Switch cars in app to stop phone key from working!

[mlondre]

I’ve been having an issue with our M3 unlocking and flashing its lights automatically, since my home is directly over our open air car port. My iPhone X is probably no more than 30’ from the car at any time, and the phone key connects just a little too well. Today I used the Tesla app to unlock my parents MX and forgot to change the car in app back to the 3. After this, the car wouldn’t unlock automatically, and I had to change the car back to the 3 for the phone key to connect again. I hope Tesla adds an option to change the phone key’s operating proximity, but in the meantime we’ll be keeping our phones set to the X at home to prevent curious strangers from opening our car! Hope this helps others with this same issue!

 

[joefee]

Same issue. Thanks for your info!

 

[dsvick]

From what I've heard you can set the "walkup unlock" to off and it will stop dong that. It won't unlock until you actually touch a door handle.

 

[mlondre]

From what I've heard you can set the "walkup unlock" to off and it will stop dong that. It won't unlock until you actually touch a door handle.

I was considering doing that, but then random people would still be able to open the car (accidentally or not!). I accidentally opened someone’s Model 3 at Tesla HQ a few months back, even though I only pushed in the door handle for a second to see how they work. The Model 3 will get more random curious onlookers than most cars in these early months, and I want to make sure nobody steals my sunglasses!

 

[JoshG]

I was considering doing that, but then random people would still be able to open the car (accidentally or not!). !

Huh? Turning off "walk-up unlock" doesn't change the security around unlocking at all. It simply disables the automatic unlocking until you press the door handle. It won't unlock with proximity of your phone by itself, only the combination of your phone being nearby and touching the door handle unlocks the car. You still need your cellphone with you. So no one can unlock your car and get in, as you describe, unless you're nearby, in which case EITHER setting for "walk-up unlock" would allow the same thing. In some senses, turning off walk-up unlock is safer since the car doesn't broadcast it is unlocked with mirrors extending out and lights flashing. It's kinda sitting their with a more stealthy "unlock-ready" state, waiting for the door handle to be touched.

So I think turning that option off for you will fully stop your car from the unwanted behavior (unlocking unintentionally all the time at home as you walk near it with your phone) while keeping the full convenience of unlocking the car on demand without touching your phone.

I've also tried just switching the app to our Model S, and yes, that does stop the unlocking, but it means when you WANT to get in the car you have to take out your phone, unlock it, launch tesla app, swipe to the Model 3. a pain, in my opinion.

 

[Garlan Garner]

I’ve been having an issue with our M3 unlocking and flashing its lights automatically, since my home is directly over our open air car port. My iPhone X is probably no more than 30’ from the car at any time, and the phone key connects just a little too well. Today I used the Tesla app to unlock my parents MX and forgot to change the car in app back to the 3. After this, the car wouldn’t unlock automatically, and I had to change the car back to the 3 for the phone key to connect again. I hope Tesla adds an option to change the phone key’s operating proximity, but in the meantime we’ll be keeping our phones set to the X at home to prevent curious strangers from opening our car! Hope this helps others with this same issue!

So I'm going to have to buy another car to make my Bluetooth work properly? WOW........talk about marketing.

 

[GSP]

Huh? Turning off "walk-up unlock" doesn't change the security around unlocking at all. It simply disables the automatic unlocking until you press the door handle. It won't unlock with proximity of your phone by itself, only the combination of your phone being nearby and touching the door handle unlocks the car. You still need your cellphone with you. So no one can unlock your car and get in, as you describe, unless you're nearby, in which case EITHER setting for "walk-up unlock" would allow the same thing. In some senses, turning off walk-up unlock is safer since the car doesn't broadcast it is unlocked with mirrors extending out and lights flashing. It's kinda sitting their with a more stealthy "unlock-ready" state, waiting for the door handle to be touched.

So I think turning that option off for you will fully stop your car from the unwanted behavior (unlocking unintentionally all the time at home as you walk near it with your phone) while keeping the full convenience of unlocking the car on demand without touching your phone.

I've also tried just switching the app to our Model S, and yes, that does stop the unlocking, but it means when you WANT to get in the car you have to take out your phone, unlock it, launch tesla app, swipe to the Model 3. a pain, in my opinion.

I think the issue is with his phone in the house only a few feet from the car outside, anyone can walk up and open the car door.

GSP

 

[JoaoD]

I haven't tested it, but a possible solution for owners with multiple Tesla's could be to clone the app and have a different car in in each instance of the app, if your phone supports cloning apps.

 

[mlondre]

So I'm going to have to buy another car to make my Bluetooth work properly? WOW........talk about marketing.

I’m hopeful Tesla will improve the software to include proximity settings, but the Bluetooth connection itself is pretty dang good. I’d be lucky if my 2013 Subaru would connect via Bluetooth by the time I got to the freeway 1.5 miles from my home! In addition, I’ll take having to find some workarounds with an app to always havin a large car key fob in my pocket at all times!

I think the issue is with his phone in the house only a few feet from the car outside, anyone can walk up and open the car door.

GSP

Exactly! My phone is always so close to thmy car that a curious stranger could easily unlock it and get inside while I’m at home. If the car were parked in a locked garage or other secure location this would be a non-issue.

 

[Need]

I would think they have to implement a distance detection for the unlock. On my MX, whenever I go into the car to get something, my Spotify stream from my phone bluetooth will play. My phone is on my desk about 75 feet away inside the house. Bluetooth distance is huge! With the key, the MX pretty much locked when it is about 20 feet away.

But luckily if I ever get a M3, I will switch the app to MX thanks OP.