App outage leaves Tesla owners stranded, unable to start their vehicles

[daveo4EV]

I think you meant to say everybody you know, not everybody in the USA. I suspect you drive a Model 3 or Model Y. While you might not know any of the other owners, Tesla does have other model cars, which do not have app Bluetooth functionality.

the Model S/X have Fob's
the Model 3/Y have app pairing which does not required networking/internet/servers
the Model 3/Y have RFID cards which always work

the _ONLY_ reason someone would be stuck as a result of this would be if they SOLELY relied on the Tesla app functionality to unlock/lock start their car - now this is possible and I bet a lot of people do - but they were asking for trouble if this is their main use case - cause it won't work they first time they park their car deep in a parking structure…

you should always have a "local" point to point solution like:

1. fob
2. RFID key
3. have paired the app for the passive lock/unlock/start functionality

if you have NOT done any of the 3 steps above you will lose access to your vehicle if networking or server problems present themselves…

I'm sure many Tesla customers don't know these things so they are running the risk of being locked out of their vehicles - but by NO means is this REQUIRED by Tesla - they have multiple solutions that will not be this fragile if the owners takes a small bit of preparation.

Tesla does not force you to rely on networking/servers/internet to access your vehicle…it's just so darn convenient that most people do not bother to spend any time making sure they have alternate access solutions (which are standard/delivered by default w/vehicle and have no additional costs).

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[whitex]

the Model S/X have Fob's
the Model 3/Y have app pairing which does not required networking/internet/servers
the Model 3/Y have RFID cards which always work

the _ONLY_ reason someone would be stuck as a result of this would be if they SOLELY relied on the Tesla app functionality to unlock/lock start their car - now this is possible and I bet a lot of people do - but they were asking for trouble if this is their main use case - cause it won't work they first time they park their car deep in a parking structure…

you should always have a "local" point to point solution like:

1. fob
2. RFID key
3. have paired the app for the passive lock/unlock/start functionality

if you have NOT done any of the 3 steps above you will lose access to your vehicle if networking or server problems present themselves…

I'm sure many Tesla customers don't know these things so they are running the risk of being locked out of their vehicles - but by NO means is this REQUIRED by Tesla - they have multiple solutions that will not be this fragile if the owners takes a small bit of preparation.

Tesla does not force you to rely on networking/servers/internet to access your vehicle…it's just so darn convenient that most people do not bother to spend any time making sure they have alternate access solutions (which are standard/delivered by default w/vehicle and have no additional costs).

Yup, I was simply replying to the post below, which talked about phone access working for everyone during the server outage. Hence, not mentioning RFID or fob (they don't help the phone app work ).

Totally FAKE.
I (and everybody) could open/close/use the car via phone access as before, phone connection for these basic things via bluetooth. We could not remote control the car for couple of hours that is all.

 

[Bertibasset]

Tesla software failure reminds customers not to rely solely on the mobile app

https://www.techspot.com/news/92317-app-outage-leaves-tesla-owners-stranded-unable-start.html

Tesla not impervious either?

Very true however at least the speed of the Tesla server is a million times superior in every way Porsche server is very poor I have had two Tesla’s and 4 Porsches but unless Porsche get a grip this may be my last.

 

[chrisk]

Since we are on the topic, the latest Ford app update seems to break Phone as a Key at some Android phones and some Mach-e owners are left stranded. What is even worse it also appears that the backup pincode to start the car does not always work. It is pretty viral on the Mach-e forum.
As I said in my previous post on this thread I am always using the real key fob just to avoid these issues until Ford, Porsche, Polestar etc figure out software. The issues might be rare but they are very disturbing when they happen.

 

[whitex]

Since we are on the topic, the latest Ford app update seems to break Phone as a Key at some Android phones and some Mach-e owners are left stranded. What is even worse it also appears that the backup pincode to start the car does not always work. It is pretty viral on the Mach-e forum.
As I said in my previous post on this thread I am always using the real key fob just to avoid these issues until Ford, Porsche, Polestar etc figure out software. The issues might be rare but they are very disturbing when they happen.

Personally I would never use any entry key which relies on internet access to work as my primary means of entry to the car. I would also not use any phone app based system via BT because using that requires you to check if it still works every time your phone is updates, your app is updates, or your car is updated. Given that phones, app, and even cars update often and sometimes silently, and the fact that phones do die from time to time (either battery or just hardware failure), it requires too much vigilance on my part keep on top of it, so I don't get stranded.

That said, the above are fine ways as secondary means of entry and driving the car. For example, when I'm going to my car from my house to retrieve something I forgot, or to re-park it elsewhere, I do sometimes use the phone because I didn't bother to go fetch my key fob. If the phone was to fail however, key fob is only a minute away.

Foe me, ideally the car should have a backup method to get in and drive, perhaps a touch keypad that shows up on the B billar, which allows the owner to unlock the car with a pin in case their phone is dead, internet or servers are dead, or an update screwed things up. Then I would see using only phone as the primary key.

 

[Bognar67]

I think you meant to say everybody you know, not everybody in the USA. I suspect you drive a Model 3 or Model Y. While you might not know any of the other owners, Tesla does have other model cars, which do not have app Bluetooth functionality.

Yes, I have a M3 as you see my profile. While I am clear with that, Tesla has other models as S/X (thank you for your kind tell off) I really did not know these models are not have bluetooth functionality.
So M3 owners have no problem (bluetooth functionality) S/X owners have in the situation like this.

 

[whitex]

Yes, I have a M3 as you see my profile. While I am clear with that, Tesla has other models as S/X I really did not know these models are not have bluetooth functionality.
Thank you for your kind tell off.
So M3 owners have no problems (bluetooth functionality) S/X owners had.

Furthermore, only ~500 owners reported being unable to drive their cars, out of over 200,000 S/X on the roads today. The rest of the owners just probably used key fobs. As I mentioned before in this thread, while this was not fake news, it was definitely overhyped news. Model S/X owners are not supposed to use their Phones as the primary car key, and even if they do, it's not as seamless as 3/Y (and requires internet from both the car and the phone). That is why key fobs come included with S/X, while they are optional add-ons for 3/Y.

 

[Bognar67]

Furthermore, only ~500 owners reported being unable to drive their cars, out of over 200,000 S/X on the roads today. The rest of the owners just probably used key fobs. As I mentioned before in this thread, while this was not fake news, it was definitely overhyped news. Model S/X owners are not supposed to use their Phones as the primary car key, and even if they do, it's not as seamless as 3/Y (and requires internet from both the car and the phone). That is why key fobs come included with S/X, while they are optional add-ons for 3/Y.

"App outage leaves Tesla owners stranded, unable to start their vehicles"
This is fake news in my interpretation.
As you say: M3/Y have bluetooth, S/X have key fob. And everybody have card.

 

[chrisk]

Foe me, ideally the car should have a backup method to get in and drive, perhaps a touch keypad that shows up on the B billar, which allows the owner to unlock the car with a pin in case their phone is dead, internet or servers are dead, or an update screwed things up. Then I would see using only phone as the primary key.

Ford Mach-e has two backup pincodes, one to unlock and one to start sthe car but some owners have discovered that due to another bug the pincode start does not work (pincode start erased on its own for whatever reason).
So the Failsafe failed as well.

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