HomeLink - sometimes it doesn't work?
06-05-2016, 09:28 AM
#41
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Can't get Homelink to work at all!
No issue with my other cars. I can use it practically around the block in my bmw. Will not sync at all in our new 2016 RDX
06-05-2016, 10:53 AM
#42
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My 2013 RDX would not work with Homelink. I could use it in the garage only, but got now responded after moving the car out of the garage. I took it to my dealer and they discovered a "Service Bulletin of Concern" which gave directions to relocate the transceiver and not it works perfectly.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
07-05-2016, 08:58 AM
#44
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I joined this forum to share how I solved this problem with our new '16 RDX, since similar threads here were mainly what led me to the solution.
Our home has Craftsman rolling code openers that I installed in 2008. We also have another Homelink equipped vehicle, a '12 Ram 2500 pickup, as well as previous cars, that all worked ok with the Craftsman openers. Of course the factory remote and outdoor keypad have always worked the best. Also worth mention is that my garage doors are aluminum, double skin (insulated).
Apparently there is a range problem, or Acura wouldn't have issued the TSB some have mentioned (repositioning the Homelink transmitter, located above the overhead console). In my opinion, the service procedure is a bit sketchy, with the use of a lot of adhesive strips in a potentially hot location where the adhesive would likely weaken/fail. So I decided that would be the last resort.
One thread I found suggested using a home made parabolic reflector on the opener antennas. Those are more typically used to improve wifi reception, but do the same on a garage door antenna. This helped a little bit, but did not solve the problem.
The only other thing that kept coming up in these discussions, was radio frequency (RF) interference. Within those, most people were blaming LED lighting. Either because they read it somewhere else, or had swapped LED fixtures for incandescents for an improvement. I found this puzzling, since the front end of a late model RDX/MDX is lit up with LED lights all over the place.
After the reflectors didn't do much improvement, I was thinking through what other interference could be possibly causing this. Then thinking it would sure be nice to somehow be able to find noisy appliances. Then it hit me. I am a (novice) ham radio operator, and happen to have a handheld transceiver (aka an "HT", looks like a walkie-talkie with a keypad on the front). The openers work on 315MHz. My HT is a Yaesu FT-60, and will "listen" on that frequency.
I tuned into 315MHz and went around the rooms nearest the garage door openers looking for things that caused a boost in static noise, that might cause the openers not to "hear" the remote signal from the RDX. I found three things, that I would never have guessed:
1. The worst was a Motorola L702BT portable phone base unit that was on my wife's desk, directly above the door with the worst problem. I didn't expect that, since the RF link to the portables is on 1.9GHz and bluetooth is on 2.4GHz. Apparently there's a transformer inside that runs dirty and emits a lot of noise on 315MHz. Both the unit and it's power cord were very noisy. I relocated this to the other end of the house, well away from the opener.
2. The LED monitor on my desk was the second place offender. Both the unit itself, and the DVI cable were emitting a lot of noise on 315MHz. This monitor was over 10 yrs old, so I just replaced it with a much nicer, new one. Still some noise on the video cable (Display Port, not DVI like the old one), but a LOT less.
3. The LED TV in our bedroom is above and just behind the openers. The HDMI cable connecting the TV to the cable box was emitting a lot of noise. I purchased a new cable, avoiding the cheaper ones and chose one that featured extra shielding (cost $40 versus $15). As with the monitor, there is still noise but a lot less with the new cable.
After fixing those three things, the Homelink remote in the new RDX works fine out to about 25 feet from the door. The range still isn't as strong as the one in my pickup, but is now adequate enough to be useful.
For what it's worth, I had also installed LED bulbs in both garage door openers. Turns out those were not emitting any noise. I have not yet scanned around the LED lights on the front of the car, as every time I think about it, my wife has taken it out. Some of the material I read on the LED lighting subject suggested this was more of a problem with the cheaper no-name brand home LED light bulbs. The use a transformer in the base that I suppose on the cheap ones is not as well made or shielded as the better brands. I really can't confirm this, as the cheap ones I bought are quiet and not interfering with the openers.
I would advise anyone having this trouble to find a friend who has a portable VHF ham radio to help you figure out any RF noise sources and fix them. If you don't know any, search on the internet for a local ham radio club and see if you can persuade one of them to help you out.
One final note, I agree with one earlier post about the button press. You can't just tap the button on the Homelink. You have to press and hold for 1/2 a second to operate the opener.
Our home has Craftsman rolling code openers that I installed in 2008. We also have another Homelink equipped vehicle, a '12 Ram 2500 pickup, as well as previous cars, that all worked ok with the Craftsman openers. Of course the factory remote and outdoor keypad have always worked the best. Also worth mention is that my garage doors are aluminum, double skin (insulated).
Apparently there is a range problem, or Acura wouldn't have issued the TSB some have mentioned (repositioning the Homelink transmitter, located above the overhead console). In my opinion, the service procedure is a bit sketchy, with the use of a lot of adhesive strips in a potentially hot location where the adhesive would likely weaken/fail. So I decided that would be the last resort.
One thread I found suggested using a home made parabolic reflector on the opener antennas. Those are more typically used to improve wifi reception, but do the same on a garage door antenna. This helped a little bit, but did not solve the problem.
The only other thing that kept coming up in these discussions, was radio frequency (RF) interference. Within those, most people were blaming LED lighting. Either because they read it somewhere else, or had swapped LED fixtures for incandescents for an improvement. I found this puzzling, since the front end of a late model RDX/MDX is lit up with LED lights all over the place.
After the reflectors didn't do much improvement, I was thinking through what other interference could be possibly causing this. Then thinking it would sure be nice to somehow be able to find noisy appliances. Then it hit me. I am a (novice) ham radio operator, and happen to have a handheld transceiver (aka an "HT", looks like a walkie-talkie with a keypad on the front). The openers work on 315MHz. My HT is a Yaesu FT-60, and will "listen" on that frequency.
I tuned into 315MHz and went around the rooms nearest the garage door openers looking for things that caused a boost in static noise, that might cause the openers not to "hear" the remote signal from the RDX. I found three things, that I would never have guessed:
1. The worst was a Motorola L702BT portable phone base unit that was on my wife's desk, directly above the door with the worst problem. I didn't expect that, since the RF link to the portables is on 1.9GHz and bluetooth is on 2.4GHz. Apparently there's a transformer inside that runs dirty and emits a lot of noise on 315MHz. Both the unit and it's power cord were very noisy. I relocated this to the other end of the house, well away from the opener.
2. The LED monitor on my desk was the second place offender. Both the unit itself, and the DVI cable were emitting a lot of noise on 315MHz. This monitor was over 10 yrs old, so I just replaced it with a much nicer, new one. Still some noise on the video cable (Display Port, not DVI like the old one), but a LOT less.
3. The LED TV in our bedroom is above and just behind the openers. The HDMI cable connecting the TV to the cable box was emitting a lot of noise. I purchased a new cable, avoiding the cheaper ones and chose one that featured extra shielding (cost $40 versus $15). As with the monitor, there is still noise but a lot less with the new cable.
After fixing those three things, the Homelink remote in the new RDX works fine out to about 25 feet from the door. The range still isn't as strong as the one in my pickup, but is now adequate enough to be useful.
For what it's worth, I had also installed LED bulbs in both garage door openers. Turns out those were not emitting any noise. I have not yet scanned around the LED lights on the front of the car, as every time I think about it, my wife has taken it out. Some of the material I read on the LED lighting subject suggested this was more of a problem with the cheaper no-name brand home LED light bulbs. The use a transformer in the base that I suppose on the cheap ones is not as well made or shielded as the better brands. I really can't confirm this, as the cheap ones I bought are quiet and not interfering with the openers.
I would advise anyone having this trouble to find a friend who has a portable VHF ham radio to help you figure out any RF noise sources and fix them. If you don't know any, search on the internet for a local ham radio club and see if you can persuade one of them to help you out.
One final note, I agree with one earlier post about the button press. You can't just tap the button on the Homelink. You have to press and hold for 1/2 a second to operate the opener.
07-05-2016, 09:13 AM
#45
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I'll add that my first post assumes you have already successfully sync'd your Homelink remote to the door opener. The solution being to find and fix noisy devices nearby that would drown out the (correct) remote signal being sent by the Homelink.
So, I'll add my own little programming note. I have had several vehicles with Homelink. The one thing I ALWAYS forget and misread in the instructions, wasting an hour every time, is the following.
With a rolling code (but not security 2.0+ or whatever the newest ones have) it's a two step process. It's just not that obviously spelled out in any of the instructions.
You first have to sync Homelink to one of the factory remotes. Once that is complete, then you use the learn feature on the opener to sync Homelink to the opener.
Sort of like the first step teaches the Homelink how to talk. Then the second step teaches what language to use. Hopefully that makes sense to someone and helps.
So, I'll add my own little programming note. I have had several vehicles with Homelink. The one thing I ALWAYS forget and misread in the instructions, wasting an hour every time, is the following.
With a rolling code (but not security 2.0+ or whatever the newest ones have) it's a two step process. It's just not that obviously spelled out in any of the instructions.
You first have to sync Homelink to one of the factory remotes. Once that is complete, then you use the learn feature on the opener to sync Homelink to the opener.
Sort of like the first step teaches the Homelink how to talk. Then the second step teaches what language to use. Hopefully that makes sense to someone and helps.
07-06-2016, 08:06 AM
#46
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Follow up to my follow up: I checked RF around the LED lighting on the front end of our '16 RDX this morning before my wife jetted off to work. Nothing. Apparently the lighting circuits are well made, well shielded, or both.
09-17-2016, 11:41 PM
#47
Cruisin'
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The wife and I just picked up a 2013 RDX and we noticed the same thing with HomeLink. The range is significantly shorter than on her outgoing 2009 TSX. It's not that big of a deal since it still works, but next time we have to bring it in Acura, we will probably have them perform the TSB.
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