No Idea Where's The Problem From ...

[MyFirstElectricTesla]

My phone key is acting in the last few days. Numerous times I needed to use the car key to open the door and start the truck. Before people asking here are what I've done:

- Check and update everyday on car and app (yesterday was the latest for app).
- Same with my iPhone. It's a habit to have the latest updated version.
- Bluetooth off and on.
- "Soft" Reset iPhone.
- Unpaired and re-paired.
- Uninstalled/Re-installed Tesla app on iPhone.
- Paired with my second iPhone number.

I mixed all those steps above but still not working right. I hate to carry car key in my pocket. The first time happened I was lucky at home when couldn't get in the car and gotta get back in my house to get the key. From now on I think I have to have one car key in my wallet all the time.

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[WormtownKris]

Key card in wallet is a good idea.
I think I've only ever had to use it once, but it is good backup/peace of mind. Our 2018 Model 3 does not always sync up with our phones. I believe it has something to do with the garage just being at the edge of our home's wifi network. I have found with our car, that if it does not wake up and unlock when I approach, it seems to wake if I try to open the rear driver side door. That could be a flukey thing with our car, but it has always ultimately connected after several seconds.
You don't need to worry about constantly doing updates, the phone key will work on an older Tesla or phone update, so that is not the issue. Hopefully it will sort itself out in a few days. Cheers!

 

[HaulingAss]

My phone key is acting in the last few days. Numerous times I needed to use the car key to open the door and start the truck. Before people asking here are what I've done:

- Check and update everyday on car and app (yesterday was the latest for app).
- Same with my iPhone. It's a habit to have the latest updated version.
- Bluetooth off and on.
- "Soft" Reset iPhone.
- Unpaired and re-paired.
- Uninstalled/Re-installed Tesla app on iPhone.
- Paired with my second iPhone number.

I mixed all those steps above but still not working right. I hate to carry car key in my pocket. The first time happened I was lucky at home when couldn't get in the car and gotta get back in my house to get the key. From now on I think I have to have one car key in my wallet all the time.

I'm not familiar with iphones but on Android there are a number of settings for the phone's power saving that can mess with the reliability of the phone as key. Make sure your Tesla app is not configured to go to sleep or that the Bluetooth doesn't go to sleep after a period of activity.

 

[MyFirstElectricTesla]

I'm not familiar with iphones but on Android there are a number of settings for the phone's power saving that can mess with the reliability of the phone as key...

Thanks! I've never set my iPhone for power saving and keep it charged all the time at work or home. Even the brightness is at high, not Max though.

... Make sure your Tesla app is not configured to go to sleep or that the Bluetooth doesn't go to sleep after a period of activity.

I don't think Bluetooth is in sleep mode. Sitting inside I still can see the truck in Tesla app but can't start and driving without the car key in slot. It's back to normal a few times and problem re-appeared. So I guess the car key is always with me.

 

[CyberGus]

My Tesla App complains if I kill it, saying it will perform better when left running. Perhaps the app needs to be set to allow background running and geolocating?

 

[Woodrick]

My phone key is acting in the last few days. Numerous times I needed to use the car key to open the door and start the truck. Before people asking here are what I've done:

- Check and update everyday on car and app (yesterday was the latest for app).
- Same with my iPhone. It's a habit to have the latest updated version.
- Bluetooth off and on.
- "Soft" Reset iPhone.
- Unpaired and re-paired.
- Uninstalled/Re-installed Tesla app on iPhone.
- Paired with my second iPhone number.

I mixed all those steps above but still not working right. I hate to carry car key in my pocket. The first time happened I was lucky at home when couldn't get in the car and gotta get back in my house to get the key. From now on I think I have to have one car key in my wallet all the time.

This should be pretty much the same answer as the Model 3 and Model Y.
The card key uses Bluetooth to talk to the car. The car and the phone must be able to hear each other and stay connected for a few seconds to handle the authentication and authorization portions of the communication.

Bluetooth is fickle. It is quite possible that the two can not hear each other, even 3 feet away. I wear a Bluetooth sensor and I know that my phone has problems hearing each other if they are opposites sides of my body.

Since the vehicles Bluetooth antennas are on the driver's side, approaching from the driver's side vs passenger's side will make a difference.

Make sure that the phone is positioned so that nothing is blocking it from the truck. If in a purse, make sure it is on the outside nearest the vehicle. Some cases may be problematic is they contain any metal.

It is common for me to come up to my vehicle and it doesn't open. Often, just waiting 3 seconds is enough time to allow it to communicate. But other times, since I keep my phones in my back pocket, I have to turn around and "present butt". Between those two actions, opening the vehicle is probably 99.9% reliable.

When it is raining, either unlock the vehicle before you get in the weather or lead with your phone in your hand and try to approach from the driver's side.

 

[Stuck4ger]

Key card in wallet is a good idea.
I think I've only ever had to use it once, but it is good backup/peace of mind. Our 2018 Model 3 does not always sync up with our phones. I believe it has something to do with the garage just being at the edge of our home's wifi network. I have found with our car, that if it does not wake up and unlock when I approach, it seems to wake if I try to open the rear driver side door. That could be a flukey thing with our car, but it has always ultimately connected after several seconds.
You don't need to worry about constantly doing updates, the phone key will work on an older Tesla or phone update, so that is not the issue. Hopefully it will sort itself out in a few days. Cheers!

A separate issue but I was told the MY WiFi antenna is in the right side view mirror (which was the opposite side from my home WiFi router). I ended up installing a Google WiFi repeater in the garage to have consistent reception

 

[ItsDrew]

This happened to me and this was my fix:
While parked, go to the car in your Tesla app > Security & Drivers > Make sure "Phone Key" is enabled.
If it is enabled, then > Phone key best practices > Reset Phone Key

 

[Woodrick]

A separate issue but I was told the MY WiFi antenna is in the right side view mirror (which was the opposite side from my home WiFi router). I ended up installing a Google WiFi repeater in the garage to have consistent reception

The WiFi network is rarely used, if ever for commands to the vehicle. It's either Bluetooth for some and Cellular for others.

This can be confirmed by looking at the WiFi connectivity, it generally connects for a little, exchanges data and then disconnects from your network.

 

[Stuck4ger]

The WiFi network is rarely used, if ever for commands to the vehicle. It's either Bluetooth for some and Cellular for others…

Hence the “separate issue” comment. The MY wasn’t consistently getting software updates before I added the garage WiFi extender.

 

[Woodrick]

Hence the “separate issue” comment. The MY wasn’t consistently getting software updates before I added the garage WiFi extender.

Just wanted to make sure that others didn't get confused.

And which feature uses which transport is definitely confusing!

 

[Petertsai]

WiFi connection definitely make software updates much faster and more reliable. We have WiFi extender in garage.

 

[MyFirstElectricTesla]

Just this morning when I tried to open the passenger's door to put stuffs on the other seat and it didn't work again even using the car key to open the door. Touchscreen kept saying tap key, so I gotta go to the driver's side to open it.

 

[Woodrick]

WiFi connection definitely make software updates much faster and more reliable. We have WiFi extender in garage.

Sorry, not really.

WiFi is only how the update is downloaded. The notification that the update exists comes over cellular.

Since WiFi is the ONLY way to download most updates, it's not really faster than anything else.

 

[Woodrick]

Just this morning when I tried to open the passenger's door to put stuffs on the other seat and it didn't work again even using the car key to open the door. Touchscreen kept saying tap key, so I gotta go to the driver's side to open it.

So the passenger's door is going to be much harder than the driver's because you are on the wrong side of the car from the antenna. The car just isn't hearing your phone.
Bring the phone up to window height and it will probably work quickly.

I had the exact same issue today. I approached from the passenger side, the door wouldn't open. I just turned around and "presented butt" and the door opened.

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