Garage door remote or keypad stopped working
If the wall button works and the remote doesn't, the opener is fine and the problem is at the remote end. Start with the battery, then reprogram, and if the range has been getting shorter over weeks rather than failing outright, check what bulb is in the opener. LED bulbs interfere with remote receivers often enough that it's a genuinely common cause and almost nobody expects it.
Check these first
Two minutes, no tools, and sometimes it's the whole answer.
- Change the battery, even if the light on the remote still comes on. A weak battery lights the LED and doesn't transmit.
- Try a second remote. If both fail and the wall button works, it's the receiver rather than the remotes.
- Reprogram the remote to the opener. Programming can be lost after a power event.
- Check what bulb is in the opener head. A cheap LED can swamp the receiver and cut the range to a few feet.
- On a keypad, check the button membrane for cracking. Keypads on an outside wall fail from weather.
What not to do while you wait
- Don't buy a replacement remote before checking the bulb. It's the cause people never suspect and the fix costs a few dollars.
What it usually turns out to be
- Dead or weak battery The first thing to change and the most common answer.
- Lost programming Power events and board resets clear remote programming. Reprogramming takes a minute.
- LED bulb interference Some LED lamps emit radio noise across the frequency the receiver listens on. The tell is range that shrinks gradually rather than a remote that stops dead.
- Failed receiver If no remote works but the wall button does, the receiver in the opener head has gone.
- Weathered keypad Outdoor keypads take sun and moisture, and the membrane under the buttons is what fails.
What it costs
$185 to $390 for receiver or keypad replacement, when the free checks don't fix it. The diagnostic visit is $39 and it comes off that in full when you go ahead the same visit. Full detail on the garage door opener repair page, and every other range we charge is on the cost page.
Where we cover
Newark, Fremont, Union City, Hayward, with Hayward limited to 94545 and 94544 in the south of the city. Call before noon and Newark, Fremont and Union City are same-day appointments. The areas we cover, in detail.
Questions we get asked
Really, a light bulb?
Really. Certain LED lamps put out radio interference across the band the receiver uses. Swap it for a different bulb and the range comes back. It costs nothing to test.
Can you program a universal remote to my opener?
Usually, yes, as long as the opener's receiver still works. We'll check that first, because programming a remote to a dead receiver is time nobody gets back.
Other things doors do
- Garage door won't close Almost always the safety sensors.
- Garage door won't open If it feels heavy, it's the spring.
- Garage door spring broke The bang was the spring letting go.
- Opener runs but the door doesn't move The trolley or the drive gear.
- Garage door opener is completely dead Power first, then the logic board.
Tell us what it's doing
(510) 509-9998. If a car is shut inside, say so first and we'll book you ahead of the queue.
Newark · Fremont · Union City · Hayward