"Wired" article about key fob cloning

[brkaus]

Speaking of key fobs, is the battery user replaceable and how long are they supposed to last?

Yes. They replace at annual service, easy to do yourself. I replaced proactively at 18 months. It will warn you when low. Not sure if the warning trigger is accurate.

Suggestion - read the manual on what to do if the battery is dead. For extra credit, try it when you remove the battery to put in the new one. The model S uses a CR2032.

New part number for the 80-bit fob is 1455940-00-A

 

[KArnold]

Just yesterday my SC said they could get the 80-bit fobs. They did not give a price but they did say it was not free/complimentary.

 

[cynix]

I asked my local SC (Sydney) about new fobs recently when I took my car in for annual service, and they said it's not yet available here.

 

[TaoJones]

Yes. They replace at annual service, easy to do yourself. I replaced proactively at 18 months. It will warn you when low. Not sure if the warning trigger is accurate.

Suggestion - read the manual on what to do if the battery is dead. For extra credit, try it when you remove the battery to put in the new one. The model S uses a CR2032.

New part number for the 80-bit fob is 1455940-00-A

Aha - thanks for the part number. Confirmed w/ Owner Support just now that they don’t see any reason why the SvC can’t produce upgraded fobs, so off went that email to the SvC and around and around we go.

Further, and oddly, this car’s Passive Entry setting is set to on and greyed out, meaning that I can’t change it. Owner Support drew a blank and a forum search or three produced nothing useful in that regard so yet another ticket has been opened.

As an aside, if anyone else post-v9 can’t get their manual to display fully, a scroll wheel reboot (1 time) seems to fix that. Not that the manual (normally quite useful and worth a semi-annual read) had any relevant information either. It also has not been updated to reflect the new UI (there are no longer the two tabs at top, which means that “Controls —>” or “Settings —>” are obsolete).

 

[brkaus]

Further, and oddly, this car’s Passive Entry setting is set to on and greyed out, meaning that I can’t change it. Owner Support drew a blank and a forum search or three produced nothing useful in that regard so yet another ticket has been opened.

Car has to be unlocked and ready to drive to change it. Or in drive, or something like that. Try sitting in the car and clicking the key fob twice to unlock.