Garage door opener range question

[MKGym]

The universal garage door opener in my truck has very poor range. I followed the instructions in the manual and used the remotes to program it for the openers on my house and outbuilding doors. It works for both but I have to almost touch the doors with the front bumper before they will open. The systems in my Tahoe and my wife's Honda Accord work from at least 50 feet away. Has anyone else experienced this? Any advice?

 

[Jay D]

That's strange. My garage door opens from the end of my driveway every time which is about 150ft from the door, and i've had it open from about 220ft a couple times.

 

[Tuxedomouse]

The universal garage door opener in my truck has very poor range. I followed the instructions in the manual and used the remotes to program it for the openers on my house and outbuilding doors. It works for both but I have to almost touch the doors with the front bumper before they will open. The systems in my Tahoe and my wife's Honda Accord work from at least 50 feet away. Has anyone else experienced this? Any advice?

Does it work from a reasonable range with the garage clicker that came with the door? (just trying to figure out if it's the transmitter or receiver).

I was miffed that Ford didn't see fit to add a garage door opener in the Lariat Ultimate pack, so I didn't get the homelink visor option. $125 will buy me at least 3 new Chamberlain clickers if I need to replace mine in the future)

 

[MKGym]

Does it work from a reasonable range with the garage clicker that came with the door? (just trying to figure out if it's the transmitter or receiver).

I was miffed that Ford didn't see fit to add a garage door opener in the Lariat Ultimate pack, so I didn't get the homelink visor option. $125 will buy me at least 3 new Chamberlain clickers if I need to replace mine in the future)

The remotes that came with the openers have excellent range.

I'm starting to question my decision to add this to my order. I have spare remotes because all my other vehicles have working opener systems. Was hoping to reduce clutter in the new truck!

 

[Jrod250]

I always just use the regular ones that come up the opener

 

[PapaRaptor]

Depends on how you are facing. I have a side entrance garage with a tight turn and it sucks. My shop is front entrance and straight on works ok.

The Ford range is the worst, My FCA cars are better, the Audi is good and for what ever reason my Tesla is the best.

 

[texmudder]

Something doesnt sound right. Mine has the same range as my hand held remotes, and every other car we own, along with every car we have owned. There is no way the range should be that short.

 

[PapaRaptor]

Something doesnt sound right. Mine has the same range as my hand held remotes, and every other car we own, along with every car we have owned. There is no way the range should be that short.

I think the range is ok but the way the antenna sits on the Ford is the issue, needs to be straightforward or it doesn't pick up the signal. The hand held and other cars must broadcast a wider signal. If I pull up along side with my driver door by the garage door it won't open It does with other cars. only way mine opens if the front of the truck faces the door.

 

[Vigilance247]

Could it be that the antenna on the truck was not connected properly at the factory? Does anyone know where the connection is located?

 

[Muddyz]

Funny you say this my garage remote has terrible range inside the truck. If my roofs open and I stick it up it reaches from a long ways away.

 

[Bones]

I was having the same issue and found that I had LED bulbs in my garage door motor and that interferes with the signal- after I removed those bulbs my range increased substantially.

 

[WJK1]

I was having the same issue and found that I had LED bulbs in my garage door motor and that interferes with the signal- after I removed those bulbs my range increased substantially.

Had this same issue. They make LED bulbs specific for garage door openers to minimize the interference. I didn’t try one. Just using all my old bulbs in the garage for now.

 

[Loshad]

You have to be head on so somebody doesn't steal your place.

 

[Vigilance247]

I was having the same issue and found that I had LED bulbs in my garage door motor and that interferes with the signal- after I removed those bulbs my range increased substantially.

I had a similar situation. The previous home owner had installed one of those energy saving fluorescent tubes it was totally cock blocking my remote.

 

[MKGym]

I was having the same issue and found that I had LED bulbs in my garage door motor and that interferes with the signal- after I removed those bulbs my range increased substantially.

I am using an LED in the opener. It doesn't seem to affect the other vehicles or the factory remotes but I will try swapping it out anyway.
I can understand it affecting the signal if the opener light is on, but the light is generally off when the door has been closed (or open) for more than a few minutes.

 

[Guest2542]

I have LED bulbs in both of my garage openers, nothing special....just whatever LED lightbulbs were on sale when I bought them a few years ago. They don't seem to interfere with my remotes at all, but I'm also using the remotes that came with the openers. I never program to the vehicle systems. Just habit I guess.

 

[Bones]

I have LED bulbs in both of my garage openers, nothing special....just whatever LED lightbulbs were on sale when I bought them a few years ago. They don't seem to interfere with my remotes at all, but I'm also using the remotes that came with the openers. I never program to the vehicle systems. Just habit I guess.

my remotes that came with the openers all work with no problem - and actually my vette had no issue with its built in remote either - it was just my Tremor and my Audi that had problems. In fact I didn't think anything of the bulbs until my brother-in-law noticed my issues and he pointed me to the bulbs... he had the same problem with his F150. and on another note - I changed my roof lights on my tremor to a smoked LED light and those darn things interfere with the tire pressure sensors. Stupid LEDs!

 

[MKGym]

Update on my opener range problem: Turns out that lowering the visor makes a big difference in range. Too bad they didn't put the buttons on the other side!

 

[Mako]

The universal garage door opener in my truck has very poor range. I followed the instructions in the manual and used the remotes to program it for the openers on my house and outbuilding doors. It works for both but I have to almost touch the doors with the front bumper before they will open. The systems in my Tahoe and my wife's Honda Accord work from at least 50 feet away. Has anyone else experienced this? Any advice?

May sound strange but if the bulb in the opener is LED or other LED's in the garage they can cause problems with garage openers. Mine used to give lots of problems and changed LEDs to CFL and works from quite a distance now.

 

[Tx-Tremor6.7]

I had a similar situation. The previous home owner had installed one of those energy saving fluorescent tubes it was totally cock blocking my remote.

Same here! My range was horrible on the Ford visor opener, but worked fine with the normal handheld garage remote. I pulled the LED and put in an old incandescent light and now my Ford remote works from 100+ feet. Try it!!!