XPENG X9 Phone Key Not Connecting: Bluetooth and Auto-Lock

XPENG X9 phone key losing connection: Bluetooth, app permissions and auto-lock

Scope: applies only to the X9 English right-hand-drive file labelled 2024 in XPENG's official Global manual list (XPENG_X9_2024_EN_RHD_User_Manual; the PDF foreword corresponds to IVI V5.4 and gives no exact publication date). The Global label does not prove each car's China-mainland or other-market configuration; asterisked items, configuration and OTA changes must be checked against the actual car, current software and the vehicle's own manual. Covers only owner checks and service handover for the factory phone Bluetooth key; phone systems, accounts and regional features can differ, and no methods are given for bypassing authentication, modifying antennas or reading vehicle security modules.

Media Bluetooth playing music doesn't mean the phone key is connected

The X9 manual clearly separates media Bluetooth from key Bluetooth: the phone key connects to the car's Bluetooth by itself, not through infotainment media pairing. On the phone key screen, blue means key Bluetooth is connected and grey means not connected; so if music plays normally but the key status is still grey, the audio connection doesn't prove the key channel is working. In an underground car park with no network, an already-connected Bluetooth key may still work; conversely, the nominal connection range of about 20 metres in open areas changes with phone hardware, obstructions and interference, so a particular distance can't be treated as a fault threshold. Owners can, while safely parked, record the key screen colour, media Bluetooth status, phone OS version, location and time of failure, describe the connection behaviour clearly first, and then let the service team decide whether it's an account or vehicle problem. ^[1]

Unlocks but won't go into gear: record key status and timing first

The manual separates two paths: when "Bluetooth is not connected" you can choose to unlock only or to unlock and start the car, while when "Bluetooth is connected" you must select a gear within 20 minutes of unlocking; it also reminds you not to exit the phone app after unlocking but to leave it running in the background, or you may not be able to select a gear. If you really can't select a gear, the manual suggests reopening the app; the phone key's "Check key" function also gives guidance when it isn't connected or can't start. The 20 minutes belongs only to the connected path described in the manual and shouldn't be used to explain every authorisation or remote-start case. Don't keep trying to select a gear in place of a safety diagnosis; record the connection colour, the function selected, the time from unlocking to the message, whether the app was in the background and the exact screen text, and take it to a service centre. If the car can't reliably be made ready to drive, arrange service according to the car's messages; don't treat a phone key problem as a reminder you can drive on with. ^[1]

Confirm auto-lock on the spot; settings may reset after changing phones

Automatic proximity unlocking or walk-away locking with the phone key must first be set up in the app. The manual says that after reactivating the phone key, reinstalling the app or logging in on a new phone, the automatic function needs setting up again; exiting the app after unlocking may also stop auto-lock from working. It specifically requires you to check personally that the car is locked when you leave, rather than inferring it from walking away. On Android, Bluetooth, auto-start and background running permissions, and on iOS, always-on location, background refresh and location services, are the response conditions the manual lists; vehicle authorisation also needs an internet connection, and feedback may be delayed. Phone permission menus and market versions may change, so don't copy this article in place of the car's current guidance. If anyone in the car has a pacemaker, also follow the manual's warning to keep at least 22 cm from the vehicle's Bluetooth antennas. If locking on leaving is uncertain, key functions keep failing or account authorisation looks wrong, stop relying on automatic functions and contact a service centre; don't modify antennas or control units. ^[1]

Sources

[Source 1] XPENG Motors: XPENG X9 2024 English RHD User Manual, IVI V5.4
https://www.xpeng.com/user-manual
Publication date unknown; information checked at 2026-10-25T00:00:00Z, which is not the publication date.

Suggestions on record-keeping, requesting quotes, stopping attempts and handing over to a service provider are original editorial opinion, not a manufacturer procedure or diagnostic conclusion.