Going Insane trying to program HOMELINK....grrrrr

[HotLap]

Guys,

Please help me here...I've programmed my rolling code Genie (1999 Screw drive) garage door opener on several of my (non BMW) vehicles...but I just can't get this darn thing to work Neither my 535i or M3 will work and I have tried every combination I can think of. I have: 1) BMW OM instructions and the GENIE instructions, and still can't get these things to work. The Genie remote to BMW mirror programming works fine...but when I try and program the BMW universal remote to the head unit - it always fails....what is the trick to this??? My Ford F-150 is stubborn too...but it will eventually program - unlike these BMW's. I realize that the Genie's are know to be stubborn...but this is ridiculous...I have to carry remotes on the sun visors of both my BMW's...please, please help me

[valeram]

Follow the BMW manual by the book. You have to do a part of step 1 (for non rolling code) and step 2 (for rolling code) in combination of the garage door main control button (in my case, buttons on the unit itself).

[jeff.m3]

I ran into the same problem a week ago. Just follow the instructions for the rolling code garage door opener.

In summary, I deleted the codes by pressing and holding button 1 and 3 for about 20 seconds. Then you take your garage door opener remote and press it simultaneously with the button you want to program for about 8 to 15 seconds. After, go to your garage door opener unit and press the learning code button, then you have 30 seconds to go back to the car and press the button (you programmed) 3 times. The light on the garage door opener unit should blink.

I hope that helps.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by HotLap

Guys,

Please help me here...I've programmed my rolling code Genie (1999 Screw drive) garage door opener on several of my (non BMW) vehicles...but I just can't get this darn thing to work Neither my 535i or M3 will work and I have tried every combination I can think of. I have: 1) BMW OM instructions and the GENIE instructions, and still can't get these things to work. The Genie remote to BMW mirror programming works fine...but when I try and program the BMW universal remote to the head unit - it always fails....what is the trick to this??? My Ford F-150 is stubborn too...but it will eventually program - unlike these BMW's. I realize that the Genie's are know to be stubborn...but this is ridiculous...I have to carry remotes on the sun visors of both my BMW's...please, please help me

Hmmm..my Genie programmed first try.

Enter your info and review this: http://www.homelink.com/programming/programming.taf. Don't have much more to offer.

[HotLap]

Valram & e92...thanks for for the suggestions, but I have done all of those things (multiple times on both the 535 and M3) and it just doesn't work. This is the same procedure for my F150 and it will work...I'm at wits end and can't figure this stupid thing out...I can get as far as the head unit accepting the first push of the BMW home link (as evidenced by a blinking light on the head unit going from blinking to solid) but then it will not accept the confirmation push - always goes to a fast blink from there which (per the Genie Intellicode's instructions) means an error and to start again...this is driving me nuts as I now know it's not the BMW (since both have this issue) and it must be something with the Genie head unit...I'm probably going to have to replace it before this is all over...I have programmed rolling code home link remotes on at least 5 vehicles prior this this and never had an issue!! Thing that keeps throwing me is that I CAN program my F150's Home Link successfully on this head unit....arrrgh

[Heat00]

yea its a pain.
follow the steps and program the remote to the car, THEN, after the blinking light changes, as if it were done, hit the learn button on the back of the opener unit, get into the car within 30 secs and hold the program homelink button again. I usually have to do it twice for it to take..

[AZ-BMW]

Originally Posted by Heat00

follow the steps and program the remote to the car, THEN, after the blinking light changes, as if it were done, hit the learn button on the back of the opener unit, get into the car within 30 secs and hold the program homelink button again. I usually have to do it twice for it to take..

+1
Just programmed my M3 this afternoon. As Heat00 states above, you need to perform the rolling code program step. Do as he states above, but after pushing the learn button on the opener and within 30 secs, hold the homelink button down for only 2 secs, then do this sequence 3 times. Mine programmed OK 1st try
BTW, if that doesn't work, hold the 2 outside homelink buttons down until the light blinks (clears all memory), then go through the homelink programming steps again

[HotLap]

Originally Posted by AZ-BMW

+1
Just programmed my M3 this afternoon. As Heat00 states above, you need to perform the rolling code program step. Do as he states above, but after pushing the learn button on the opener and within 30 secs, hold the homelink button down for only 2 secs, then do this sequence 3 times. Mine programmed OK 1st try
BTW, if that doesn't work, hold the 2 outside homelink buttons down until the light blinks (clears all memory), then go through the homelink programming steps again

Thanks guys - I have done all of that (multiple times) and the head unit still will not accept the program from the BMW Home Link...I have varied the timing between input, the distance between the remote unit and the Home Link, the head unit and the BMW unit - all to no avail...I think that the Genie units are one of the hardest to progam and may just have to ditch the Genie and go with another brand...shame for sure but I'm fed up with this nonesense

[3toM]

I had some problems with mine at first. It wasn't accepting the transmission from the remote when I pushed the remote and the number 1 button at the same time. I didn't get a good read until I put the remote behind the rear-view mirror (between mirror and the glass).

[badfish]

I have a Genie Excelerator with rolling codes and had no problems programming my unit. It's a screw drive unit and it came with one of those black remotes with the big gray button and I have 2 additional buttons for other garage doors. I just followed the instructions at Homelink.com and it worked on the first try.

[AZ-BMW]

Originally Posted by HotLap

Thanks guys - I have done all of that (multiple times) and the head unit still will not accept the program from the BMW Home Link...I have varied the timing between input, the distance between the remote unit and the Home Link, the head unit and the BMW unit - all to no avail...I think that the Genie units are one of the hardest to progam and may just have to ditch the Genie and go with another brand...shame for sure but I'm fed up with this nonesense

The other suggestion on homelink is to put fresh batteries in the Genie remote, then go through the whole process again. Just guessing, but it sounds like homelink is not recognizing your remote
BTW, I programmed my opener with the car running, not just with the key vob in the slot.

[ajj]

Originally Posted by AZ-BMW

The other suggestion on homelink is to put fresh batteries in the Genie remote, then go through the whole process again. Just guessing, but it sounds like homelink is not recognizing your remote
BTW, I programmed my opener with the car running, not just with the key vob in the slot.

try this..it actually worked for me. i had the same issue..no matter what i did, it wouldn't program. i replaced the battery in the transmitter with a brand new one and it worked first try. the remote opened and closed the door just fine with the old battery, but the signal was too weak to program the homelink.

[HotLap]

Originally Posted by ajj

try this..it actually worked for me. i had the same issue..no matter what i did, it wouldn't program. i replaced the battery in the transmitter with a brand new one and it worked first try. the remote opened and closed the door just fine with the old battery, but the signal was too weak to program the homelink.

Thanks all for the additional input. I'll try fresh batteries in the remote unit and try it with the car running and see if that will help. It's just so strange that I can program the hand held remote to the BMW Home Link (as evidenced by the proper light sequence), and then the head unit will take the 1st input from the BMW Home Link transmitter (as evidenced by the head unit light going from blinking to steady)...it always fails on the final confirmation (during the 30 second period). Can't figure why it would take the first input and not the confirmation inputs...hopefully a new day will bring new success

[HotLap]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

Hmmm..my Genie programmed first try.

Enter your info and review this: http://www.homelink.com/programming/programming.taf. Don't have much more to offer.

Thanks Greg for the link...I missed your response earlier. I'm going to try new batteries for both of the remote control units, then erase the head unit and reprogram each remote unit...then I'm going to erase each BMW Home Link unit and start everthing from scratch....I am determined to get this to work!! I have been drivng my 535 for a year now with the garage door remote on the sun visor!!

[sparkyg]

I had the same problem with my 335. It never worked POS mirror.

New batteries, everything.

Take it mack to the stealership. I think the mirrors are useless.

Nice feature but only if it works.

GL

[sard]

I had trouble at first, I think you need to have your engine running. That's when mine finally worked.

[sparkyg]

Originally Posted by sard

I had trouble at first, I think you need to have your engine running. That's when mine finally worked.

Yeah def need engine running. Tried that too.

[mrblonde_zx]

I also had the same problem as hotlap, but finally got it programmed today!!!

Definitely need the car ON, or running. The homelink video certainly helped and I made of the mistake assuming that pressing the button like the remote would open my Genie Excelerator garage opener. You have to keep the button depressed slightly longer than the instant reponse of the garage door remote. It works perfectly now.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by mrblonde_zx

I also had the same problem as hotlap, but finally got it programmed today!!!

Definitely need the car ON, or running. The homelink video certainly helped and I made of the mistake assuming that pressing the button like the remote would open my Genie Excelerator garage opener. You have to keep the button depressed slightly longer than the instant reponse of the garage door remote. It works perfectly now.

True, you have to hold the button about 1 second, not just press and release instantly. Maybe that's that's HotLap's problem. It may be programmed, but he doesn't realize it.

[HotLap]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

True, you have to hold the button about 1 second, not just press and release instantly. Maybe that's that's HotLap's problem. It may be programmed, but he doesn't realize it.

I wish it were that easy...having tried every combination of pressing the buttons longer/shorter/1 times/2 times/3times and more it just doesn't work. I replaced the remote unit(s) batteries today (even though I figured that wasn't the issue) and it still won't work...I erased the head unit, reprogrammed each remote unit, erased each BMW home link unit then tried it all again....still no luck. I have programmed five past cars with the rolling code process so I'm not new at this...but these darn BMW's are just not coorporating. No issue with my F150 - reprogrammed it again today (after erasing the head unit's memory) and it works just fine . The BMW's are accepting the remote unit programming fine (Step 1 for a non-rolling opener as evidenced by the proper led blinking sequence) but when I attempt the rolling code step, the head unit will take the 1st input from the BMW HomeLink(as evidenced by the head unit LED going from blinking to steady) - but it will not confirm it with subsequent presses of the button - no matter how long I hold them down or how many times I press the BMW home link button... It is supposed to just go out after 3 presses of the BMW HomeLink button - but it always goes into a "fast blink" (signifiying a programming error) I give up - looks as if I'm going to have to carry around the remote units for my BMW's... If it makes a difference, I don't have the Genie Excelerator - I have the Gemie ProDrive Series IS, ISL, etc. so it may be different than your unit.

The one thing I didn't try was programming it with the engine running...I'll give it a try - but it really shouldn't be required to be running if you have the ignition on anyway....at this point - I'll try anything...gonna put garlic all around both cars and sprinkle them both with Holy water tonight - perhaps that will help

[MysticBlue]

If you have truly given up, try piggybacking something like this onto your genie...
http://www.smarthome.com/7310RC/Gara...Control/p.aspx
Then you can program your bimmers to the new remote, eliminating the Genie as a problem (if it is). Kind of Rube Goldbergish, but once it's done it will work the same and you won't have to carry the remotes in your cars.

[AZ-BMW]

Originally Posted by HotLap

I wish it were that easy...having tried every combination of pressing the buttons longer/shorter/1 times/2 times/3times and more it just doesn't work. I replaced the remote unit(s) batteries today (even though I figured that wasn't the issue) and it still won't work...I erased the head unit, reprogrammed each remote unit, erased each BMW home link unit then tried it all again....still no luck. I have programmed five past cars with the rolling code process so I'm not new at this...but these darn BMW's are just not coorporating. No issue with my F150 - reprogrammed it again today (after erasing the head unit's memory) and it works just fine . The BMW's are accepting the remote unit programming fine (Step 1 for a non-rolling opener as evidenced by the proper led blinking sequence) but when I attempt the rolling code step, the head unit will take the 1st input from the BMW HomeLink(as evidenced by the head unit LED going from blinking to steady) - but it will not confirm it with subsequent presses of the button - no matter how long I hold them down or how many times I press the BMW home link button... It is supposed to just go out after 3 presses of the BMW HomeLink button - but it always goes into a "fast blink" (signifiying a programming error) I give up - looks as if I'm going to have to carry around the remote units for my BMW's... If it makes a difference, I don't have the Genie Excelerator - I have the Gemie ProDrive Series IS, ISL, etc. so it may be different than your unit.

The one thing I didn't try was programming it with the engine running...I'll give it a try - but it really shouldn't be required to be running if you have the ignition on anyway....at this point - I'll try anything...gonna put garlic all around both cars and sprinkle them both with Holy water tonight - perhaps that will help

Of course you realize during the rolling code programming part you need to cycle 3 times through that sequence with the head unit program button then homelink button for a couple of seconds? All with the engine running!