Using phone as a key. Not a good idea.

[Entp24]

I like the phone key so far, no problems with my iPhone 7.

I can enter my home without keys, so it’s been nice not carrying keys at all. I was hoping to go wallet-free by carrying my license and credit card on my phone. But with the key card as a backup, I now must always carry a wallet on me all the time, which is somewhat ironic. I don’t want to carry the card on the phone itself (theft, misplacement), which I see that some of you do. Guess I’m too paranoid about losing my phone.

 

[slipnslider]

The majority of people carry their phone/wallet with them everywhere. The phone as key works for those people (mostly

MOSTLY is not good enough for a car key. 90% is not good enough. 98% is not even good enough because that still would be several times a month that you get annoyed by your car key.

 

[Electroman]

MOSTLY is not good enough for a car key. 90% is not good enough. 98% is not even good enough because that still would be several times a month that you get annoyed by your car key.

How do you guys open the trunk easily without the fob? With this new phone-as-key, you got to either:

- open the apps and wait for it to wake up the car and then open the trunk using the app
- or get into the car and open the trunk using the display.

Super annoying when you have handful of things in your hand that you want to quickly dump in the trunk.

 

[SDKoala]

How do you guys open the trunk easily without the fob? With this new phone-as-key, you got to either:

- open the apps and wait for it to wake up the car and then open the trunk using the app
- or get into the car and open the trunk using the display.

Super annoying when you have handful of things in your hand that you want to quickly dump in the trunk.

Neither? When the phone key is working, I just go to my trunk and open it. That's the whole problem with the phone key being unreliable. If it doesn't work, you either have to fiddle around with your phone to get it working again or unlock the car first at the B-pillar with the key card.

 

[rickjames]

I havent experienced any "fiddling around" with my phone to get the key to work. If opening the phone, opening the app, putting my phone in my pocket and opening the door is fiddling then I guess I have but that hasnt happened.

Ive had more serious vehicle related issues more often than a phone key issue (lined screen, not lte connection, black screen, phone call disconnects but car is driving, etc) and those happened once or twice.

 

[cwerdna]

Not completely different but whatever. Opening the trunk via a fob click is clearly easier, more functional.

On my Leaf (w/Nissan Intelligent Key) and my 06 Prius (w/Toyota Smart Key System), if you walk up to the trunk w/the fob in pocket, just pulling upwards on the its (electric) release opens the trunk/hatch.

Some vehicles (e.g. Fords and Chryslers) let you open the hatch and/or sliding door via a kick/sweeping motion of a foot.

 

[lklundin]

The car should not dictate how we use our phones or what kind of phone we own.

The fact that new threads like this are popping up nearly daily as more new owners are having issues with the phone key speaks volumes. This is a real problem that Tesla is going to need to address and the cop out response of it being a phone issue and not a car issue isn't going to cut it.

The first thing Tesla should do is to open source their phone app, so users have more freedom in how and on what devices to use it. Naturally, this would also allow for users to point out defects in the software so it can be further improved, just like it happens with the Linux kernel that the Teslas run.

And remember, if your device is running someone else's code then the device is no longer yours.

 

[bhzmark]

How do you guys open the trunk easily without the fob? With this new phone-as-key, you got to either:

- open the apps and wait for it to wake up the car and then open the trunk using the app
- or get into the car and open the trunk using the display.

Super annoying when you have handful of things in your hand that you want to quickly dump in the trunk.

It doesn’t have a power trunk so you do the same thing you would do with a fob: walk over to the trunk and open it. It unlocks when the phone is nearby just like it does with a fob.

 

[davedavedave]

I havent experienced any "fiddling around" [....] then I guess I have but that hasnt happened.

Stop brain hurt please.

 

[ummgood]

On my Leaf (w/Nissan Intelligent Key) and my 06 Prius (w/Toyota Smart Key System), if you walk up to the trunk w/the fob in pocket, just pulling upwards on the its (electric) release opens the trunk/hatch.

Some vehicles (e.g. Fords and Chryslers) let you open the hatch and/or sliding door via a kick/sweeping motion of a foot.

That's how the model 3 works. I don't have problems with my phone and I just walk up to the back of the car and squeeze the button under the trim on the trunk and it pops open. No issues.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

I like the phone key so far, no problems with my iPhone 7.

I can enter my home without keys, so it’s been nice not carrying keys at all. I was hoping to go wallet-free by carrying my license and credit card on my phone. But with the key card as a backup, I now must always carry a wallet on me all the time, which is somewhat ironic. I don’t want to carry the card on the phone itself (theft, misplacement), which I see that some of you do. Guess I’m too paranoid about losing my phone.

Not a wallet: just a card holder that contains your drivers license and key card

(Permanent Residents and other Aliens would need a _3rd_ card.).

 

[Nurkbonis]

I have had my Model 3 since late March.

First few weeks, the phone as key option worked great; however, I would say that probably 50% of the time now, I walk up, try to open the car and it does not open. Then, I sit there and tug on the door handle a few times.

Sometimes, this seems to help the car realize it should unlock, but usually at this point, I pull the app open and manually hit unlock. This doesn't always even unlock the car. I find that more often than not, at this point, when I tap unlock, the lock visual spins as if it's frozen, usually after it spins for 10+ seconds, I cave and use the keycard. At this point, I've probably been standing there for 30-45 seconds trying to get into my car.

This is ridiculous. Happened this morning while I had my laptop bag, cop of coffee and cell phone in my hand, so now I'm fumbling with all the crap in my hands while just trying to get my damn car to unlock.

This is a major annoyance. I love the idea behind the cell-phone-as-key option, but it does not work as it needs to. I want a fob. I have an iPhone X.

I did mention my issues to the service department when I was in for some other service and they kinda shrugged it off.

 

[Electroman]

It doesn’t have a power trunk so you do the same thing you would do with a fob: walk over to the trunk and open it. It unlocks when the phone is nearby just like it does with a fob.

Thanks. Didn't know that, and didn't occur to even try it out !!

Works as you have described

 

[SDKoala]

I havent experienced any "fiddling around" with my phone to get the key to work. If opening the phone, opening the app, putting my phone in my pocket and opening the door is fiddling then I guess I have but that hasnt happened

Your phone key isn't working as intended then. You shouldn't have to interact with the phone at all, let alone open the app to unlock the car. Ever.

This is the level of annoyance that I think a lot of people are willing to tolerate, which makes it seem like less of a problem in the eyes of some. That's why I wonder how many of the people who are having problems are just shrugging it off, thinking what they are experiencing is normal, then default to the key card when the phone isn't working well.

 

[ummgood]

Your phone key isn't working as intended then. You shouldn't have to interact with the phone at all, let alone open the app to unlock the car. Ever.

This is the level of annoyance that I think a lot of people are willing to tolerate, which makes it seem like less of a problem in the eyes of some. That's why I wonder how many of the people who are having problems are just shrugging it off, thinking what they are experiencing is normal, then default to the key card when the phone isn't working well.

Are people who are having problems on the iPhone making sure the app has full access. If you go into settings then pick the Tesla app make sure location is set to Always and Background Data Refresh and Cellular data are turned on?

 

[TexasEV]

Are people who are having problems on the iPhone making sure the app has full access. If you go into settings then pick the Tesla app make sure location is set to Always and Background Data Refresh and Cellular data are turned on?

Yes those are my settings, and I can’t figure out a pattern of why it doesn’t work about 5% of the time. For example this morning, I walked into my garage with phone in my pocket and car unlocked as it should as I pressed on the door handle. Drove about 5 minutes, parked and went into a store for 5 minutes, and when I returned to the car it wouldn’t unlock until I took out the phone and tapped the Tesla app. When I tapped the app I saw it said phone key connected, and I was able to open the door. Any thoughts?

 

[SDKoala]

Yes those are my settings, and I can’t figure out a pattern of why it doesn’t work about 5% of the time. For example this morning, I walked into my garage with phone in my pocket and car unlocked as it should as I pressed on the door handle. Drove about 5 minutes, parked and went into a store for 5 minutes, and when I returned to the car it wouldn’t unlock until I took out the phone and tapped the Tesla app. When I tapped the app I saw it said phone key connected, and I was able to open the door. Any thoughts?

I have an Android, but this is the exact situation that causes the majority of phone key failures for me. It isn't coming to the car for the first time after a few hours. It's the quick trip out of Bluetooth LE range of the car and then returning within seconds to minutes that causes something that doesn't allow it to reconnect every time. Yours is the first post I've seen someone with an iPhone describe the same thing.

 

[cellogig]

Yes those are my settings, and I can’t figure out a pattern of why it doesn’t work about 5% of the time. For example this morning, I walked into my garage with phone in my pocket and car unlocked as it should as I pressed on the door handle. Drove about 5 minutes, parked and went into a store for 5 minutes, and when I returned to the car it wouldn’t unlock until I took out the phone and tapped the Tesla app. When I tapped the app I saw it said phone key connected, and I was able to open the door. Any thoughts?

That has happened to me and have posted it here. I don’t get that either why it happens.

 

[CWFLY]

How about an optional feature requiring a valid PIN before the car can move.

 

[CWFLY]

Or thumbprint technology, like our tablets and phones.