About two months after I got my 2014 Subaru Forester, I noticed that my garage door opener (i.e., its remote control) was no longer working reliably. I replaced the battery, but that didn't help.
I then noticed more specifically that:
- The first time pulling out of my garage in the morning, I had to wait about a minute before the opener would work.
- The second time pulling out that day, I had to wait only about 20 seconds.
- Third and subsequent times that day, the remote worked correctly the first time.
I then thought that the car's Bluetooth connection to my phone might be interfering with the opener. (Previous to this car, my phone had a Bluetooth connection to a GPS. I have turned off the Bluetooth on the GPS.) But Bluetooth uses a frequency near 2400 MHz, whereas coded garage door openers use a 300-400 MHz frequency.
So what in the Subaru Forester uses that same 300-400MHz band? Well, TPMS uses 315MHz. I now suspect that this is the source of the interference. Unfortunately, I see no reasonable solution to the problem.
I have found a thread in another forum (for the Ford Focus) describing exactly the same problem, with evidence that TPMS was the source of the interference. He, too, originally suspected Bluetooth, so his original thread title turned out to be wrong.
Sync interferes with Garage Door Opener - Page 2
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For some strange reason, the TPMS system stopped communicating with the OEM wheels in the basement. I now get a "System Fault" every time I start the car. AND poof -- the garage door opener has been working like it should -- inside the car -- with the car running. Further confirms my theory as the source of interference.
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Here is a post from yet another forum about interference with Craftsman garage door openers, which just happen to use the exact same 315Mhz frequency as TPMS!
http://www.diyforums.net/craftsman-garage-door-opener-4374924.html
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Sears refuses to fix, but acknowledged that the problem is caused by rf interference with their 315 mhz frequency use by motion sensors, etc... They insist that the frequncy change was mandated by the FCC. They will not post the possibility of rf interference with their openers on a web site or any advertisement. They will not post it in their stores, and they do not advise their sales people. Both Sears and Chamberlain also will not and have not put this information in any instruction manual, nor do they have any fix. I took off and threw out a motion sensor on my light and initially fixed the problem. This past month I recently installed a water fountain bird bath with six small LED lights in a front garden, which I found again shut down my remotes AND my home links in my cars.
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I then noticed more specifically that:
- The first time pulling out of my garage in the morning, I had to wait about a minute before the opener would work.
- The second time pulling out that day, I had to wait only about 20 seconds.
- Third and subsequent times that day, the remote worked correctly the first time.
I then thought that the car's Bluetooth connection to my phone might be interfering with the opener. (Previous to this car, my phone had a Bluetooth connection to a GPS. I have turned off the Bluetooth on the GPS.) But Bluetooth uses a frequency near 2400 MHz, whereas coded garage door openers use a 300-400 MHz frequency.
So what in the Subaru Forester uses that same 300-400MHz band? Well, TPMS uses 315MHz. I now suspect that this is the source of the interference. Unfortunately, I see no reasonable solution to the problem.
I have found a thread in another forum (for the Ford Focus) describing exactly the same problem, with evidence that TPMS was the source of the interference. He, too, originally suspected Bluetooth, so his original thread title turned out to be wrong.
Sync interferes with Garage Door Opener - Page 2
---
For some strange reason, the TPMS system stopped communicating with the OEM wheels in the basement. I now get a "System Fault" every time I start the car. AND poof -- the garage door opener has been working like it should -- inside the car -- with the car running. Further confirms my theory as the source of interference.
---
Here is a post from yet another forum about interference with Craftsman garage door openers, which just happen to use the exact same 315Mhz frequency as TPMS!
http://www.diyforums.net/craftsman-garage-door-opener-4374924.html
---
Sears refuses to fix, but acknowledged that the problem is caused by rf interference with their 315 mhz frequency use by motion sensors, etc... They insist that the frequncy change was mandated by the FCC. They will not post the possibility of rf interference with their openers on a web site or any advertisement. They will not post it in their stores, and they do not advise their sales people. Both Sears and Chamberlain also will not and have not put this information in any instruction manual, nor do they have any fix. I took off and threw out a motion sensor on my light and initially fixed the problem. This past month I recently installed a water fountain bird bath with six small LED lights in a front garden, which I found again shut down my remotes AND my home links in my cars.
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