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What is the most reliable android phone with Tesla Model 3?
- Thread starter garth_angst
- Start date
DopeGhoti
Active Member
Small update on my "zero issues" count: I've had a few instances where my phone was in my back pocket, and there was a laptop between it and the car; in this configuration I've a couple times had to "point my butt at the car" for it to see the phone. Not sure if it was me or the laptop getting in the way.
I've also had zero instances of the car not letting me in after meeting half way as I was Smart Summoning it.
I've also had zero instances of the car not letting me in after meeting half way as I was Smart Summoning it.
Upgraded my Moto G5+ to the Pixel 3aXL. Works every time, and I now have contacts showing up in the phone card/panel/app (whatever you call it).
Bumping this thread with some info/questions: I have a Pixel 4 XL and the phone key is super unreliable for me. Only have the car for 5 days. The first two days it was super reliable and worked fine, but now it just doesn't work. 95% of the time, I walk up to the car and it won't unlock. Sometimes it unlocks after pulling the handle a couple times. I've also had a couple instances where the car will look as soon as I close the driver's side door and I need to unlock it again to open the trunk.
If I unlock the phone and open the app and then walk up to the car, it seems to work.
This all makes it sound to me like the phone is doing some kind of management where it's blocking the bluetooth connection or something? I've got it set up that it won't do it's battery saving AI voodoo for the Tesla app, but I'm not noticing any improvements...
If I unlock the phone and open the app and then walk up to the car, it seems to work.
This all makes it sound to me like the phone is doing some kind of management where it's blocking the bluetooth connection or something? I've got it set up that it won't do it's battery saving AI voodoo for the Tesla app, but I'm not noticing any improvements...
DopeGhoti
Active Member
Between that and the deletion of the thumbprint scanner (and more importantly, notification-flippy-thing) on the back, I'm glad to be sticking with my 3XL. Thanks for the data point!
tinyrodent
Member
srs5694
Active Member
There are several possible solutions to such problems, including:
- Updating the Android version -- Android 9 (aka "Pie") is more reliable than earlier versions, in many peoples' experience. I can speak from experience on this one: My own OnePlus 5t became noticeably more reliable when I updated my Android version. Others have reported the same thing. I'm not sure what Android version the Pixel 4 XL uses, but it looks like a current phone, so you may already be on Android 9, so this may not be useful information.
- Use a Bluetooth auto-connect app -- This post recommends an app that's supposed to increase reliability. I can't comment on whether it would work, but it may be worth a try. I suspect this app might increase battery drain, but I'm uncertain of that.
- Tweak the Bluetooth settings -- I can't find a reference to the details, but there are some Android settings you can adjust to ensure that the Tesla app and its Bluetooth use stay active. In theory, this should improve reliability, and some people report that it does; but it's also likely to increase battery drain on the phone. Unfortunately, the relevant options are buried pretty deep in the app settings -- that is, the settings controlled by the Android OS itself, not within the Tesla app -- and I don't recall precisely where they are.
- Remove unnecessary apps -- Sometimes App A will interfere with App B, particularly when both try to use a given feature (like Bluetooth). AFAIK, the phone-as-key function requires little or nothing from the Tesla app on the phone, so this might not be an issue; but you could still try removing apps that access Bluetooth in specialized ways.
- Swap phones -- Even with a given OS version, some phones seem to be more reliable than others. That's the point of this thread, of course; but if you get responses from others saying that their Pixel 4 XLs have been unreliable, you might want to consider trading it in for something else. Broadly speaking, iOS phones seem to be most reliable, followed by Android 9 phones, followed by Android 8 and earlier phones; but there's considerable variation between models, particularly within the Android range.
640k
Member
640k
Member
Small update: the problem fixed itself after the update to the .40 software. I don't know wether it was the update that did it or maybe the reboot that happened after it (I'm assuming the car reboots after an update).
It's been pretty reliable so far, less than a handful of times where it wouldn't connect and once where I had to turn airplane mode on and off, which seems par for the course for most people.
Otherwise, the Pixel 4 has been amazing for me. I love the face unlock (while I was very against it at first) and the pictures it takes are amazing.
RFernatt
Solar/EV Owner/Enthusiast
Pixel 2XL was flawless for the year I used it. Just upgraded to a 4XL and it's also been fine for the week or so I've had it. Phone is usually in my hand or front jacket pocket. If your body or something like a tablet/laptop is between the phone and car you may have varying results.
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