Is your Tesla Phone Key not working? If so, don’t panic, you’re not alone. Many Tesla users have already claimed to have encountered that. But do you know what causes your Tesla Phone Key to not work?
Quick Glance:
- The “Phone Key” was first launched with the Model 3, but it is now available for all Tesla models.
- For Tesla Model 3 owners, they will need their ” Key Card ” to authenticate their phones as a “Key” after setting their phone key.
- A simple fix when your “Tesla Phone Key” is not working can be turning off the Bluetooth on your phone for several seconds and then turning it back on. Restarting your phone as well as soft rebooting your Tesla can also help resolve the issue.
- Sometimes the phone key settings are turned off, especially after a new app update. So, in that case, you have to make sure the “phone key” is set to “on.”
Your Tesla phone key may fail to connect with your car or stop working due to various reasons, such as connectivity issues, low battery on either device, software issues, or incorrect phone settings. So, is this problem fixable?
Understanding the Issue: The Tesla Phone Key Not Working!
Tesla allows your phone to function as a literal key card, thanks to its near-field communication (NFC) feature. This function lets you start, lock, and unlock your vehicle, as well as get in and out of it.
But the bottom line is that you need to have your phone paired with your car via the “Tesla App” and set it as a “Key” to access the control over your car.
However, there can be times when you have problems while utilizing your phone as a “Key” for your Tesla. According to complaints,
- the car does not always detect the phone as a Key and does not respond as it should.
- Another typical problem is that your Tesla phone key may not be able to lock or unlock your Tesla when you approach or leave it.
Some users claimed to have received the “Disconnected” notice when attempting to control their car with their phone key.
Why Is Your Tesla Phone Key Not Working? Possible Causes and Their Solutions!
Here are the most common causes of your Tesla Bluetooth not working and their potential solutions:
1. Bluetooth Connectivity Error:
A weak Bluetooth signal can prevent your phone key from establishing a stable connection with your Tesla vehicle. In some cases, system errors or crashes on either device can also lead you to experience connectivity issues.
If your car is parked in an area where other electrical devices are active with Bluetooth connections, this can confuse your car’s Bluetooth connection and may prevent you from detecting the right pairing connection.
Solution:
Make sure that the “Bluetooth” is turned on your smartphone as well as your Tesla. Bring your phone closer to the vehicle to strengthen the connection.
If possible, disable “Bluetooth” on other surrounding devices, which may interfere with the connection.
Restart your smartphone and try connecting again.
If that doesn’t work, remove your Tesla car from your phone’s “Bluetooth paired list” and your smartphone from your car’s “paired list.”
Disable the “Bluetooth” on both devices and turn the “Bluetooth” on both to pair them as new.
2. Unsuccessful or Corrupted Phone Key Pairing:
If your Tesla phone key is not paired correctly with your vehicle, it may lead to connection issues.
Sometimes due to an unstable network connection or system prompt, the car and phone’s “Pairing” for the Phone Key Setup may fail.
Solution:
Open the Tesla app on your smartphone. Access the vehicle settings and locate the Phone Key section.
Delete the existing phone key and re-pair the phone with your Tesla vehicle. Follow the system prompts showing on your phone and car’s screens to complete the pairing process without any interruptions.
3. Battery Draining:
If your smartphone or your car’s battery is running critically low, in either case, they cannot have enough power to establish a stable connection with the other device.
Just like your phone or laptop, Tesla electric vehicles also have “Power-saving Mode” that can interfere with the phone key functionality.
When Tesla Power Saving Mode is on, additional features like Bluetooth will turn off automatically to save your car’s energy. So, if the “Bluetooth” is not connected, you cannot command your car with your phone key.
Solution:
Charge your smartphone to an adequate level. Make sure that your car also has a sufficient level of charge (at least 30% to 50%).
Attempt to use the phone key after your phone has sufficient battery power.
4. Software Issues:
If your Tesla phone key stops working after a software update, it could be due to an incompatibility issue. Make sure that your Tesla vehicle is running the latest software version and that your phone’s operating system is up to date.
Even if there’s an issue with your smartphone’s software or settings, it can also lead you to experience such errors.
Phone issues, such as outdated operating systems (IOS or Android) or even restrictions on Bluetooth permissions can also interfere with the smooth operation of your “Tesla Phone Key” feature.
Solution:
Make sure your car is running with the latest Tesla Software version. Visit your smartphone’s App (Apple or Google Play) store and check for any available updates for the Tesla app or other related Apps like the “Bluetooth App”
Install the latest update on your car and try using the phone key again. Check for any pending software updates on your Tesla vehicle and install them correctly.
Go to your phone’s “Settings” > find and click on “About” > navigate to “Software Update” or “Version Update.” If there’s an update available, update your phone immediately.
Check the “App permission” setting. Ensure that the “Tesla Mobile App” has all the necessary permissions enabled for Bluetooth and location services.
If the problem persists, try uninstalling and reinstalling the Tesla app on your smartphone.
5. Incorrect Phone Settings:
Some smartphones have aggressive battery optimization settings that can terminate background processes.
Smartphones have “power saving” mode and when this feature is turned on, this will automatically disable additional background Apps including “Bluetooth,” GPS, and “Tesla App” to save power if your phone’s charge is draining. This can also cause your Tesla phone key to fail.
Besides that, if you’ve turned the “Airplane Mode” on your phone, your phone’s internet, GPS, and Bluetooth connectivity will be turned off. Thus, if you try to use your phone as “Tesla Key” when the Airplane mode is on, it will not work.
Solution:
Open your phone’s Settings and navigate to the “Battery” or “Power” section. If the battery optimization option is “On” for the Tesla app, disable it.
Also, check and ensure that the “Airplane Mode” on your mobile is not enabled.
Restart your smartphone and check if the phone key is functioning properly.
If none of the above solutions cannot resolve the problem and your Tesla phone key is still not working, contact Tesla Customer Support for professional assistance.
Related Post: Going Keyless: Everything to Know about Tesla Valet Mode Without Key!
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]
Why won’t my Tesla connect to my phone via Bluetooth?
Yes. A weak cellular network or low signal strength may interfere with your Tesla phone key operation. Therefore, ensure appropriate network coverage for best performance.
How can I fix my inoperative Tesla phone key?
Restart your phone and make sure there’s no feature turned on that can prevent the internet and Bluetooth connectivity. Disable and enable your phone’s Bluetooth. If that doesn’t work, reinstall the Tesla App and set your phone as Key again.
Why won’t my Tesla car lock or unlock?
It can be due to Bluetooth connectivity issues. In that case, check the “Bluetooth” status on your phone and try to pair the key once again.
