Comment While many Tesla users primarily utilize their phones to gain entry to their vehicles, the popular electric-vehicle brand also gives users two access keycards upon purchase of a new car. A programmable piece of plastic that can fit inside your wallet has its advantages. Portability is one. Furthermore, the price of getting a new card, should you lose it, is significantly lower when compared to other manufacturers. Depending on the make and model of your vehicle, you could pay anywhere from $25 to $35 for a replacement. Conversely, there have been examples of key fob highway robbery circulating on social media. Take this woman, who says a dealership hit her with a $350 bill just to reprogram a new key for her vehicle. Another woman said a Toyota car seller tried getting her to pay $1,000 for a new fob replacement—making the Tesla card replacement seem like peanuts in comparison. However, these fobs don’t appear to be without their problems. Something that a woman named Juanita (@petitejuan) learned the hard way. Trouble With the Tesla Key Card Juanita posted a video featuring her standing outside of what appears to be a Tesla Model 3 vehicle, pressing the car’s access card to its driver’s side door. She repeatedly waves the card over the door’s siding, but the vehicle won’t lock. In a text overlay in her video, Juanita seems to indicate that this is a common occurrence. “POV: you’re a Tesla owner,” she writes. After attempting to lock the vehicle with her access card at the driver’s side door, she tries to wave it all around the car. Juanita scurries to the rear driver's side door, still holding the car near the Model 3’s body. She does the same to the EV’s rear, bringing it up across the entire passenger’s side. Next, she glides the card across the car’s hood and back to the driver’s side door. Upon doing so, the car beeps, and its side-view mirrors collapse inward, indicating the car’s been locked. This action prompts Juanita to breathe a sigh of relief, “Finally!” she says as her video comes to a close. How Do Tesla’s Access Key Cards Work? The EV manufacturer demonstrates how to properly use its key cards to get in and out of its vehicles on YouTube here. Like Juanita showcased in her video, sans running around the car, locate the camera near the driver’s side door. The card contact point is situated right on this B-pillar. Next, place your access key directly beneath this camera on the B-pillar by laying it flat. This should prompt the car to either lock or unlock. If you’re entering your vehicle to go for a drive, Tesla recommends leaving the card in the center console, right beneath the armrest. If you attempt to drive without placing the key card here, you’ll more than likely be stuck. Subsequently, an animation will appear on your car’s infotainment screen, indicating where the key card needs to be placed. What’s more is that drivers can easily create new keys for their vehicle with relative ease. That is, if they already have a functioning key card. Tesla sells a pair of new cards, along with a bifold wallet for $40. Upon getting your additional cards, head to your Tesla’s Car Menu on its large, in-dash display. Next, go to the Locks menu, and select the option to create a new key card for your vehicle. Simply follow the on-screen instructions and you’ll have more keys. If you want to remove key card access to your vehicle, you can also head on over to the Locks menu. Once there, press the garbage bin graphic beside the key you want deleted, and you’re good to go. What Tech Is the Key Card Packing? Low-frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) signals are programmed into key cards that communicate with your Tesla. Once this specific signal is in close proximity to the Tesla, the car opens up. Similarly, most modern smartphones allow drivers to enter via the Tesla app. Oftentimes, the vehicle will pick up how close a driver’s phone is and unlock automatically. RFID has been exploited in the past, however. There have been thieves who’ve utilized radio signal scanners to acquire the specific frequency needed to unlock a Tesla. Once inside, they’re able to drive off with the vehicle. Also, as Juanita shows in her video, these key cards aren’t always foolproof. Other Tesla owners have reported this same issue, like this gentleman on the Tesla Motors Club forum. However, unlike the TikToker, their cards never ended up working properly. It’s not just key cards that leave Teslas stuck, however. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Glenn Howerton also shared how his Model X ended up getting stuck in a parking garage for two days. That’s because the vehicle seems to have had difficulty communicating with mobile data, preventing him from entering and driving the car. InsideEVs has reached out to Juanita via TikTok comment for further information.