Server Error 500 and what options to avoid potential issues

[Llama.]

I have a better understanding of the phone app and phone as key functionality with this incident.

My iPhone app had the server 500 error, but even with this it unlocked the car and let me drive no problem via Bluetooth

But when I reinstalled the Tesla app to see if it would fix the problem, it required me to log back into the app and create a new key card, both of which could not be completed due to 500 error.

At this point my physical key card was required to unlock and drive.

So lesson learned, if the server is down and you get the 500 error don’t log out and don’t try and reinstall the app.

HavIng learned this, can I be bothered to take my key card everywhere? Not sure yet….

 

[Adopado]

What do people do who only use the mobile key? Do you always carry the key card as a backup?

I’m particularly concerned about: a) parking in an area with zero network coverage on the phone. Is that an issue?
b) app crashes / outages
c) what happens if you loose your phone? Appreciate this is no different to losing your car key but can Tesla remotely unlock the vehicle for you?

The problem wasn't fully explained in the article. Phone keys continue to work whether Tesla servers are operational or not. The problem appears to be that some people could not get a connection for remote access to the car via the app and made a decision to log out/delete and reinstall the Tesla app on their phone. If they had not done the reinstall their phone would have continued to work as a car key. Unfortunately once they were logged out they needed to log back in to reauthorise their phone as a key ... which they couldn't do due to the server outage. Even in that combination of circumstances we all know that a keycard is advised by Tesla be carried (as there can always be a problem with your phone).

 

[Rooster6655]

The BBC is trash, no problem accessing the car with phone or keycard just the app

 

[GeorgeSymonds]

Worth noting that not all Teslas have bluetooth keys. Model S and Model X don't (or at least older ones didn't) but that said few would rely on the phone to unlock and start the car.

It seems the real failing here is the handling of the error message. No app should be telling users of a 500 server error. it should handle the situation much more gracefully. If it had done that then I suspect few people would have logged out and back in/reinstalled or whatever they did which then caused them real issues.

 

[nurusz]

Just now it return to work as expected

 

[Billbrown1982]

As usual being blown out of proportion. Sky news are repeating that up to 500 tesla owners were locked out of their cars...

I mean, 500 is such a tiny amount in the grand scheme of things, is it even news worthy really...

I always have a card in the back of my wallet just in case. But I've never had to use it.

 

[davidmc]

I bet those 500 or so didn't have/want unlock via Bluetooth (walk up to unlock) and only use the app to open/lock the car. And at the same time didn't carry their card on them as a backup.

And hence not being able to communicate with the car via their phone.

It will be the small minority of that 500 that logged out of the app when they saw the error or it not working only to realise they couldn't sign in again.

 

[Irata]

Oh my... None of the media seem interested in reporting that some of us, like me, didn't even experience any issues in the first place.

I feel like I missed out now.

 

[Dangerous Fish]

As usual being blown out of proportion. Sky news are repeating that up to 500 tesla owners were locked out of their cars...

I mean, 500 is such a tiny amount in the grand scheme of things, is it even news worthy really...

I always have a card in the back of my wallet just in case. But I've never had to use it.

Sky would have made that number up. There is no way they could know. It's just another "look at all those stupid Tesla/EV owners" story. Pathetic really.

 

[nufan]

Isn’t it weird that it was a HTTP/500 error - and 500 are being reported as locked out. Crappy non-news article - so I wouldn’t trust the hack involved not to conflate things - 500 down detector complaints != 500 locked out. Probably a handful of people really at most.

 

[Peter 224]

The media wanted a negative Tesla story to balance all the positive stories: part of ne new journalistic version of "fairness".
I have a small credit card holder/purse/wallet thing that lives in my back pocket. It has a spare credit card that is not in my iPhone Wallet, the tesla key card, Tesco Club Card and a £20.00 note. All of this is "just in case"...

 

[Jason71]

The media wanted a negative Tesla story to balance all the positive stories: part of ne new journalistic version of "fairness".

If you like that you're gonna love Panorama This week:

"Tesla is now worth more than all the other major car makers put together, but how ethical is its supply chain? Darragh MacIntyre meets the African nuns who say Elon Musk’s company must do better."

 

[Peter 224]

What I'd expect from the BBC.
I will not be watching as experience tells me that the program will be light on facts, heavy on opinion and with a bit of "shock-horror" thrown in.
In my view the more a company talks about its ethics the more it has to hide.
The managers of a company have a legal duty to the shareholders, not the media or the public.

 

[init6]

Just remember, no news is ever impartial.

BBC earns £300,000 from Saudi oil firm despite net-zero pledge

Fossil fuel advertising on overseas output jars with DG’s call to ‘dial up the focus on sustainability’

www.theguardian.com

 

[NoUserName7]

Hi guys, my Tesla app still shows the 540 vehicle server error and can't connect to the car. I also use STATS, and this app also can't connect to my car. Are you guys all ok now? Did you do anything specific to get it normal?

 

[Alex987854]

Hi guys, my Tesla app still shows the 540 vehicle server error and can't connect to the car. I also use STATS, and this app also can't connect to my car. Are you guys all ok now? Did you do anything specific to get it normal?

That's not the 500 error other people had. Have you tried a reset in the car?

 

[NoUserName7]

That's not the 500 error other people had. Have you tried a reset in the car?

Really? Yeah, I reset the car (two-button and brake pedal), but this error doesn't go away.
-----
Update: Phew~! I did a hard reset again, and it seems fixed now. I guess I did the hard reset wrongly last time...

 

[OnTheEdge]

I had several "friends" call my over the weekend to see if I needed a lift anywhere. Didn't have a clue what they were on about.

"Dozens of owners posted on social media" BBC sensationalist bollocks as usual.

 

[GtiMart]

There have been multiple such articles elsewhere in the world. Sensational titles. Now, some people might indeed have been locked out if they were solely relying on the unlock and drive functions of the mobile app. Those people are clearly not setup properly... Key cards are essential, and ideally you have "phone as key" configured. All of that worked fine as many of you have said.

 

[Alex987854]

Really? Yeah, I reset the car (two-button and brake pedal), but this error doesn't go away.
-----
Update: Phew~! I did a hard reset again, and it seems fixed now. I guess I did the hard reset wrongly last time...

This is the thread on the 540 error,

540 Vehicle Server Error

Shortly after leaving the house today I got an alert that my phone was no longer connect and I would not be able to continue driving once I stopped. I opened up the app and saw it was disconnected with a 540 error (see pic). Since I wasn't far from the house, I turned around and grabbed my fob...

teslamotorsclub.com