay for everything below £45 (ApplePay - Amex/Visa/Mastercard). All my other shopping or reward cards are on the Stocard app.

I feel like a bit of a luddite all of a sudden. I’d never heard of Stocard - do you rate it? My wallet is a bit bloated with a variety of cards I never really use, and it’s taken this post for me to think how I don’t actually need to have them all in there at all.

 

[Mrklaw]

I never leave the house without my keys, so I could just buy a ring as backup (blue for a blue car ) and put that on my keyring rather than a large clunky keycard.

I don't wear rings before anyone asks.

hmm. How big is the rfid part of the Tesla fob? Can you clone a key card onto a small RFID tag that can go on a keychain, or cut down a keycard to a smaller size?