What to do when key card takes forever to unlock R1T?

[McLovin]

I just realized that I've never used either of the cards. I've given them to service people to use, so they must work, but I've never tried them myself. I can't imagine why anyone would. I just keep one in the console for service/valet.

Believe it or not, there are places that phones are not allowed, nor are Bluetooth devices (which the fob apparently is), so the key card is the only option. Unless you want to lock your phone in a locker before entering the building.

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[HaveBlue]

Lat card flat on handle is what I have seen with my Gen1. I find that a specific spot (on the card) and side facing the handle helps as well.

Keycard is not designed for quick and easy entry imo - just quick and easy to carry and 1 less item to carry logic.

That being said, your settings should not be a problem at Costco and phone should kick in. Be sure to check precise location settings on app and app is open (I think); don’t swipe up.

Or apple watch? Buy Key fob?

NFC cards have a small embedded chip and a thin set of antenna wires that run the perimeter of the card.

 

[Rade]

The issue I repeatedly have is my R1T suffers from narcolepsy. I wish I could sleep that soundly... I have the truck set to be unlocked in the garage. I'll open the door and it often takes a good 10-15 seconds for the truck to wake up.

Out in the wild, I am seeing less of this. Usually when parked at the shopping center of supermarket, by the time I get within 10 feet, it wakes up. Unless it's raining and I have my arms full. Then all bets are off.

Seriously, I wonder if just buying a keyfob would be a better solution?

 

[tjrivian]

I think it's pretty clear by now that the team designing the keyless entry system was in a hard fought competition against the team designing the HVAC system to see who could come up with the most annoying implementation of basic features that work seamlessly in most other vehicles. It's hard to say which team ultimately won the competition - there are pretty strong arguments in favor of each side.

 

[usulio]

I just realized that I've never used either of the cards. I've given them to service people to use, so they must work, but I've never tried them myself. I can't imagine why anyone would.

I don't carry my phone when exercising (running, cycling, water sports) and have found the key fob to be less reliable and less convenient to carry, so key card it is.

 

[2kwik4u]

She is doing it properly.
Just did it in the driveway with both keys and it promptly unlocked.
Is it just buggy tech? Why would truck go into "deep sleep" for a 1/2 hr grocery run?
Costco and then later the grocery store (carrying items, in a public place, what if she needed to get in the car quick?) the unlock was the delay I described.

I set the car to stay locked at home and not unlock when the phone approaches. This has created a prolonged "waking" time (using phone) before it unlocks that I did not notice before I changed that setting.

It's buggy/shitty tech that's baked into a flawed system design. My wife won't drive the Rivian anywhere other than the suburbs during the day or anywhere alone at night for this exact safety concern.

I've found if the truck decides to go to sleep, then it takes absurdly long times to get it to wake up. That's regardless of phone/fob/card use. I've had it go to sleep in the time it takes me to walk from the 3rd parking space to a store front and back; so maybe less than a minute.

Single most loathed "feature" on this truck for me. Ruins the experience before I even get the opportunity to enjoy any of the good stuff it does.

 

[2kwik4u]

I think it's pretty clear by now that the team designing the keyless entry system was in a hard fought competition against the team designing the HVAC system to see who could come up with the most annoying implementation of basic features that work seamlessly in most other vehicles. It's hard to say which team ultimately won the competition - there are pretty strong arguments in favor of each side.

Dude......I couldn't have said it better. It was an impressive battle with losers all around!

 

[2kwik4u]

It's a convenient way to be dramatic playing off the idea that there are predators in every parking lot waiting to jump a person if it takes them longer than a second to get in the car and drive off.

It's not being dramatic, and it sure as hell isn't convenient. It's a legit safety concern for some. Just because a delay in entry is OK for you, doesn't mean it's OK for everyone else. My wife doesn't think it's safe, and wether that threat is "real" or not, she's not driving the truck if it makes her feel unsafe. Full stop.

Outside of that, entry to a vehicle has been solved, for decades that is simple/effective/reliable/robust. Rivian is NONE of those, even on a good day. The system is flawed from the start of the design. It's another "Me too" feature where they followed tesla right down the rabbit hole. The coupling of action with permission is flawed at the core of the system, and no amount of tech stack is going to fix that.

 

[dogwind]

Thanks, we talked that out.
For the record, I love my R1T, although the relationship has moments of abuse.

 

[2kwik4u]

Thanks, we talked that out.
For the record, I love my R1T, although the relationship has moments of abuse.

I sincerely hope the abuse remains the minority for you. I think it is for most.

 

[NY_Rob]

I got in the habit of tapping the gear tunnel unlock button 3 times when approaching the my R1T. That simple, quick action helped wake the truck so that it quickly recognized the key cards and or the fob. Give that a try...

 

[Christa_R]

2026 Dual Standard R1T
My wife is reporting 10-15 seconds of multiple taps before car responds.
This is becoming a safety issue.
I've got the car set to stay locked at home so my phone proximity does not unlock/wake it up.
Is this the problem?
Some soft reset/button pushing I need to do?

Thanks! I tried Search but those threads went on forever and never gave me answer.

Bob

I have a similar issue and had a service appointment for something else so the tech looked at this - they explained that when the car goes to sleep fully (after about an hour), it takes longer to wake/open. For me it can be 10-15 seconds and doesn't matter if I use the card or the phone app. It's much quicker when I have been using the vehicle.

 

[SwampNut]

There are multiple ways to assure INSTANT entry into the car before you arrive at it. Even a perfectly-functioning card is NOT the way to achieve safety. If you really think there's a safety issue, why wouldn't you use the faster methods that don't require you doing what criminals would want you doing? Fumbling for keys/card, looking down, not being situationally aware and looking around?

This is insane. And why I don't buy the safety issue. Unless it's just some emotional problem and not about actually being safe.

If I'm downtown, even though statistically it's still extremely unlikely to be jacked getting into a car, I always unlock ahead of time. "Hey Siri unlock Rivian" or press the button on my phone that I've set up to unlock. Or press the button on the fob. Etc.

Did this really have to by typed out?

The last thing I'd want to do is be looking down towards a keyhole or a card reader.

 

[derekmw]

After surfing, when this happens, I just had to look like an idiot for a min standing there pressing my key card on the door knob until it eventually opens.

Now that I have the app on my Apple Watch, I get to stand like an idiot at the tail gate instead, repeatedly trying to unlock in the app on the watch.

 

[BanditTA]

I’ve had my new R1T for a week. I do agree this is a bit annoying. One could go into the mobile app and unlock it before walking out to the vehicle as a workaround.

I did try the gear guard button trick this morning and I do think it was a bit faster to wake up and unlock.

I believe this is a “ feature” copied off of Tesla. Our prior Kia EV6 and our BMW I4 have no delay issues, and they came with key fobs that worked instantly for free. I do recall our older Model 3 we traded in for the Kia having this issue though.

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