T7 Ocean unlocking by itself?

[Stuart D]

I've just been on a business trip to the States. I parked my new Cali in the Heathrow Long Term Car Park on the 8th October. Being nervous about leaving a very expensive vehicle there I double checked I had locked it correctly. The wing mirrors folded in and I could see the red LED blinking inside the drivers door. Content that it was locked (it also had a Disklok on the steering wheel) I carefully put the keys in my pocket so as not to unlock and proceeded to the shuttle bus and headed to the airport. Just before boarding I checked the VW App and it said my Cali was unlocked! I pressed lock on the App and gratefully watched it turn to locked.

Everyday of that trip I checked the App to see that the vehicle was locked and in the same place, it was. On the day I flew back (12th) my daily check on the App said it was unlocked, Again I reset it to lock. Arrived back today to find the Cali locked.

I find this very worrying if the vehicle can just randomly unlock itself. Perhaps it's an App problem. Has anyone experienced this?

 

[andyinluton]

If it’s anything like my T6.1 the app isn’t to be believed.
I had similar unlocked reports but going out to check the van would show it was still secured.

 

[m10chkcalifornia]

As above. Its the app thats the issue - I have stopped believing it!

 

[Aldoi]

Believe locking via the app only works via Bluetooth right? So if in the terminal trying to lock via the app I wouldn’t expect it to do anything.

I imagine the app also caches info based on data it had when last connected to the vehicle via bluetooth so it would not be a live status unless connected to the vehicle via Bluetooth at that point in time.

 

[burton61]

Believe locking via the app only works via Bluetooth right? So if in the terminal trying to lock via the app I wouldn’t expect it to do anything.

I imagine the app also caches info based on data it had when last connected to the vehicle via bluetooth so it would not be a live status unless connected to the vehicle via Bluetooth at that point in time.

The connection to these sort of features on cars is usually through sim card in the vehicle, mobile network connection and not something with close proximity like Bluetooth.

 

[Wannabecamperman]

The connection to these sort of features on cars is usually through sim card in the vehicle, mobile network connection and not something with close proximity like Bluetooth.

Indeed, that is my understanding and certainly instructions from the app can and do work from much greater distances than bluetooth, literally miles away.

 

[Pollewop]

If it’s anything like my T6.1 the app isn’t to be believed.
I had similar unlocked reports but going out to check the van would show it was still secured.

You're right... The App is indeed very bad. The information cannot be trusted.
I stopped using it after the "free-of-charge" period ended.

 

[Stuart D]

Believe locking via the app only works via Bluetooth right? So if in the terminal trying to lock via the app I wouldn’t expect it to do anything.

I imagine the app also caches info based on data it had when last connected to the vehicle via bluetooth so it would not be a live status unless connected to the vehicle via Bluetooth at that point in time.

Had chance to test the VW App locking last night. My wife was by the van and I was 2 miles away on WiFi. The remote locking /unlocking does work over WiFi at distance. Interestingly the app was asking for the PIN number to unlock & lock. It wasn’t doing that whilst I was in America. I need to investigate more.

 

[Oscarize12]

I've just been on a business trip to the States. I parked my new Cali in the Heathrow Long Term Car Park on the 8th October. Being nervous about leaving a very expensive vehicle there I double checked I had locked it correctly. The wing mirrors folded in and I could see the red LED blinking inside the drivers door. Content that it was locked (it also had a Disklok on the steering wheel) I carefully put the keys in my pocket so as not to unlock and proceeded to the shuttle bus and headed to the airport. Just before boarding I checked the VW App and it said my Cali was unlocked! I pressed lock on the App and gratefully watched it turn to locked.

Everyday of that trip I checked the App to see that the vehicle was locked and in the same place, it was. On the day I flew back (12th) my daily check on the App said it was unlocked, Again I reset it to lock. Arrived back today to find the Cali locked.

I find this very worrying if the vehicle can just randomly unlock itself. Perhaps it's an App problem. Has anyone experienced this?

I have had the opposite experience of the Cali T6 kicking in its own. Luckily I have had the key with me each time. Looking back however it seemed to happen more frequently in hot weather. Local VW agent can’t find any fault

 

[WelshGas]

Had chance to test the VW App locking last night. My wife was by the van and I was 2 miles away on WiFi. The remote locking /unlocking does work over WiFi at distance. Interestingly the app was asking for the PIN number to unlock & lock. It wasn’t doing that whilst I was in America. I need to investigate more.

Needs the PIN to work.

 

[Aldoi]

The connection to these sort of features on cars is usually through sim card in the vehicle, mobile network connection and not something with close proximity like Bluetooth.

Apologies, have to hold my hands up - clearly very wrong there! I’d just assumed it would be this rather than relying on wi-fi or mobile connection if the vehicle isn’t on your driveway or set up with an e-sim contract.

 

[Wannabecamperman]

Apologies, have to hold my hands up - clearly very wrong there! I’d just assumed it would be this rather than relying on wi-fi or mobile connection if the vehicle isn’t on your driveway or set up with an e-sim contract.

I think even when the free e-sim wifi deal lapses, it still works for app control and OTA.

 

[sticky1]

Needs the PIN to work.

Not for me, works with FaceID on the iPhone.
Can lock remotely.
Regularly has the wrong status in the app though.

 

[WelshGas]

Not for me, works with FaceID on the iPhone.
Can lock remotely.
Regularly has the wrong status in the app though.

That’s because you have set up the phone to use Facial Recognition. You can also use Fingerprint recognition, but behind it all is the 4 digit pin which you also have to use on the Infotainment system if you have to reset it for any reason.