Homelink and Garage Door Issue

verybeeg

I am posting this in case others have issues like I did. My RDX's Homelink buttons hadn't been working with my Chamberlain Liftmaster garage door opener for a year. I finally spent an hour today researching online then talking to Homelink and got it figured out. Homelink has great customer service. So if my steps here do not work for you, just give them a call.

Follow these instructions first to program RDX Homelink with a Chamberlain, extracted directly from Homelink's website http://www.homelink.com/:

=============

1. For first time training, press and hold the two outer HomeLink® buttons, releasing only when the HomeLink indicator light begins to flash after 20 seconds. (Do not perform this step when training the additional HomeLink buttons.)
   
2. Position the hand-held transmitter 1-3 inches away from the HomeLink surface (usually located on your visor, overhead console, or mirror), keeping the HomeLink indicator light in view.
   
3. Using both hands, simultaneously press and hold both the desired HomeLink button and hand held transmitter button. DO NOT release until the HomeLink indicator light flashes slowly and then rapidly. When the indicator light flashes rapidly, both buttons may be released. (The rapid flashing indicates successful training.)
   
4. Press and hold the trained HomeLink button and observe the indicator light.
   • If the indicator light is solid/continuous, training is complete and your device should activate when the HomeLink button is pressed and released.
     
   • If the indicator light blinks rapidly for 2 seconds and then turns a solid/continuous light, proceed with the following training instructions for a rolling code device. A second person may make the following steps quicker and easier. Please use a ladder or other device. Do not stand on your vehicle to perform the next steps.
5. At the receiver (motor head unit), locate the “learn” or “smart” button (usually near where the hanging antenna wire is attached to the unit). If there is difficulty locating the training button, reference the device owner’s manual.
   
6. Press and release the “learn” or “smart” button (the name and color of the button may vary by manufacturer).
   NOTE: Once the button is pressed, there are 30 seconds in which to initiate the next step.
   
7. Return to the vehicle and firmly press and hold the trained HomeLink button for two seconds and release. Repeat the “press/hold/release” sequence up to 3 times to complete the training process.
   Retain the original hand-held transmitter of the RF device you are programming for use in other vehicles, as well as for future HomeLink programming. It is also suggested that upon the sale of the vehicle, the programmed HomeLink buttons be erased for security purposes. To erase the programmed buttons, perform the procedure shown in step number 1.
   

=============

After completing these steps multiple times, I still couldn't get Homelink to work. So I called Homelink and they had me do a factory reset: Press all 3 Homelink buttons until the LED flashes rapidly and then turns off, this took around 30 seconds.

Afterward, we redid all the above steps. After programming, he had me press the Homelink buttons. The Homelink button I was programming was flashing rapidly for a few seconds before turning off, meaning it was talking to the garage door opening. The other 2 buttons were just slowly flashing, meaning they were not programmed. Then he had me check if the garage door Learn button LED flashes as well. (Best if you can have another person looking at the Learn button while you push the Homelink button.) I was by myself, so I pressed the Homelink button, then ran inside quickly and did see the Learn Button LED flashed several times before going off. Flashing meant it was also receiving a signal from the Homelink button. This showed the Homelink button and the garage door opening were communicating.

He then asked me if I had LED light bulbs in the garage. Indeed I had replaced them a year ago. (BINGO!) Turned out LED light bulbs use frequencies that sometimes interfere with the Homelink buttons. We have a Lexus with Homelink which worked fine, but somehow they interfere with the RDX's. When I untwisted the bulbs, the Homelink button worked immediately.

So if your Homelink button doesn't work or work intermittently, see if you have LED bulbs or other electronics nearby that are interfering. This would save you tons of time and frustration.

kyfdx

Those instructions are good for just about any make or model. Just did my wife's new 2017 BMW, exactly the same way.

Nice tip on the LED bulb.

terrywww

My garage door opener is over 20 years old with no LEARN BUTTON. However I was able to program opener only by having car under receiver antenna. Trying to program outside or operate the doors from outside didn't work because of metal garage door and metal siding on house. Homelink support could only suggest a new receiver. It seems the Homelink transmitters in my new Buick are not as strong signal-wise as the old visor clipped ones. So, I Stripped insulation off end of antenna wire of receiver and spliced a length of 20ga. insulated (dog fence) wire to antenna, across ceiling and down along inside frame of garage door. Vola! Works good just outside garage with door open or closed. I might try running wire down vertically along OUTSIDE of door frame for even better reception.

Mnorto3

Thanks for this!  I had just installed an LED light in my opener and could not understand why it opened, but did not close.  Once I removed the bulb, everything worked as it should.

John_S_SE_MI

I had a 2yr old Genie 3055 and ~6mo ago I put in LEDs. In the last few weeks my homelink stopped closing the door (3 diff cars). I read this post and replaced the LEDs w/ the old CWFs. Homelink works great again at closing the door. Thanks for this post. I was thinking the motherboard of my Genie opener was going bad.

BobGVegas1

I have a 2017 Acura RDX that had the same problem with Homelink. I went through all of the suggestions above but it would not open and close the door. Then I noticed the LiftMaster antenna did not have any exposed wire. I stripped the antenna back by about 2 inches and tried to link Homelink to the LiftMaster one more time and it worked. The completely sheathed antenna worked fine for the 4 other cars we have had but not the RDX. Anyway, now it works so if you run into linking problems you may want to check the antenna. Good luck.

GeorgeSugarwood

I am so happy I came across this post but I still have not found a solution so maybe I am doing something wrong.

See, I installed an overhead LED fixture light in my garage while plugs into the ceiling socket and another LED bulb in the socket itself about 6 months ago.

When I came home last night, my homelink in the mustang wouldn’t open the garage door. The key pad on the side of the garage door wouldn’t work either. I went in through the house and the wife did leave the garage light on (this LED lights). I tried resetting my homelink and exterior keypad and had zero luck and tons of frustration.

I came across this post and hoped it was the answer so this morning I unscrewed the LED bulb and the overhead LED fixture was off (but plugged into the ceiling socket). I followed all the steps in the post and STILL can not re-connect my homelink OR exterior keypad.

Is the LED fixture simply being plugged in (but off) causing the interference? Cause i have never had this issue in the past with it simply off.

I have not looked to see if my craftsman unit has an antenna wire that i could sheath shielding off of yet.

Any additional help or guidance would be much appreciated!

AvrilPress

Hello...I have the 821LM WIFI HUB in my setup. It came with 1 sensor but you can buy an extra sensor to control two doors. It basically simulates you pressing the button on the key pad for you. But it knows open/close based on sensors. Works with many different doors.

Ward

I bought a 2020 Nissan Leaf and programmed the Homelink to open the garage door. A few days later I drove my 2016 Mazda MS-5 and the Homelink in it would no longer operate the garage door. I reprogrammed the Mazda but then the Nissan Homelink stopped working. Programming one seemed to interfere with the other. I got the Mazda to work and then parked it several blocks away and then programmed the Nissan to open the door. When I retrieved the Mazda it opened the garage door. They now both work.

kyfdx

Ward said:

I bought a 2020 Nissan Leaf and programmed the Homelink to open the garage door. A few days later I drove my 2016 Mazda MS-5 and the Homelink in it would no longer operate the garage door. I reprogrammed the Mazda but then the Nissan Homelink stopped working. Programming one seemed to interfere with the other. I got the Mazda to work and then parked it several blocks away and then programmed the Nissan to open the door. When I retrieved the Mazda it opened the garage door. They now both work.

Good tip!

mintld

I own a 2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet. I have tried numerous times to program the Homelink but the red LED light does not display at all, resulting in me having to use the clip on garage door opener. Has anyone else had this problem, and what was the diagnosis?

CliffWDog

Thanks for all the help. My issue is with the security light beam at the floor. The 2 light beams were moved & the connection was disconnected. When I set them back correctly (amber on the left & green on the right) the door will open correctly but will not close. There is a jerking motion when the close is attempted but no close. I unplugged the unit at the ceiling hopping to reset it but no luck. Any suggestions? The left & right beams are set properly. Thanks.

skidsteer226

Mnorto3 said:

Thanks for this!  I had just installed an LED light in my opener and could not understand why it opened, but did not close.  Once I removed the bulb, everything worked as it should.

WOW! I have been racking my brain trying to figure out why I can open but couldnt close my garage door from the Homelink in the Honda for 2 years. I unscrewed the LED lights and BAM, it all worked again! I dont think I would have ever figured that out. I was ready to go get another door opener or WIFI kit for it.

Has anyone come up with a work around for this to use LED lights? Maybe like extending the antenna or something like that. I have read elsewhere that there are Genie LED light bulbs make specifically for reducing/eliminating RF for garage openers, but even on Amazon they are very expensive at $58CDN for 2 4000K bulbs.

Bongobingo

I have a Tesla 3 and a Tesla y. When I brought the y home I ran into the same issue with inconsistent home link function. Unscrewed the two leds in my somner opener and bingo….. it works.