Handle brand-specific quirks (GM, Tesla, BMW) that break a generic Smartcar integration when read/command requests fail unexpectedly
domain: smartcar.com · 5 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
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Steps
For GM brands (Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC), detect the VEHICLE_STATE - ASLEEP error after 3-4 days of inactivity and prompt for an ignition cycle rather than retrying indefinitely; throttle pings to at most once per 30 minutes to avoid UPSTREAM - RATE_LIMIT errors, noting OEM app usage counts against the same limit
For Tesla, expect REMOTE_ACCESS_DISABLED errors to sometimes take hours to clear after a user enables remote access — don't treat this as a permanent failure
Require Virtual Key setup for Tesla before attempting 3rd-party commands on Cybertruck, Model 3, Model Y, and 2021+ Model S/X — commands fail without it
For enterprise Tesla fleets, complete 'Tesla tenant' setup before onboarding customer vehicles, and expect that changing tenant configuration later forces re-authentication for all connected users
For BMW/MINI, route web-based Connect auth only within the EU (via the separate BMW Energy API integration); outside the EU, only the Android/iOS SDK auth flow is supported
Known gotchas
Smartcar's own 'Brand Quirks' doc page does not list Ford or Lincoln at all — don't assume a documented special-case exists for every OEM brand just because other brands have one
Tesla's Virtual Key requirement applies to specific models/years (Cybertruck, Model 3, Model Y, 2021+ S/X) — older Model S/X built before the cutoff may behave differently
GM's rate-limit counter is shared with the manufacturer's own OEM app usage — a vehicle idle from your integration's perspective can still hit UPSTREAM - RATE_LIMIT if the owner is using the GM app in parallel
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