Whether you’ve put the car in park at a traffic intersection or stopped for a break, knowing the doors are locked is important. Fortunately, Tesla’s models make it simple to lock your car from the inside.
Simply locate the lock icon (which looks like a padlock) on the touchscreen and tap it. It might take a few seconds for the car to register.
Find the Key Card
The Tesla key card is a convenient, secure way to lock your car. It uses Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to communicate with the vehicle’s system, allowing you to start and unlock your Tesla with just a tap of a finger. The key card is also more affordable than a traditional metal key fob and can be used by multiple people.
The key card is small enough to fit in your wallet, making it easy to keep with you and use when needed. It also offers consistency and convenience over using a phone app or key fob, so it’s ideal for people who share a car. However, the key card isn’t perfect and can be difficult to use when not in your pocket or purse.
First, you need to make sure your key card is paired with your car. You can do this in the Tesla app on your phone or by entering the code on the display screen of your EV. If you’re unsure of how to do this, click here for detailed instructions.
It’s also important to keep the key card away from other items in your wallet, as they may interfere with the NFC signal. It’s best to store it in a padded pouch or even in the pocket of your jacket, as this will help to protect it.
Some smartphones have NFC capability that allows you to lock or unlock your Tesla remotely. To do this, you need to ensure the Tesla mobile app is paired with your vehicle and that your smartphone has NFC enabled. Then, simply place your smartphone against the driver’s door pillar to lock or unlock the car.
Alternatively, you can also use a smart watch to lock or unlock your Tesla. These devices are becoming increasingly popular and are a great alternative to key cards. They offer a simple, convenient, and consistent locking process and are great for people who share cars or like to drive their Tesla on short trips. However, it’s important to keep in mind that smart watches only work if the vehicle has an active internet connection. If it does not, you will need to use the key card or the mobile app to lock the vehicle.
Open the Driver’s Side Door
Tesla’s are sleek, sophisticated EV’s that offer plenty of safety and convenience features. But, just like any other vehicle, the occasional problem can pop up. For example, maybe your car won’t lock automatically or you can’t unlock it manually. Fortunately, there are a few quick fixes you can try if your Tesla isn’t locking properly.
First, make sure all doors are closed and latched before attempting to lock it. Also, double-check that you are not in one of the excluded locations that prevent it from auto-locking, as this could also be why your car isn’t locking automatically. It’s also possible that you have another key fob or phone key in the vehicle, which may cause the sensors to detect a key inside and prevent it from locking.
If all of these steps fail to solve your problem, it’s likely that there is a bug in the software or hardware. In this case, it’s best to contact Tesla customer service and explain your issue. They can help you troubleshoot the problem and, if necessary, book you for a remote fix.
Another option is to use the Tesla app to manually lock your car. You can find the lock icon on the touchscreen when seated inside the vehicle, and it will change depending on whether your phone or key fob is paired with the vehicle. You can also enable “walk-away door lock” within the app, which will prompt the doors to automatically lock whenever you are at least six feet away from the car.
You can also manually open the doors by using the button on the driver’s side door handle. To do this, push on the fat bit with your thumb and then curl your fingers around the thin bit to release the handle and open the door. This method of opening the door works just as well as a traditional key.
Tap the Door Pillar
Tesla’s key cards use RFID (radio frequency identification) to communicate with the vehicle’s system, allowing you to unlock and operate your car without pulling out a metal key. You can use your key card in five ways to access your Model 3: with the MY TESLA app on your smartphone; using your smart watch; via the key fob; with the Tesla ring; or with the touchscreen display.
The MY TESLA app is the easiest way to use your Tesla, because you don’t need to remove it from your pocket or purse to operate the vehicle. But you need to be logged in with your MY TESLA user name and password to use it, even when the phone is not open.
With your smartphone paired to the car, you can walk away from it and it will automatically lock with its built-in Walk-Away Door Lock feature. You can also turn this feature on in the Settings menu of the vehicle’s touchscreen.
Note that if you’re within a few feet of the Tesla and your phone is active, you can still use it to open the doors and start the car, provided no other authenticated key card or fob is in the vehicle. But if you’re further than that and your phone isn’t on, the car won’t unlock or lock.
If you’ve set up your Tesla to recognize a Smart Ring as a key, you can use it to open the car by tapping it against the driver’s side pillar post about one key’s length below the camera. The car’s exterior lights will flicker and the mirrors will unfold (if enabled) to indicate it has recognized the ring.
A few third party apps have been created that allow you to control your Tesla using your smart watch, but these are not officially supported by Tesla and they may not work correctly after a software update of your watch or the phone. You should always have a backup method to enter your Tesla, such as the mobile app or key fob locking, just in case something goes wrong with one of these methods.
Unlock the Car
In the early days of Tesla, many owners complained that their car would lock down tight as soon as they walked away from it. This is a good thing, of course, because it prevents anyone from driving off with your Tesla while you’re not around to keep an eye on it. Some people, however, wanted to be able to keep their Tesla unlocked while parked at home in the garage. Fortunately, Tesla has since pushed out a software update that allows any Model 3 owner to teach their car not to automatically lock at home.
The way the system works is that the driver’s side door pillar contains an RFID reader that can verify that the key card or phone is present. If the reader detects that a key card is present, it will then unlock the car. The phone can also unlock the car, if it has been enabled to do so. To enable the phone to lock the car, simply open the app and tap “Phone Key”. The app will then ask if you want it to unlock or lock the vehicle when it is in proximity. Once you have made that selection, the app will take care of everything else.
If you don’t want to use your phone for this purpose, you can purchase a special key fob from Tesla that works exactly like a regular one and looks very cool, too. There are also some wedding rings on the market that have a built-in NFC chip that can be programmed to work as a key fob for your Tesla. These are fairly new, and reviews are hard to find, but some people seem to love them.
The other option for those who don’t have access to a phone or don’t feel comfortable relying on the auto-lock system is to simply walk up to their car and hold the key fob to the pillar. This will also manually lock the car, as long as you are within proximity of it and have the right key card. If you can’t find the key card, or the car is not responding to the key fob, try moving it so that it can better detect it. It may also be a sign that the key fob needs a replacement battery, or that it is being interfered with by radio equipment that operates on a similar frequency.