2011 X5 35i--Homelink is SUPER WEAK!

[greg328]

Anybody with an E70 Homelink garage opener experiencing this as well? I have to be super close to the garage door/motor receiver in order for the door to open. And sometimes it takes 10 seconds to finally open.Big pain in the azz.

My other car, a 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia, is also programmed for the same door motor, and it works great, from a distance. So I can only conclude the the X5 Homelink transmitter is weak.

Is there a fix for this? Would love any ideas..!

Greg
Austin TX

[ard]

Originally Posted by greg328

So I can only conclude the the X5 Homelink transmitter is weak.

I

Correction: **YOUR** homelink transmitter is weak. Your sample size of n=1 supports only this conclusion.



Id say look at your antenna/module. I havent looked at this before, so couldnt say

[greg328]

Thank you for the reply--could you let me know where the Homelink antenna is located? Perhaps in the mirror itself where the buttons are located?

TY,
Greg

[andrewwynn]

I would play with the receiver antenna. Usually it can be pulled out of the opener and often still in shipping mode up with the light bulb

[crystalworks]

The wife's e70 home link is also really weak. Our e61 and e53 all have much better range. Easily 3-4x in terms of distance. Never looked into why but thought I'd give you another "n" to your sample size.

[greg328]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

I would play with the receiver antenna. Usually it can be pulled out of the opener and often still in shipping mode up with the light bulb

Great tip thank you--I just had a look and indeed the receiver antenna wire was sort of tucked up and in the opener case. I pulled it down so it would be more available to the transmitter---we shall see! I'll report back--

TY,
Greg

[greg328]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

The wife's e70 home link is also really weak. Our e61 and e53 all have much better range. Easily 3-4x in terms of distance. Never looked into why but thought I'd give you another "n" to your sample size.

I appreciate it--I suspect the E70 transmitter is weak because my 2018 Alfa Homelink works fine on the same garage door opener--at greater distance.

Regardless, I did lower the receiver antenna wire on the opener motor a bit this evening to see if it helps---thanks again,
Greg

[andrewwynn]

Nice. I install garage doors/openers as part of my home improvement biz. I notice that a lot. You never know which orientation the sending antennas are either of sometimes you can get a better signal with bending the receiving antenna horizontal or angle. Awesome that the fix helped.

My buddy never got his car based one to work he had to add a remote radio receiver that would be your brute force fix. Glad you don't have to resort to that

[TriX5]

I use Sommer Direct Drive units and some users have said they are not that great for reception. They don't quite match my old Genie, that was there before the reno, for range. However, the Sommers receive signal from my E70 from about 30-35 ft away.

On a side note, the Sommer door openers are super quiet. My neighbor got two new Genies a few years ago, which I installed for her, and I usually notice when she pulls out of her garage. Those things could wake the dead.... :-)

Hope you can find a solution. Might try getting a used HL from a dismantler, not sure how hard it is to swap. Seems to be part of the mirror.