Manufacturer reference image. Controls and equipment vary by vehicle.
Sources checked:
Scope checked: 26 October 2026. China battery examples use the official configuration snapshots retrieved on 25 October 2026. Match the original market, model year, hardware and software before applying a procedure.
Identify which connection has failed
‘The app does not work’ can describe several unrelated faults. Start by noting whether you cannot sign in, cannot add the vehicle, can see an old status but cannot send commands, or lose only the nearby phone key. Each symptom points to a different part of the system. Keep a physical key available while changing phone settings.
The useful chain is phone internet → correct regional account → valid vehicle permissions → vehicle internet → the requested service. A nearby Bluetooth connection follows a different path. Fixing the phone’s internet does not automatically restore the car’s cellular service.
Differences between China and overseas cars
Use the app linked by the official site or support channel for the car’s original sales market. Check its publisher, store listing and version. Similar icons or an app-store country change do not establish that an application accepts your VIN.
The European Connected Services page provides a model-and-phone compatibility list for digital keys. Do not apply that list automatically to Chinese 001, 007, 007GT, 009, X, 7X, MIX, 8X or 9X. Likewise, a physical key, a Bluetooth phone key and a UWB wallet key are different capabilities; a newer phone alone cannot add missing vehicle support.
Test four layers in order
- Phone and login: open an ordinary webpage, verify automatic date/time and sign in through the correct official app. Record an authentication error before reinstalling anything.
- Vehicle permission: check that the correct car is present under your account. If binding is missing or the car belongs to another account, follow the account-transfer guide rather than changing SIM settings.
- Vehicle connection: while parked, check its network indicator and whether a supported online function can refresh. Confirm any data entitlement with the original-market provider.
- Specific function: compare a status refresh, an allowed remote command and a nearby key test separately. Note the time shown with each result.
A test that separates local access from remote access
With the car safely parked, first test the supported phone function while beside it. Then move out of Bluetooth range with a physical key available and try a harmless remote status refresh over phone mobile data. If proximity access works but remote status does not, investigate the vehicle connection or service permissions rather than assuming the phone key is broken.
The reverse also matters: a successful remote refresh does not prove a phone is approved for passive entry. If several phones are paired, test one at a time and note the active vehicle profile. Avoid deleting every key or resetting the vehicle merely to investigate an app notification.
SIM cards, hotspots and subscriptions
A phone hotspot can provide Wi-Fi to supported infotainment functions. It is not proof that the embedded modem, telematics account or all remote functions have been activated. Do not assume an infotainment Wi-Fi connection and the vehicle’s remote-control channel share the same availability.
Before changing a SIM or eSIM, ask the responsible provider about hardware access, supported networks, roaming, the applicable data plan and whether a change is officially supported. Local mobile coverage cannot itself grant backend permissions. Check subscription expiry or activation status in the relevant market instead of borrowing another country’s package terms.
When only notifications or one phone fail
- Check the app’s notification permissions and relevant phone background settings. Test a change, then keep only the permissions needed for the function you use.
- If another compatible phone works, compare phone OS, app version, Bluetooth/Wi-Fi permissions and battery-saving restrictions.
- If all phones fail at the same time, compare the car’s network status and service notices before repeatedly reinstalling the app.
- If the car displays old information, record its timestamp; a cached battery percentage is not confirmation of a live connection.
Prepare a useful support request
Provide the model, model year, original sales market, current country, app name/version, phone OS, vehicle software and a short timeline. Include the exact error and whether the failure affects login, binding, remote status or proximity access. Send the full VIN and ownership documents only through the verified support process when requested.
Never put passwords, one-time codes or recovery credentials in a public comment or an export enquiry. If a function has never worked outside the original market, ask for eligibility confirmation before paying for a technical fix. This is a different question from repairing a previously working connection.
Sources and version references
Continue reading
- ZEEKR master account: binding, transfer and a proper handover
- ZEEKR CarPlay and Android Auto: setup and connection troubleshooting
- ZEEKR OTA updates: check your market, software branch and readiness