HOMELINK UNIVERSAL RECEIVER

When my Model S arrived two weeks ago I immediately tried to set up the homelink function. Even though the car seemed to learn the code from my garage door openers remote just fine, it was unable to send out a signal that would actually open the garage door. 

When I checked the compatibility list on homlink.com I realised that my particular model is not in the list of compatible garage door openers… bummer.

I went and looked for solutions online and ended up ordering the universal receiver from homelink directly. Once it arrived the instructions said that one should press the three buttons on the homelink remote in the car – which the Tesla obviously does not have. After calling their support they told me that I also need an original remote control, which can also be ordered through their shop. Yesterday this remote arrived as well and I was able to install everything in my garage.

The universal receiver was sent in three pieces: the receiver, a curcuit board that needed to be inserted manually as well as a power source.
The Liftmaster remote control is rather cheaply made for its price – 40 Euro ! But I guess I won’t ever use it again anyway….

RECEIVER INSTALLATION

First you have to manually attach the wires from the power source to two connectors inside the receiver. Why they don’t just add a simple plug for this is beyond me. Then you need to also attach two wires that go to either your garage door opener itself or to a manual door trigger that you might have installed somewhere in your garage anyway. I chose to install the receiver right on the side of the garage door opener and attached the wires directly to the corresponding leads that are clearly marked on the device.

The little grey box ix the universal receiver. One set of wires go around to the other side and attach to the manual control outlets.

Once everything was installed you can test the new receiver by pressing a little button inside the device. Lucky for me, the garage opened immediately after pressing the button.

LEARNING  THE  CODES  AND  CONFIGURING  THE   MODEL S

The remote comes with simple instructions that explain how to add it to the universal receiver. This was done by pressing the “learn” button inside the receiver. Took a couple of seconds and the receiver was connected to the remote. 

After that I just went through the Model S homelink setup again and it immediately worked. Now when I drive up to my garage, the homelink button pops up and I can open the garage with one tap of my finger. I originally thought that the garage would open automatically once I approach it, but so far this does not happen. I guess it might be a safety feature. Imagine someone is parked in front of your garage when you drive up : )

10 Comments

  1. Thanks for the post! To bad Tesla didn’t bother to make it clear which garage door openers are supported when I ordered my Model S and installed new garage doors with openers which I now have to modify. The Homelink site however doesn’t let me add the reciever to the shopping cart, just the remote. Seems to be many after market options to solve this issue but officially Tesla doesn’t support anything – it was the tesla tech support who sent me the url to the forum and your website!

    • Anders – that sure is weird. When I go to the homelink site and open the shop it shows the receiver on the start page. The remote however is hidden away in the “accessories” section.

  2. BTW, I guess the receiver comes unassembled since the receiver itself could be mounted outside the garage in it’s water proof housing (IP55 at least) and you put the power inside the garage. That’s the way I’m going to mount it, IF I can buy one that is.

  3. Be carefull with installing that receiver outside. It would be easy for everyone to get into the box and to open the garage door with the switches inside the box …

    • Good point Eric – I guesss anders would need to put the receiver in a box that can be locked, with the antenna sticking out of the top.

  4. Thanks! Finally got my garage door to work because of this post!

    I read about the universal receiver on a different forum, but wouldn’t have realised you also needed to buy an original remote control as well without this post.

  5. Thanks so much for this – just followed the same instructions and got this working with my BMW. Finally can use that optional extra i specced (although I had to pay more to finally get it working!)

  6. Thanks for your post. One question: does this universal receiver system works together with your existing receiver of the garage door? In other words: does this universal receiver bypass the original receiver and commands the door directly to open (so both receiver units can work together)? Or did you replace the original receiver of the garage door?

    • Hi Dennis – yes, the universal receiver is connected to my garage door opener unit as an “external receiver” by using a port on the device. But you also need the new remote control.

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