SOS: My car can not detect the key

[Shelly]

SOS: My car can not detect the key

About two years past when i get my 85, It's always in good condition until today. The car can not detect the key, Is there something wrong with the key? Or is it ok just to replace the battery? Can someone tell me which battery is ok?

 

[0exhausts]

My car can't detect key when the key is next to my phone

 

[bkp_duke]

You want the following battery for the FOB:

CR2032

I keep a few spares on hand just for an event like this.

 

[David29]

If the batteries are original, odds are that is the issue.
Other possibilities include cellphone interference (mentioned above), or interference from some other source of radio frequencies nearby. If you are in a place that you visit frequently, or at home, and if the key normally has worked at that location with no issues, I would focus on the battery.
Note that the owner's manual has two work-arounds for poor reception: One is to place the key near the internal antenna, by putting it into the center console cup holder, or right below the 12-volt power outlet.
If you are outside the car and cannot unlock it, the manual suggests this procedure:
"
To unlock Model S (and disable the security
alarm), first position the key near the base of
the passenger side windshield wiper, as
shown. Then press the front passenger door
handle. If Model S doesn't unlock, try adjusting
the position of the key. The key must be in the
correct position."

It is useful to know these techniques for future possible need, even if your present problem is just the need for a new battery!
Good luck.

 

[PaulR]

All of the above is good advice....

I have a BMW ICE and found that when I put the key for the BMW in the same pocket (or very close proximity) as the Tesla key, it interferes. Symptoms are, for example, irregular and erratic inability to unlock the doors, irregular charge port door opening when I go to charge. I had to keep the BMW key in the other pants pocket and move my iPhone holster to the other side away from the Tesla pocket.

RFI (radio frequency interference) is everywhere....

I once stopped to pay for parking at the exit of the parking lot, put the car in park so that I could find my wallet to pay, paid the fee and when I tried to put the car into "forward" it would not respond - until the cashier finished the transaction. Seems that the payment system hardware was interfering with my key and would not let the car go. It wasn't done on purpose, just RFI...

 

[Shelly]

If the batteries are original, odds are that is the issue.
Other possibilities include cellphone interference (mentioned above), or interference from some other source of radio frequencies nearby. If you are in a place that you visit frequently, or at home, and if the key normally has worked at that location with no issues, I would focus on the battery.
Note that the owner's manual has two work-arounds for poor reception: One is to place the key near the internal antenna, by putting it into the center console cup holder, or right below the 12-volt power outlet.
If you are outside the car and cannot unlock it, the manual suggests this procedure:
"
To unlock Model S (and disable the security
alarm), first position the key near the base of
the passenger side windshield wiper, as
shown. Then press the front passenger door
handle. If Model S doesn't unlock, try adjusting
the position of the key. The key must be in the
correct position."

It is useful to know these techniques for future possible need, even if your present problem is just the need for a new battery!
Good luck.

Thanks so much for your kind suggestion, It's really useful for me. All of the above are good advice.

 

[Shelly]

All of the above is good advice....

I have a BMW ICE and found that when I put the key for the BMW in the same pocket (or very close proximity) as the Tesla key, it interferes. Symptoms are, for example, irregular and erratic inability to unlock the doors, irregular charge port door opening when I go to charge. I had to keep the BMW key in the other pants pocket and move my iPhone holster to the other side away from the Tesla pocket.

RFI (radio frequency interference) is everywhere....

I once stopped to pay for parking at the exit of the parking lot, put the car in park so that I could find my wallet to pay, paid the fee and when I tried to put the car into "forward" it would not respond - until the cashier finished the transaction. Seems that the payment system hardware was interfering with my key and would not let the car go. It wasn't done on purpose, just RFI...

good suggestion, no problem now.