Phone as Key Issues

[RTPEV]

NFC is generally more reliable than Bluetooth LE.

Well I can believe that...but doesn't it also require you to take your phone out and get it physically close to the sensor?
As a backup I suppose I'd be fine with that, but that's a step backwards from not having to remove anything from your pocket/bag/purse.

 

[K-MTG]

It would be nice but if Tesla can integrate the NFC in Apple Pay. Same way you can have your ChargePoint wallet on the wallet app and use it to pay at ChargePoint stations

 

[T-Will]

I'm wondering if a majority of the issues are with older generation iPhone/Android hardware and chipsets?

 

[RTPEV]

I'm wondering if a majority of the issues are with older generation iPhone/Android hardware and chipsets?

Seems many of the reports I've heard the older hardware works better than the newer ones (especially iPhone X especially seems to have problems).

 

[jomo25]

Well I can believe that...but doesn't it also require you to take your phone out and get it physically close to the sensor?
As a backup I suppose I'd be fine with that, but that's a step backwards from not having to remove anything from your pocket/bag/purse.

Yes I do mean as a backup. To avoid needing the card. If they can fix their Bluetooth key, that would be great. But having NFC integration via Apple Pay for example would be nice backup. Heck I could even use my watch then.

 

[JenniferQ]

"Max" wouldn’t turn off when I got home today, so I turned off Bluetooth and he still stayed on. But then when I went to the app I was able to lock him.
I’ve noticed it won’t work when my iPhone 7 is on WiFi because he has no WiFi. Only cellular works. Although I have only tested this once.
This is a lot of troubleshooting on our part. Surely Tesla can figure this out and send out a fix soon!

 

[jomo25]

That the M3 doesn’t have WiFI doesn’t matter. Max is always connected to the internet via LTE. Your phone connects to WiFi, to the internet, thus they should be able to connect.

 

[JenniferQ]

So that's not the issue then. We continue the troubleshooting

 

[Msjulie]

iPhone 8 and knock on wood, no issues so far fwiw

 

[napabill]

Another data point for Phone as a Key Issues. Got the 3 yesterday, and all was enabled at the Delivery Center. Worked great. Then this morning it said the Model 3 was no longer listed on my Account, just my MX. And App only shows the MX. Seems to be a multiple car issue with the app/account. Being a Sunday, can't really call anyone until tomorrow. Fortunately, the key card works fine.

This is absolutely ridiculous! This is my 3rd Tesla over the past 5 years and the delivery process in this case is just unforgivable. Got my M3 from the Fremont Delivery Center last Saturday, AFTER a 2 hour delay due to "needing to update firmware." Blowing smoke. But finally got my introduction to the car and with great fanfare, the keyless iPhone entry feature. Worked great for about 18 hours. Then the M3, without warning, stopped showing up on my App. I've now learned that this is supposed to be normal. But NOTHING was ever mentioned during the introduction. So I spent an hour or so the next day trying to figure what was going on, assuming of course that it was something that I did. So I was told on Monday, after calling Tesla Service, that paperwork needed to be completed and the App would magically start showing the M3. NADA today. And we leave for an 800 mile road trip tomorrow. Pretty sure I have the system understood now, but not because of Tesla Support. And still no keyless iPhone entry. The Tesla App is not available for the M3 currently. Presents difficulties in monitoring charging status and the cabin temp for our dog. IMHO they are definitely not ready for prime-time with the M3! I would strongly recommend waiting for delivery a while. And this is from a Tesla fanboy!

 

[roblab]

This is absolutely ridiculous! This is my 3rd Tesla over the past 5 years and the delivery process in this case is just unforgivable. Got my M3 from the Fremont Delivery Center last Saturday, AFTER a 2 hour delay due to "needing to update firmware." Blowing smoke. But finally got my introduction to the car and with great fanfare, the keyless iPhone entry feature. Worked great for about 18 hours. Then the M3, without warning, stopped showing up on my App. I've now learned that this is supposed to be normal. But NOTHING was ever mentioned during the introduction. So I spent an hour or so the next day trying to figure what was going on, assuming of course that it was something that I did. So I was told on Monday, after calling Tesla Service, that paperwork needed to be completed and the App would magically start showing the M3. NADA today. And we leave for an 800 mile road trip tomorrow. Pretty sure I have the system understood now, but not because of Tesla Support. And still no keyless iPhone entry. The Tesla App is not available for the M3 currently. Presents difficulties in monitoring charging status and the cabin temp for our dog. IMHO they are definitely not ready for prime-time with the M3! I would strongly recommend waiting for delivery a while. And this is from a Tesla fanboy!

 

[gregincal]

This is absolutely ridiculous! This is my 3rd Tesla over the past 5 years and the delivery process in this case is just unforgivable. Got my M3 from the Fremont Delivery Center last Saturday, AFTER a 2 hour delay due to "needing to update firmware." Blowing smoke. But finally got my introduction to the car and with great fanfare, the keyless iPhone entry feature. Worked great for about 18 hours. Then the M3, without warning, stopped showing up on my App. I've now learned that this is supposed to be normal. But NOTHING was ever mentioned during the introduction. So I spent an hour or so the next day trying to figure what was going on, assuming of course that it was something that I did. So I was told on Monday, after calling Tesla Service, that paperwork needed to be completed and the App would magically start showing the M3. NADA today. And we leave for an 800 mile road trip tomorrow. Pretty sure I have the system understood now, but not because of Tesla Support. And still no keyless iPhone entry. The Tesla App is not available for the M3 currently. Presents difficulties in monitoring charging status and the cabin temp for our dog. IMHO they are definitely not ready for prime-time with the M3! I would strongly recommend waiting for delivery a while. And this is from a Tesla fanboy!

A car disappearing from the app doesn’t sound like a Model 3 specific thing, it sounds like a generic app problem. It’s just that the 3 is more dependent on the app than other Teslas.

 

[roblab]

This is absolutely ridiculous! This is my 3rd Tesla over the past 5 years and the delivery process in this case is just unforgivable...

Hi, Bill! Glad to see you're enjoying the 3. I got mine a couple weeks ago. I had trouble with my Samsung S7 connecting once, but then it seemed they shook hands and made up. No problems since, usually turning on as I walk up. No trouble with Tesla App, as it just needs to blue tooth, that's all. I DID have to wait for the next business day for the M3 to start showing up on the Tesla site app, but they DID tell me it would be a day or so.
Delivery was fine also, from Rocklin, not the factory. Maybe I beat the rush. Hope you're having a good vacation. We have only about 500 miles on "Tresi". Definitely not an S, but definitely a Tesla!

 

[napabill]

As is so often the case my issue with the Tesla App and our new M3 was not hardware or software. Just sloppy Delivery procedures. Turns out, after I finally reached someone who knew what to do, that the Delivery Specialist (I use that term loosely) never recorded us picking up the car. So the app never activated. I found it odd that there had been no post delivery communication, but once the delivery was entered (5 days after we drove away!) a nice "Welcome to Tesla" email arrived. And the app showed the new M3. So all is good....finally!

 

[⚡️ELECTROMAN⚡️]

Definitely not an S, but definitely a Tesla!

Does this mean you prefer the S, or that they are just different? I've always thought the S was the perfect car for me, but after reading all of the rave reviews for the 3, I'm thinking about trading my S in for the 3. I could see this being something I might regret, though.

 

[gregincal]

Does this mean you prefer the S, or that they are just different? I've always thought the S was the perfect car for me, but after reading all of the rave reviews for the 3, I'm thinking about trading my S in for the 3. I could see this being something I might regret, though.

It depends on what you like or value, I suppose. For me I was extremely reluctant to buy the Model S because it was such a huge car. I had no regrets over the last 5 years, but the Model 3 is the car I really wanted but wasn't willing to wait for. It's a little rough around the edges, but so was my Model S when I bought it. After 2 weeks I'm still excited getting into my 3 every day and don't miss my S at all. I can't wait for my first Model 3 road trip.

 

[gregincal]

OK, getting back on topic, so far the Phone Key has worked as I expected, and as I image the designers intended. I did an experiment walking the dog tonight. I watched my phone as I approached the house, and at about 60 feet from the garage the app connected to the car as a key, but the car remained locked. As I walked towards the garage the car still remained locked. I stood right outside the garage door and the car remained locked. I opened the garage door and walked in, and the car unlocked.

The problem with the phone as a key isn't the theoretical design, it's the number of variables between different phones and software versions and other programs running on the phone. A dedicated device like a fob is just more reliable, even if it uses the exact same technology.

 

[Pollux]

OK, getting back on topic, so far the Phone Key has worked as I expected, and as I image the designers intended. I did an experiment walking the dog tonight. I watched my phone as I approached the house, and at about 60 feet from the garage the app connected to the car as a key, but the car remained locked. As I walked towards the garage the car still remained locked. I stood right outside the garage door and the car remained locked. I opened the garage door and walked in, and the car unlocked.

The problem with the phone as a key isn't the theoretical design, it's the number of variables between different phones and software versions and other programs running on the phone. A dedicated device like a fob is just more reliable, even if it uses the exact same technology.

Ah... but the variables you cite are a design issue. The architects and designers of this feature built into it the problems that are being seen now, even apart from the "normal" bugs they have to solve (which in many cases, IMHO, demonstrate inadequate coding and verification). The vehicle itself may have a 20-30 year lifetime. I wouldn't want to bet that future combinations of app, vehicle and whatever smartphone technology exists 20 years from now will continue to "just work" to unlock and operate the vehicle. Only the keycard is sufficiently simple that it's likely to continue to be able to work for that time-frame. IMHO.(*)

Alan

(*)I would love to know their rationale and a summary of their design discussions. These people are very smart. It's their judgement that I occasionally find questionable. Pre-selling FSD for years? Hubris.

 

[JenniferQ]

Fwiw, engineering and diagnostic specialists are still working on my issue, which they don't think is a phone key issue at all. Maybe we need a new thread, but it appears that "Max" doesn't seem to know that he should turn off and that is causing the problems. The cars are supposed to "see" that there is no one in the seat, seat belt is unbuckled, driver has exited, and shut down (Black Mirror much!). Ours is not doing this properly. It seems to not "know" that we've exited the car - sometimes. Sometimes it does.

Also, yesterday when backing up with door closed, butt in seat, but seatbelt unbuckled, it abruptly shifted itself to Park. I thought it needed 2 out of 3 of those, but apparently just seatbelt unbuckled causes this. That's annoying. I was just backing out of the garage a few feet to put stuff in the frunk. Suppose this is what Summon is for, but that's not available yet on the 3.

 

[MP3Mike]

Also, yesterday when backing up with door closed, butt in seat, but seatbelt unbuckled, it abruptly shifted itself to Park. I thought it needed 2 out of 3 of those, but apparently just seatbelt unbuckled causes this. That's annoying. I was just backing out of the garage a few feet to put stuff in the frunk. Suppose this is what Summon is for, but that's not available yet on the 3.

Normally when this happens the "butt in seat" shifted slight as they looked behind them and that is enough to make the car think the butt is no longer in the seat. (Since the seat belt isn't buckled.)