Garage door wont open from car only at night <SOLVED!>

[Julian]

Ok jetboaters.net fixers....see if we can puzzle this one out.....

Garage door opener won't open from my Audi after dark. Also sometimes doesn’t open from the outside remote...replaced its battery....now seems to work.

I wondered if the ring cameras I have might be interfering, but still no work if I shut them off (no power).

Thought perhaps Ring motion sensor might be it....killed that....no workie.

Works fine during the day from 100 feet away. Once dark....I have to get out or use the remote from garage door.

Ideas?

Oh....and no LED bulbs in opener (that will block signals)

 

[Coult45]

My LED shop lights block the signal, even though they're six or eight feet from the opener.

 

[GiddYupJoe]

Ok jetboaters.net fixers....see if we can puzzle this one out.....

Garage door opener won't open from my Audi after dark. Also sometimes doesn’t open from the outside remote...replaced its battery....now seems to work.

I wondered if the ring cameras I have might be interfering, but still no work if I shut them off (no power).

Thought perhaps Ring motion sensor might be it....killed that....no workie.

Works fine during the day from 100 feet away. Once dark....I have to get out or use the remote from garage door.

Ideas?

Oh....and no LED bulbs in opener (that will block signals)

On my Tundra, the LED reverse lights block the key fob from locking the doors until they go out. I would assume your Audi has LEDs throughout. Maybe?

 

[2kwik4u]

I have the same make/model/body style as yours. Mine seems to work just fine both daylight and sunlight.

Did you have to generate a code and do multiple tries to program the Audi? My home remote programmed instantly and successfully on the first try. The gate at work took about 4-5 tries and then some additional "futzing" to get it to work. The gate will sometimes not work for no apparent reason and I'll have to hop out and use my fob to get in. I haven't correlated that inop condition to light/dark but will start paying attention moving forward.

Wish I was more help.

 

[Julian]

The strange thing is it used to work no problem. Didn't change anything....and then stopped working only at night.

I'm really stumped....

I'll try turning off the car lights and see if it makes a difference....I'll try anything!!

 

[HangOutdoors]

Do you have anything in your garage that turning on at night? I had photocell on a some LED's that were interfering. Only figured it out one day when I was sitting in the garage at night and the light went out and they came on.,

 

[TimW451]

+1 @HangOutdoors , I’d look for something that is on at night, but off during the day causing the interference. Any new or updated automation, lights, appliances? Does it always not work at night, or sometimes? Are neighboring houses close enough that they may have something causing the interference?

I have a bedroom ceiling fan and light that will turn on at night, but only in the winter. Never been able to figure out the cause. (It isn’t the heater.)

 

[Julian]

I read on one forum that new LED landscape lights are sometimes really noisy (interference)...and I DID just change out one dead one with a new one.....so I'm going to see tonight if that makes the difference.....(say a prayer for me please....LOL!)

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

Go smart home route and have it trigger to close/open when you connect/disconnect from the wifi.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

+1 @HangOutdoors , I’d look for something that is on at night, but off during the day causing the interference. Any new or updated automation, lights, appliances? Does it always not work at night, or sometimes? Are neighboring houses close enough that they may have something causing the interference?

I have a bedroom ceiling fan and light that will turn on at night, but only in the winter. Never been able to figure out the cause. (It isn’t the heater.)

This doesn't help Julian, but reminds me of an issued we had with our townhouse rental. For the first six months we were in the townhouse, I would come down from the 2nd floor bedroom to find the fan light in the living room (1st floor) on. This was unusual as while we would use the fan, we almost never used the light. Had this phantom light come on for about 6 months. We then learned that the contractor who built our rental townhouse, also optioned the exact same light/fan in the other units as well. It turns out our next door neighbor was turning our fan light on/off when she turned off her fan/light as they worked with a remote control!

Jim

 

[Julian]

Go smart home route and have it trigger to close/open when you connect/disconnect from the wifi.

Garage door opener is 10 years old. Would have to research a device to send that signal....

Plus....with 3 drivers and our garage door basically being open all day long....not sure we'd want it going up and down all the time.

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

MyQ is the best option. Insignia is a good option if it works with your opener. In either case that is to make it smart.

Our Tesla doesn't have a garage door opener (dont ask why). So my wife uses the MyQ app. I have it set up on backtap so you tap the phone 3 times and it opens the app and you click open. Not as easy as a button on the visor, but if you have other restrictions, it works.

 

[BigN8]

My garage doors have started not working as well within the past week. The key fob does not open the door near as far away as it used too, and now I find that I have to hold down the button to get the garage to start opening or closing. And, yes I have changed the batteries. Kind of weird and irritating.

 

[Julian]

MyQ is the best option. Insignia is a good option if it works with your opener. In either case that is to make it smart.

Our Tesla doesn't have a garage door opener (dont ask why). So my wife uses the MyQ app. I have it set up on backtap so you tap the phone 3 times and it opens the app and you click open. Not as easy as a button on the visor, but if you have other restrictions, it works.

So you don't have it set up to open when the phone connects to wifi?

 

[Julian]

My garage doors have started not working as well within the past week. The key fob does not open the door near as far away as it used too, and now I find that I have to hold down the button to get the garage to start opening or closing. And, yes I have changed the batteries. Kind of weird and irritating.

Number one thing to check is for LED bulbs in the area. I'll be checking my landscape lights this evening! But just putting an LED in the opener itself will kill many remotes completely (ask me how I know!).

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

So you don't have it set up to open when the phone connects to wifi?

Nope, that is probably only available with a bit for advanced coding.

It does have neat features, like reminders it was left open or to automatically close after x hours or x time. You dont have to use those features though.

 

[Julian]

SOLVED! It was the landscaping lights I replaced! Two small LED pathway lights totally blocked the signal! I never would have thought this!!!

 

[Julian]

This is the culprit...from HomeDepot....

Hampton Bay
3-Watt Millennium Bronze Outdoor Integrated LED Landscape Path Light

 

[Julian]

Nope, that is probably only available with a bit for advanced coding.

It does have neat features, like reminders it was left open or to automatically close after x hours or x time. You dont have to use those features though.

Actually, as a routine in Alexa - you can put in a Geofence activity on a device (like my phone). So it would be pretty easy to say open the garage door when I get home.

The only issue with that is a security one. If your phone is stolen....they can now get into your house, until you disable the routine (which is device based....so easy enough to do).

 

[Julian]

@adrianp89 I ordered the MyQ on Amazon...was $5 less than their site (on sale right now for $24.95)....my wife is probably already rolling her eyes!!! LOL