I walk up to my car, open the back door to set down my work bag (key step!), then I push the little button on the charging cable, pull it out, and then I get in the car and silently pull away ...

Same "dance" -- not sure why, but I don't mind it.

 

If nudge the rear door handle just a tad, it won't unlatch the door but will wake up your car so you can remove the charge cable.

 

I also nudge the rear door handle. Sometimes, if I’m trying to precondition my car, I will have already unlocked it (and left it unlocked) to get it to wake up and I only need to release the EVSE connector.

 

Make that 3 who nudge the left rear door (unless I’m opening the trunk anyway to put my stuff in and then the chargeport is unlocked)

 

Make that 3 who nudge the left rear door (unless I'm opening the trunk anyway to put my stuff in and then the chargeport is unlocked)

Me as well sometimes on the nudge. I'm wondering if the reason my charging cable sometimes take a few seconds to unlock is because my car is in the process of waking.

 

I feel this is a silly question as I have the car for few months now and I still haven't figured out the best and simple way to release the charge cable.
My setting is simple … I use my phone (Samsung S9+ in case it matters) as my key.
I walk to the car in the morning. my path to the car suggest I go through the back of the car (from right to the driver side). As I walk in , I see the cable and I want to release it …. nope. pressing the button on the cable does nothing.
I find myself trying to gently press the handle of the door and since I don't want to open the back door, I do it with the driver side just a bit, the car wakes up and I lean back to the back and release the cable (the car is parked next to the wall so this maneuver is bit tight …)

Is this issue with Bluetooth in my phone or car? Am I supposed to press in a different place ?

Just feels like a strange dance which doesn't feel like one I would think Tesla will design.

here's what I do (for reference, iPhoneX)...

I typically leave home around 8am.
My charging is set to start at 630am (sometimes move it earlier the night before based on prior day's use)
Charge is done by 745-8am
Using Teslafi, the heat automatically comes on at 7:45 and turns off at 8:15 (incase I am running late and forget about it) All to say, the car is awake when I go out to the garage.
At 8a, with my phone in my coat pocket, I go to the garage.
Pressing the charge wand button releases it (because the car is awake and phone is present).

For the weekends or other days it is plugged in but asleep when I go out, the only extra step I do is before pressing the charge wand button, I press the rear passenger door handle enough to wake the car, but not enough to pop the door actuator. Then press the wand button.

Either way, works every time.

I have more issues when using a public J1772 and getting the timing right to have the charge port release the adaptor.

 

I have more issues when using a public J1772 and getting the timing right to have the charge port release the adaptor.

I don't know for the J1772 but on the Superchargers here in Europe, you need to keep the button pushed to be able to pull out the adaptor, cause else you only have a fraction of a second to time it right.

 

Ultimately, the button on the charge cable will work if you have unlocked the car or your phone is close enough for the car to recognize.

I walk up to my car regularly with my Android phone in my back pocket and have to perform the Tesla Piroette (TM) in order for the car to recognize the phone when trying to open the driver's side door.

 

I have to "fake open" the door to unlock the car so I can release the cable every morning, and I find it pretty annoying. It seems like they should be able to update the software so pressing the button on the charger checks for the presence of the phone just like pressing on a door handle does.

 

OK, I guess I am the weird one here... I open the trunk first.

Like most of you, my phone is set to the key and I always carry a bag (either MMA training or home made lunch) and don't put it in plain sight so in the trunk it goes.

 

Open the driver’s door, press button on charge cable, remove cable, hang up, and then jump in the car and go.

 

Here are all the options I'm aware of, *subjectively* ranked from least-bad to worst (with options that violate the laws of physics counting as "worst" by default):

• "Nudge" any door handle.
• Open any door.
• Open the trunk.
• Open your phone app long enough before approaching the car for it to connect and wake up the car before you get to it.
• Schedule your charging so that it's always still charging when you approach the car.
• Use a J1772 charger with the J1772-Tesla adapter.
• Refrigerate your garage to <41F year-round.
• Travel back in time to before Tesla changed the firmware to remove "Walk-Up Unlock" when you could actually remove the charge cable easily, intuitively, and conveniently by just walking up and pressing the button on the connector.

 

That final bullet -- I've had my car since February 2018 and it never worked that way for me.

 

I set the car to charge starting at 9:00 pm (free power for me). It’s always done in the morning.

After I’m all showered, dressed and ready for work. I sit down for a moment with my iPhone. I start the car wake-up process. Then I switch apps and order breakfast at Starbucks. Then I go back to the Tesla app, turn on Climate and Unlock. By the time I get my coat, grab my briefcase and open the garage door, everything has had time to wake up and heat up (including me).

When I get the the car, i unlock the charge cable with the button press on the handle.

 

TeslaFi user here. Send wakeup and HVAC commands early morning.

Middie's awake and ready, press that button on the wand. Done

 

That final bullet -- I've had my car since February 2018 and it never worked that way for me.

How so? Walk-up unlock would wake the car up as you approach, right? And then wouldn't the awake car recognize the button press on the charge connector?

At least that's the explanation I got from Tesla customer support about why you can no longer reliably remove the charge connector. They said it was due to walk-up unlock being removed. (Not that they've never been wrong before, but I've seen lots of other early owners claiming the same.)

 

Going off of memory here ... I do remember the car doing the dance of locked/unlocked when you got in range. Maybe in the very early days it did work.

 

Jeez guys! So long-winded.

He’s learning what we all had to: that you can’t just push the button on the charge cable to unlock it, if the car’s asleep.

I guess none of us have figured out: why the heck not?

 

He's learning what we all had to: that you can't just push the button on the charge cable to unlock it, if the car's asleep.

I guess none of us have figured out: why the heck not?

Because Tesla rushed their product development without doing sufficient validation and/or fully thinking through the ramifications of their design choices.

 

@Gunn, same here about opening trunk first. My process, works consistently well:

1. Walk into open garage, car is parked facing out
2. Walk to vehicle rear, tripping over charging cable (yes, that last is apparently a required part of the process)
3. Open trunk (to unlock vehicle and for a future step)
4. Press and hold button on charging cable, wait for charging symbol to turn green
5. Pull out cable with its J1772 adapter and lock cable into its EVSE housing
6. Stow the J1772 adapter into deep part of trunk, driver's side
7. Close trunk.

I bought my AeroVironment EVSE back in late 2011 to charge my 2012 Nissan LEAF. I use it today to charge both my LEAF and Model 3, the latter using the J1772 adapter that came with it. It gives me about 30 miles of range per hour so easily charges fully overnight. I typically charge to 80%, but top off to 100% immediately prior to a long-ish trip. All seems to be working well.

 

I got a loaner 2013 Model S with a key fob, and it automatically unlocks when you get within a few feet (including releasing the charging cable). No handle tap required. Not sure why we can’t match that functionality in the Model 3.

 

I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact the Model 3 is a $35k minimum vehicle vs. the Model S is an $80k minimum vehicle?

 

I got a loaner 2013 Model S with a key fob, and it automatically unlocks when you get within a few feet (including releasing the charging cable). No handle tap required. Not sure why we can't match that functionality in the Model 3.

The original intent for the Model 3 was for it to work the same way as the Model S, except with using a phone key instead of a key fob. But, clearly, Tesla failed to properly test the phone key and understand it's deficiencies vs a key fob and therefore later had to abandon the "Walk Up Unlock" feature in the Model 3 cuz the proximity detection with the phone/Bluetooth wasn't as good as a with key fob and ended up causing problems for Model 3 owners with attached garages.

So now M3 owners are left holding the bag for Tesla's failures.

 

I have to "fake open" the door to unlock the car so I can release the cable every morning, and I find it pretty annoying. It seems like they should be able to update the software so pressing the button on the charger checks for the presence of the phone just like pressing on a door handle does.

... or make it location enabled, like Sentry mode. Do not lock if parked at home

 

I noticed this happens when my phone is in my back pocket but never when in front pocket . And afaik I have no metal in my body

 

I never have a problem, I press the button on the wand, unlocks and I pull it out, hanging it on the Wall Connector.

Here's my bluetooth setup and behavior:
1. Pixel 2
2. Tesla App has battery optimization turned off
3. Right front pocket

 

I have struggled with this for a few months now. The car does not "unlock" if you press the button on the charge cable, while phone is in range... therefore you MUST open a door to unlock the car, before pressing the button.
I understand that some users were experiencing endless honking from the garage due to the "walk up unlock" being enabled and user's phone going in and out of range....

However I dont understand how it cant work like previously mentioned here, phone in range = ok to unlock charge cable....

 

I have struggled with this for a few months now. The car does not "unlock" if you press the button on the charge cable, while phone is in range... therefore you MUST open a door to unlock the car, before pressing the button.
I understand that some users were experiencing endless honking from the garage due to the "walk up unlock" being enabled and user's phone going in and out of range....

However I dont understand how it cant work like previously mentioned here, phone in range = ok to unlock charge cable....

One trick, on the back left door - half press the door handle in which will wake the car and then you can remove the charge cable without unnecessarily opening a door.

 

I just wish I could unplug my car without waking up my wife's!

 

We

Well, that certainly falls into the range of a first world problem

🙃