Tesla backing away from "Phone Key as primary key"

[Arizona Willie]

Model 3 Mid-range 2019 Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge phone.

My gear is totally unreliable. I have to wake up the phone and wake up the car and then, maybe, it will let me in.

The last few days the car would let me open the trunk and open the door and get in and then, demand I put the keycard on the console -- OR ELSE.

I keep the keycard in my mini-wallet with my drivers license in my right front pocket and my phone in my left front pocket.

Considering buying a key fob because it would be cheaper than buying a new S10 phone which, I hear, work real well with the Tesla.

 

[GolanB]

I certainly wouldn't peg the reliability of the iPhone Key at 100%, but I've never had a situation where I was not able to get in the car and drive. The only time I bring my key card with me is when I take it to the service center or if I plan on parking with a valet. When it acts up (on rare occasion), it might take me one or two tries, and then I'm in. Last week I had a strange situation where the car did not lock when I walked away, and it did not unlock when I came back. I only found out because my son called me to let me know -- "You know, the Tesla isn't locked..." It turned out some other problems were manifesting themselves that day, including odd behavior of the touch screen (phantom presses) which were not related to surface moisture or dirt. This problem was resolved with a reboot of the MCU.

 

[Leafdriver333]

Mine works 98%.

I think it gets confused but I open it with the app and it straightens out.

 

[Arizona Willie]

Well the fob is available, but it doesn't have passive entry, so I am not sure it would be better than the phone in this case.

What does that mean that it doesn't have " passive entry"?

Just that you have to push a button on the key fob?

 

[TT97]

What does that mean that it doesn't have " passive entry"?

Just that you have to push a button on the key fob?

Correct, you have to manually press the button on the fob to unlock the doors (or, the fob also has an RFID chip, so you can use the fob the same way as the card by swiping on the b-pillar.)

Similar to the keycard, the fob will timeout as well. If you unlock the car and take too long to put in drive, you will need to re-press the button or swipe in the center console to be able to drive.

 

[BioSehnsucht]

You will probably also have to manually lock the car when leaving by pressing a button on the fob too, rather than having it automatically lock.

 

[Arizona Willie]

My Tessie is intermittent. This morning it let me in and my key card was in my right front pocket and my phone was in my left front pocket.

But then it wouldn't start unless I put the key card on the console. Even though it was in my pocket right next to the console.

It also sometimes lets me into the trunk but won't let me in the car unless I tap the card on the pillar.

It's strange. Usually doesn't do the same thing twice in a row but it malfunctions a different way all the time, but repeating through a series of goof ups.

I'm wondering about the bluetooth signal strength. Is there such a thing as an app that measured blue tooth signal? I have one for wi-fi. Hmm will check the play store and see if I can find something.

 

[crackers8199]

You will probably also have to manually lock the car when leaving by pressing a button on the fob too, rather than having it automatically lock.

not probably, definitely. it will only auto lock if the phone is used as the key.

 

[BioSehnsucht]

My Tessie is intermittent. This morning it let me in and my key card was in my right front pocket and my phone was in my left front pocket.

But then it wouldn't start unless I put the key card on the console. Even though it was in my pocket right next to the console.

It also sometimes lets me into the trunk but won't let me in the car unless I tap the card on the pillar.

It's strange. Usually doesn't do the same thing twice in a row but it malfunctions a different way all the time, but repeating through a series of goof ups.

I'm wondering about the bluetooth signal strength. Is there such a thing as an app that measured blue tooth signal? I have one for wi-fi. Hmm will check the play store and see if I can find something.

Card position would be irrelevant unless it's within centimeters of the RFID reader AND in line with it (i.e. the particular spot on the B pillar, or the particular spot on the center console, it's not an omni directional range but a narrow range just in front/above the reader). It will never work from your pocket just walking up and sitting down. That functionality only occurs with the phone-as-key (when it works).

 

[ToddB]

My iPhone XR works 99% of the time. I have only had three occasions in 6 months of driving (maybe 500 entries into vehicle) when connection did not work. In one of three instances it was m y fault -- I had turned Bluetooth off. In a second instance it may have been because I changed my account password and the app did not open. I can only report one instance that I cannot explain the problem in 500 entries. I used the key card. Not much of an issue 1 in 500 times.