jdpdata

Just got a new Chamberlain B6753T garage door opener and registered to homelink button on my 2020 RLX-SH. It only works when I'm parked inside the garage. Range seems to be very poor. The thing is, my wife 2017 MDX have no range issues. She can open/close from end of driveway about ~40ft away. If my car RLX is outside of garage, homelink button doesn't work at all. I tested with the included Chamberlain remotes, they all work just fine. Why is my RLX homelink range so poor? What can I do to improve the range? Never had any issues with previous Genie garage door opener. Already tried reprogramming it a dozen times, nothing is improving the range. If there were some interference issues, I would expect my wife's MDX to have issues too. But her car is fine. It's just my car that have the issues. WTF??

blaser

I do not have any issues.
Using Liftmaster garage door opener with homelink.

john-germany

I've the same problem with homelink in my 2015 TLX but no solution yet.

TSX69

My RLX had poor range as well in the beginning. I could only open my garage door once I was in the driveway which was annoying bc then I had to sit & wait for it to go all the way up before I could enter.

I had this service bulletin done & now I can open the garage door from down the street:

http://www.urvi.net/forumfiles/SB/B15-023.PDF

mrgold35

I have two +20 years 1/2 hp chain Chamberlain Liftmaster Pro (I think 2265 model). No issues with HomeLink range with my 11 MDX or 19 MDX to open far enough out for the garage door to be fully open when I get there. It has always been hit-or-miss with my RLX. I have to press/hold longer until the garage door starts to open as I drive up, press/hold several times in a row sometimes as I drive closer, or stop infront of garage door before it starts to open. It probably works A-OK at the same range as my MDX about 60%-70% of the time.

I did purchase a keychain garage door remote for my son's TSX he parked outside (disabled HomeLink because it is still active with the TSX being off). That might be a solution to use the keychain remote you can leave in the "not an ash tray" area.

hondamore

My 2014 RLX Sport Hybrid also has poor homelink range, so I had the TSB noted by TSX69 done at my dealership many years ago and it only made a small difference. The frustrating thing is that it sometimes works quite well opening my garage door from 30 yards away and other times it won't work until I'm at the edge of my driveway.

My wife's 2018 MDX Sport Hybrid was also having issues with her homelink range, although not as bad as my RLX. We changed the garage door opener for the spot in the garage that my wife uses to a newer model 4 or 5 years ago and my wife's MDX's homelink system now works flawlessly from 100 yards away or more. This suggests that the antenna systems of the newer garage door openers are better suited to Acura's homelink system.

When my wife was having issues with her homelink years ago, I did a bit of research online and discovered that you can expand the antenna of your garage door opener and move it closer to the front of your garage for better opener range, but I never pursued it further. If I recall correctly, you basically just use low voltage wire to connect to the opener and then run the wire to the very front of your garage and attach the unit's stock antenna there to help with range. Might be something worth Googling and looking into if your homelink performance is frustrating enough and replacing the garage door opener is not an option.

jdpdata

I did some experimenting today. Took some old speaker wire to extend garage opener's anntenna all the ways to front of garage door. Thinking this surely would increase the range, it did not do a damn thing. My RLX Homelink is still not working sitting right outside my garage door. It only works when sitting inside right below the opener.

Wife's MDX meanwhile has zero issues. I can open the garage for 50 ft away down the drive-way. This is really annoying me to no ends. There is something in the RLX that's causing interference. I notice having the remote (that's included with my new garage door opener) clipped on to the visor it doesn't work either when I'm outside the garage. I have to flip the visor down and lower both my front windows and be very close to garage door for it to work. If I flip the visor up, it doesn't work. Something near the homelink buttons are causing interference. The 2020 RLX doesn't have any TSB regarding weak Homelink that I know of. I will take the car in tomorrow and ask service advisor about it.

The thing is I had zero issues with my previous Genie garage door opener. I can open the garage door 1/2 block down the street. Something the RLX doesn't like with this new Chamberlin model B6753T. Called Chamberlin and Homelink 800 number today. Both were equally useless and unhelpful. Told me to take car to dealer.

jdpdata

The included remote that came with the new opener doesn't work neither in my car. Only works if I lower visor that it is clipped onto and lowered both front windows. Some weird interreference inside the RLX.

thoiboi

do you happen to have ceramic tint

mrgold35

I wonder if it is the combination of aluminum and steel for the RLX? I would assume Acura would use very similar parts and materials for the electronics stuff. Both my MDX and RLX have acoustic glass with non ceramic/metallic window tint. I think only my front end of my MDX is aluminum (hood and front fenders). The RLX has aluminum hood, front fenders, and doors. The only other big thing unique to the RLX is the windshield with HUD ability and Krell audio.

I've never tried; but, folks have said you can get a longer range with your key fob if you hold it to your chin and use your skull to bounce off and focus it into a tighter directional beam. Maybe the extra aluminum in the RLX is dispersing/reducing the HomeLink signal more compared to the steel doors on my MDX effecting the range? Add in any window tint that has ceramic or metal flakes might be adding to the issue.

Another little quirky thing with the RLX that isn't an issue with my MDX. I wish I could combine all the good features of both vehicles together toss out the unique "quirky" stuff.

jdpdata

No ceramic or metallic tint in the car. I do have windshield protective film but that's made from the same PET same as your phone protected film. If indeed the windshield or window tint is causing a problem then why didn't I have any issues with the previous Genie garage door opener?

jdpdata

[QUOTE=mrgold35;16918898]I

I've never tried; but, folks have said you can get a longer range with your key fob if you hold it to your chin and use your skull to bounce off and focus it into a tighter directional beam. Maybe the extra aluminum in the RLX is dispersing/reducing the HomeLink signal more compared to the steel doors on my MDX effecting the range? Add in any window tint that has ceramic or metal flakes might be adding to the issue.
/QUOTE]

I did tried this already and indeed it does increase the range but is impractical and I don't want brain cancer doing this the rest of my life.

jdpdata

Another experiment. Got a 2023 MDX loaner to test out Homelink. Same issue. I can program Homelink button just fine, but the range is horrible. It very sporadic when outside of garage. Smash that button 10x before the garage door opens and I have to be very close. Something is up with this new opener.

hondamore

I think mrgold35 may be onto something when he mentioned the acoustic glass in the RLX windshield as part of the Krell Audio package. Maybe the unique windshield of the RLX Sport Hybrid is what is causing this issue??? I wonder if PAWS RLX owners have the same problem?

The only other thing that I can think of is that I believe the RLX has an active noise cancellation system and I wonder if that interferes with the homelink signal??? I doubt it, but I can't think of anything else.

jdpdata

I don't think any of those things are the issue. As I've mentioned, my previous Genie garage door opener had no issues. Range was great, I can open door from 1/2 block away. Test with new 2023 MDX, same range issue. And that car has all the latest Homelink electronics built into the rearview mirror so technically it should have better line of sight than Homelink that's built into console like our RLX.

It's this new crappy Chamberlin. Signal is very weak. I've bought a signal extender kit on Amazon to see if I can get better signal strength. What a giant headache. Should have stuck with Genie brand.

mrgold35

My previous home I sold back in 2019 had dual Genie belt drive door openers I purchased back in 2006. I never noticed or had issues with HomelLink range starting 2-3 houses down with my 3 previous and 2 current Acura's (06 TSX, 08 RDX, 11 MDX, 18 RLX, & 19 MDX). I purchased my current home in 2020 and the Chamberlin door openers are original (house was built in 2004). I also have Exoshield PPF on both MDX and RLX. I'm leaning towards upgrading to Genie belt drive sometime down the road.

jdpdata

Unfortunately, Chamberlin/Liftmaster has the garage door market cornered at ~80%. It's very hard to find any other brands in stock. Our old Genie lasted 23 years! And could have gone another decade if I just bought some silicone lube to grease it. But wife wanted something quieter and newer. Never should have bought this crappy Chamberlin. I hate their smartphone app too. Full of ads every time I open it.

Talking about Exoshield. Does your's have scratches. I accidently used the wipers a couple times when car was dirty. Now it have big scratches all over. Thinking about removing it. But it has already saved me from another rock chip.

blaser

I did some more tests with the 2018 RLX.
I have Liftmaster with antenna wire sticking down.
Definitely there some blind spots, when I'm very close to the garage door it doesn't work but when I pull back a little it does.
in any case I can open the door from down the road which I always do.

mrgold35

My Exoshield installer told me to clean the wipers and wax Exoshield with a hard or goo like paste wax (don't use newer ceramic paste wax). The installer said getting micro to large scratches will happen; but, using old fashion paste wax will fillers can help. It will fill in the scratches and help lubricate the film for the wipers. l use Formula 1 high gloss carnauba paste wax ($10, Amazon). Doesn't take long to clean the windshield with glass cleaner, apply the carnauba wax, and wipe off with micro fiber towel once a month. Same experiences as you having Exoshield with several large rock strikes on my MDX and RLX windshields that caused a nick on Exoshield; but, no damage to windshield over the past +3 years.

Depending on when your Exoshield was installed, there is an updated version 2 Exoshield that is more resistant to scratches that came out around +/- 2 1/2 years ago. My MDX/RLX had the 1st Exoshield formula and my MDX had more scratches and blotches being the main travel vehicle. It was replaced for free under the Exoshield warranty in July/21 with the updated version and that was when the installer told me about the waxing maintenance to help with protection. The RLX still had the old formula; but, it didn't show any issues and we were in the middle lockdown. I just had the RLX's Exoshield replaced with version 2 last Oct/23 because it finally started to show the same type of damage like my MDX.

Exoshield version 1 damage in July/21 without maintenance waxing and normal wiper use (I didn't take any pics of my RLX v1 Exoshield with way more damage after +3 1/2 years):

jdpdata

Just wanted to update this thread. I finally resolved this issue. I bought and installed Liftmaster 41A3504 Antenna Extension Kit Residential Garage Door Openers on Amazon. That improves the signal strength a bit. But still have sporadic issues opening garage door. I found that I had to disconnect some security cameras around my garage that was causing intermittent interference. Also had to turn off LED lights inside my garage. After doing these things, I can now open garage door from 1/2 block away. Pulled out half my remaining hairs trying to resolve this annoying issue. Hope this helps someone later.

hondamore

So glad you finally got your issue resolved. Thanks for the update.

Without getting into detail, can you answer if your security camera interference was from wifi cameras or hard-wired POE cameras? I only ask because I have limited range with my homelink and we do have POE security cameras.

jdpdata

They're neither WiFi or POE. Just some old crappy cameras. Been meaning to remove them anyways. Try extending your antenna lead on the GDO. That will help immediately. Then start turning off and removing any electronics nearby to see if they cause any interference.