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Garage opener (Homelink)
- Thread starter Prissy
- Start date
My Nissan Leaf had Homelink in it and it worked on both a gate that uses changing codes and a basic garage door opener that had dip switch security. The module that goes in the Tesla is basically a Homelink transceiver. Just like you can buy off eBay to stick on your visor or what was in my leaf there's nothing Tesla specific about it with the transceiver other than the fact that it gets controlled by the screen and the computer so it should work with pretty much any garage door or gate that's out there.
SalisburySam
Active Member
It seems the major advantage to the Tesla-installed Homelink transmitter is geocoding, i.e., having your garage door open and close based on proximity to something like your garage. If this isn’t a need or even a desire, you might consider just going with the clicker remote that came with the garage opener and clipping it to your sun visor. Cheap at about a 10th the cost of the Tesla unit, reliable, out of the way, easy peasy. And cheap. Did I mention cheap?
ColoradoMike
Member
I have to agree!
Go to the local hardware store where you live (Home Depot/Lowes) and purchase a remote for your garage.
Simple to setup once you chat with your apartment/condo folks. Less than $50 AND you can take it with you. As @SalisburySam mentioned it is inexpensive "cheap" and it should work once you chat with your landlord.
We have homelink in two of our cars but my P-car does not (2003) so I carry the clicker for it. You know what? I don't notice any difference pushing a button on the mirror or simply clicking a button on a remote. Now, the Tesla has GPS enabled areas to get your car in but is it worth $350 or so to get it....that is up to you.
That'd be the tie-in of the computer.
but definitely true. I entertained buying the module once i found out it was no longer included by default.. but then decided I'd never use the extra feature. With our garage here, I have to get out, and go into the garage first and then keep an eye on the car as it summons its way in (sometimes it requires another try because it gets too close to something inside or won't pull up far enough). Hitting the opener's clicker is easy enough when i'm putting up.
ColoradoMike
Member
Not entirely understanding how it works but a scenario....
Let's say you are going away from your home for a week or two and you have a home with garage/s.
Most home garages have a sliding bolt/lock that goes into the rails. They also have a hole for a padlock.
So if you come home with Telsa Homelink....it could attempt to open as you get close to your home. BUT what if you secured your garage door....(NOTE: not in the OP's case but...)
Also, not certain if this works in areas such as second homes/cabins......someone can comment but if your cabin is w/o power or has no service then the Homelink from Tesla will not work. Neither will your "clicker but why at that point pay for it.
For our family, we simply use a remote. For folks that like super convenience sure.
Just our thoughts.
Let's say you are going away from your home for a week or two and you have a home with garage/s.
Most home garages have a sliding bolt/lock that goes into the rails. They also have a hole for a padlock.
So if you come home with Telsa Homelink....it could attempt to open as you get close to your home. BUT what if you secured your garage door....(NOTE: not in the OP's case but...)
Also, not certain if this works in areas such as second homes/cabins......someone can comment but if your cabin is w/o power or has no service then the Homelink from Tesla will not work. Neither will your "clicker but why at that point pay for it.
For our family, we simply use a remote. For folks that like super convenience sure.
Just our thoughts.
There's a "skip" button that shows up as you approach the activation distance. If you've padlocked the garage door closed, I'd suggest clicking it.
ColoradoMike
Member
Current place doesn't (old triplex in bay area that has one of those tilt up garage doors that are popular here).. and i've only had 1 place i've lived where the door had those and they actually worked.. the downside i found with it was accidentally forgetting it was on.. I instead now use the 'lock' feature on most garage door openers.. (when the switch is in lock mode, it won't respond.. less chance of accidental damage and the opener still stops the door from physically being opened while engaged)
i entertained homelink but watched some youtube reviews which weren't too high on it. I went with a 2-pronged solution. First, i used a 3M velcro piece to afix the remote to the back of the screen so its out of sight. For coming home i configured my door to open automatically on my arrival through homekit. I didn't want it to autoclose when i leave since i prefer to watch the door close in my rearview as i depart
We used the same homelink opener that came with the house (16 years ago). When we bought the first Tesla Model S in early 2013, (built in Homelink), the unit worked fine - same with the M3 purchased in 2017. First model S replaced in 2018 - things worked same in both cars - perfect.
Then software update last year. Couldn't pair either car - tried everything. Had a Mobile tech last month for another issue; asked about the Homelink. Was told they dropped the older one's communication (garage unit) - different system. Need to upgrade the garage unit.
Then software update last year. Couldn't pair either car - tried everything. Had a Mobile tech last month for another issue; asked about the Homelink. Was told they dropped the older one's communication (garage unit) - different system. Need to upgrade the garage unit.
RoBoRaT
PoPeYeD'SaiLoRDuDe
Cross check your apartment's garage door opener brand with HomeLink:
I have the homelink in my car, it connected no problem with my garage door that is aprox 20 years old.
Also the homelink in the model 3 does not have alot of range.. when I park my car with the rear to the garage door it just wont open the door. So basicly it is useless because I have to back up my car into the garage.
Also the homelink in the model 3 does not have alot of range.. when I park my car with the rear to the garage door it just wont open the door. So basicly it is useless because I have to back up my car into the garage.
heavyD
Member
I agree it doesn't have the greatest range but Auto-open still opens my door before I reach my house so I'm not sure why that wouldn't work for you. Maybe an antenna extension would help here seeing your opener is pretty old.
davewill
Active Member
The opener should sense the force holding it closed, and reverse back to closed state. However, if you're going to padlock your garage, you should pull the release that disengages the garage door from the opener. After all, you could forget and push the button on the remote by habit on your way in, and who really wants to count on a failsafe.
ColoradoMike
Member
@davewill Correct. We use that for vacations...and we KNOW when it will move up or down for the garages. I feel that the several hundred dollar Homelink that Tesla markets is an easy $35 thing you toss in your front console or on the visor. The times that We would need that isn't worth the hassle.
For vacations, AKA out of the house, the padlock makes sense....we do this a ton. Just wanted to put something out that folks may not encounter.
For vacations, AKA out of the house, the padlock makes sense....we do this a ton. Just wanted to put something out that folks may not encounter.
davewill
Active Member
Quite agree, I use one of the remotes that came with the opener myself. Not only don't I need the automatic feature, but it seems like a royal pain to have to access the GUI if I need to trigger the remote manually. Like I'm pretty sure that if I come home to find that someone else has the door open, it's gonna close it...then I'm left trying to quickly cancel the close operation. Also, I simply don't TRUST the geofence feature to always work correctly and positively close the door when I leave. I'm the nervous type that pushes the button while I'm backing out of the driveway, and I always check in my rear view to verify it actually closed (and stayed closed) before I drive away.
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I've had homelink in my other cars, but it was just a simple press to open/close, nothing automatic. I believe it may be dangerous if the door closes automatically because it needs to be visible in case someone is under it for some reason. Will the Tesla homelink differentiate between open and close - ie, if it happens to be open when you're coming home, will it close it?
I didn't think it was worth paying so much, so I bought a simple clicker on Amazon for less than $10. It has 3 buttons, and I programmed all 3 for the opener. I clip it on the door storage, so I can easily reach down with my left hand and click any of the 3 buttons.
For about $20, you can get a wifi device that works the standard opener, and can tell you when the door is left open, or automatically open, etc.
I didn't think it was worth paying so much, so I bought a simple clicker on Amazon for less than $10. It has 3 buttons, and I programmed all 3 for the opener. I clip it on the door storage, so I can easily reach down with my left hand and click any of the 3 buttons.
For about $20, you can get a wifi device that works the standard opener, and can tell you when the door is left open, or automatically open, etc.
ColoradoMike
Member
PERFECT RESPONSE!
I agree a ton. I would rather have the "remote" for the garage opener to simply OPEN/CLOSE when I would like to do it. Now I do think the automation to pull up to a house is cool with Tesla's app....it isnt the same.
Trust me....we still look up the road to make certain our garage door is down when we leave the house.
This is exactly why we won't get an "automatic Geofence" for us.
I can't tell you how many times for some reason or another our garage didn't close. Maybe a Moth hit the sensor or something else. It happens.
Hence the "PAUSE" up the street to have my wife and I VERIFY that the garage is closed. To be honest we tore out the Keypad too as that was "glitchy".
Leaving for a week for camping or a month overseas...I don't trust garage doors....so simply, engage the lock and put the padlock on it. It won't be moved and we know that coming home our garage is secured as well as we can make it!
ColoradoMike
Member
OK so a thought here......
A garage opener should work. For the two homes we own they work just fine.
Not sure on communications with the Telsal "homelink" but ZERO cars have had an issue. This is why I keep and will continue to keep a "clicker" in the car. It works. Battery failure aside....it simply works.
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