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califmac

Garage Door Remote Problem

califmac
17 years ago

Here's the problem: Installed new Sears opener model number 139.53992D one week ago...no problems at all.

Now...one week later, the remotes (even the keyless entry) don't work...or do they?? I followed the directions...reprogrammed them...even cleared out the memory and still didn't work.

I started to ge frustrated so I climed the ladder with the directions and remote to make sure it was good. I reprogrammed them again...and they worked!!

I get down from ladder...try it again and they don't work.

I got up on the ladder again...they worked. It seems that I have to be within 6 inches for them to work. I call the nearest Sears...and they tell me that they are probably defective so if I bring them in - they will swap all of them out. They did...

Problem is...same problem....CAN ANYONE HELP!?!?! Thanks in advance!!

Comments (6)

  • danross
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sears garage door openers are notoriously out of tune. The antenna section is barely set to respond on the bench, but when the weather changes, the antenna frequency shifts (to a frequency outside of your range)... fortunately for me, my brother understands this stuff, and retuned my antenna section with a variable potentiometer on the board. I walked down the street and he tuned it to give me the longest range... that was seven years ago... still works fine.

    If this is a new system, I would recommend you get you money back and go after a Chamberlain or Genie. Sears only warrantees most new systems for 90 days. By the time I found my problem when the weather got colder, I was 10 days out of warranty. They wouldn't even talk to me. The tuning goes 'out' both with hotter weather and colder, depending on where your particular unit is set if this is the problem.
    Sounds the same... I was able to reset codes and make it work up real close, but when I went outside, it was a no go.
    Too bad Sears isn't the store it was 30 years ago... I used to buy Sears products because I could trust in them... how things change!

  • don_1_2006
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Here are some things to check.

    Limited range of your remote controls could be related to radio frequency interference that comes from something in your home or in the surrounding environment. Certain electrical devices can radiate interference; this could be almost anything that is plugged into an electrical outlet.

    Please keep in mind that the device can be brand new, or can be an item that has been in use for quite a while. Also, the item may continue to function properly as far as you are able to tell. The only problem with the item may be that it has started to broadcast the interference, with no other symptoms noted.

    Some devices are more likely to generate interference than others. This includes TV cable, cable amplifiers, surge protectors, fluorescent lights, battery charging devices (power tools, golf carts, etc.), anything that utilizes a timer (sprinkler systems, lights, alarm systems, etc.), and a myriad of others. If the problem seems sporadic, we can safely assume that the device responsible for the interference is only being operated during these times. Again, please keep in mind that the age of the device does not determine if it is capable of broadcasting unwanted interference. Any electrical device can be the source of the problem.

    The first step is replacing the battery in your remote. If the range on your remote does not improve, remove the wall control wires from the overhead unit. If the range does not improve you will likely need to replace the remote control. After replacing the remote, or if you have other remotes programmed in to the opener, and the range problem still exists, please proceed to the Power Down test.

    Multiple garage doors:
    If you have two garage door units and one is working just fine, you will need to start by unplugging the good unit. This will help determine if the unit with no range starts to function properly. If the range comes back to the bad unit then you will need to replace the logic board on the unit that was unplugged as it is emitting an RF signal that is over powering the other garage door opener. If the range does not improve after the "good" unit has been unplugged, replace the batteries and try programming some additional remotes to determine if the existing remotes are the issue. If the extra remotes do not have any range then you would need to replace the receiver logic board in the "bad" unit.

    Power Down test:
    To isolate potential sources of interference, turn the circuit breaker off to the garage and plug the garage door opener into an extension cord from another room. If the range improves, then the interference is coming from a device in the garage. If no improvement is seen follow the same procedure, this time turning off the circuit breakers to your home, with the exception of the garage and test the remote controls. If improvement is noted, turn the circuit breakers back on, one by one, until the range problem resurfaces. This will allow you to narrow down what room the problem device is in. You will have to go from there to isolate it further, by unplugging and re-plugging the items in that room.

    If you are unable to determine any source of interference, then the receiver logic board in the overhead unit will need to be replaced.

  • ashiekh_mesastate_edu
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Same problem with a Chamberlain remote, same fix... (adjust the potentiometer for range)

    This is no way to design equipment

  • DavidDoors
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I never knew garage doors could potentially be so troublesome to handle. I guess I better do some research before I embark on refurbishing my new house! Hope you managed to solve the problem in the end.

  • mizzladi
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My garage door won't stay closed it keeps going back up when it closes, one button on the remote on the wall doesn't work, what could be wrong?

  • don_1_2006
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What is the make and model number?