"Smart Lock not responding' audible warning

I too have this issue with one one three locks.

This is to update my prior post.  Since February 8th we have only used the keyfobs and the keypad to control the system.  Arming, disarming etc.  There were zero failures of the smart lock, none, it worked perfectly.  Today I tried to lock (arm the system) from my cell phone with the app.  It gave the "smart lock not responding" message and locked the door anyway after arming the system.  The app did not show the lock in the locked position.

This gives me reason to affirm the issue is between the base station, server, and the app.  Likely just a timing issue.  BTW, I was eager to test the app/smart lock after the recent update for Android which required an uninstall and re-install to connect to the servers.  The app on our Apple iPhone X did not get updated, continued to work when the Android app refused to connect until deleted and installed again.  Sigh, just when I wanted to ditch Apple completely and use Linux / Android for everything.

This is so disappointing.

I have had SS ad my office for almost a year and love it. I decided to install at my home and went all in. 6 locks, 21 entry sensors, freeze sensors (these things are awesome you can see the temp in each location on your phone) 4 cameras and 4 video doorbells. Plus fobs, co2 alarms and smoke alarms (haven't installed these yet but adding fire monitoring for free by purchasing a smoke alarm is a no brainer. I have wired smoke and co2 alarms but they don't notify me or the fire dept if we have an issue and there is nobody home.

The locks are killing ms. I'm ready to give up on the whole install. We had beautiful entry locks and the brass handle was all one piece. I removed them, and foolishly threw them away, then installed the locks and screwed the sensors and keypad to my expensive doors and now they don't even work.

I haven't tried the key fob approach mentioned above. I've been using the app exclusively while troubleshooting. Does anyone have more than 2 locks installed? I was told by a senior level tech support agent that the system will malfunction with more than 2 locks connected. She first said it was impossible to connect more than 2, and I already habe 5 of them installed so I knew this was wrong because they all paired and showed up on my phone but when locked and unlocked the phone app is completely inaccurate as to what position the locks are in. And often it works to lock or unlock the door but gives a message that the system failed to communicate. In my experience the lock functions most of the time but the app gives a message that it was unable to complete the task of lock or unlock.

This renders my entire system completely useless and now I have thousands of dollars of equipment half installed and I'm on my third day of working on this. I am regretting this purchase and it is anything but simple.

Suggested solutions include adding another base and monitoring plan. This was an option presented by Texh support. That I double my monitoring cost snd have two of three monthly plans and accounts to control the alarm at one house. If you came in the front door and turned the alarm off you would trigger the other alarm while walking around in your home. I have to say this was a bad idea but she was just trying to help think of a way for me to use all the locks I have installed.

I was also told my several reps that they have never heard of this issue before - which had me thinking this was all isolates to my system and perhaps an interference issue or bad base station.

I'm going to try using the fob and getting the rest of what's already installed working.

Does anyone habe a large system that actually works well?

I have had the smart locks for almost a year now and this still happens periodically, but generally only for one lock.  In fact it just happened a few days ago.  After a day or two, it goes away for a while.  They sent me a new base that I never installed because in spite of assurances that they'd contact me to tell me how to install it, they never did.  I tried calling a few times and gave up after getting hung up on.  it's just not worth the hassle.  So the base sits in its box until I can get around to sending it back to them.

My first year with SS has been mostly ok.  So much so that I haven't been around much.  There's the sporadic lock issue and problems with their pretty awful app that have never been resolved.  Still, they are miles better than ADT, who I dumped back in early 2020 without ever looking back.  At least they haven't raised prices like ADT did all of the time.

Does their phone support still suck?  Did they have the holiday period where they were impossible to get in touch with?

I added a Smartlock to my system last week. The Smartlock not responding message started happening on day 2.
What appears to be happening is that the base sends a signal to the Smartlock to lock or unlock.
My Smartlock receives the command and does a lock or unlock.
The Smartlock should then send a message back to the base to tell it status.

I have some expertise with wireless systems and the way most are designed. The base has a time window where it listens for a response from a device.

Since I have no problem with base getting status from the door sensor next to the Smartlock, you can rule out having the base too far away or interference.

If you use the app to status devices the base seems to have no issue getting correct status.

My guess would be that when the Smartlock executes a lock or unlock the status response is right at the edge or outside the timing window when the base is looking for a response. This would account for it being intermittent.
Also, if older Smartlocks don't seem to have this issue, I would suspect there was a software update at some point to the Smartlock which slowed down the operation and introduced the problem.

Note to Simplisafe - Open up the timing window on the base and this issue will most likely go away.

I get it at random times and never when it is trying to lock and unlock.  Not even once.  It is always when the lock is already locked and I arm the alarm.  Even when I get the message, I am usually able to lock and unlock.  It's been doing this since day one.  I have three smart locks.  One time I had all three of them not respond at once but 99% of the time, it is just the one lock.  There is one wall and 20 feet of space between the the lock and the base.

I've been experiencing a similar issue as described by many others. My base station seems to be unable to pick up the status of the smart lock, but commands sent to the lock (to lock/unlock it) work just fine. I'm hoping for a firmware update to fix this soon!

I know the moment I post this, it'll start happening again. But did something get updated or fixed? Haven't heard this in awhile...

I've been getting this since installing my lock back in July. It usually happens after arming or disarming the system. Not always, but most of the time. Like with most folks, there is a sensor on this door that was installed with the initial system a couple of years ago that has no problems, so it is not a distance issue. Has it stopped happening for everyone else?

New base station delivered today due to an issue they couldn't resolve.  So of course the device transfer didn't work so I had to re-enter all my devices... and the smart lock.

After I add the smart lock I have to re-calibrate.  As soon as I manually lock the lock the base announces "smart lock removed".  I've done this about a half dozen times and it removes it each time.   The outdoor pin pad operates the lock with all the previous PINs, but the keypad and app don't see the smart lock.

What could be going on?

It's pretty discouraging reading these posts.  There's probably another outfit that has leapfrogged this technology and services already?   Any suggestions?

Hi ejonesve,

Could it be possible that your Smart Lock is currently still bound to the previous Base Station? The Smart Lock is a little more complex than other components, so it's got some safeguards to prevent tampering.

To reset, you want to press the Pairing Button above the battery compartment for 16 seconds. When you release, it should reboot, and you'll be able to add it properly to your system again.

If not, we should replace the unit too. Give our Support a call again and we'll take care of it.

- Johnny M.
SimpliSafe Home Security

So it wasn't bad enough that I was getting the "smart lock is not responding" message. Now every time we arm or disarm the system we get the same message TWICE. Before it was simply annoying because the lock actually still operated indicating that the message was in error. Now it seems as though it has truly lost the connection. My base station is 10 feet from the front door so I can't believe it is a distance issue. Has anyone figured out a way to fix this?

/bump.

Any word from Simplisafe? This issue has persisted for years. All the recommended fixes have failed (e.g. new lock, new or updated base station, closer distance between lock and base station, etc.)

My issue with the Smart Lock is intermittent. over the last 3 months   I called in and the tech service people suggested changing out the batteries which did solve the draggy lock operation.  Initially, the TS folks wanted to suggest I had a binding lock because the installation was flawed.  Not so as the lock operation is buttery smooth since day one.  Right now the motor drags during manual operation say when I am locking the door for the night but just now and then!  My next move is replacing the 4 AA batteries with the premium lithium batteries and then monitoring what occurs.

I’m just getting started on this lock journey. It didn’t seem to happen at first but now it is constant- moving the base seems to help for a while then it fails… seems like a correlation not cause. 3 locks all on back wall of house. I did have to re-add a sensor last week but no other issues.

very frustrating because the locks are nice looking and solve some key issues at our house.