HomeLink Garage Opener Odd Situation

jajaxxon

New member
I have a 2018 JLU Sahara with the newly offered Homelink Garage opener in the drivers visor

Unlike any other car I have owned with Homelink, the JL requires the engine to be running or at least ignition turned on before the opener will work

That seems like a safety issue as you would logically open the garage before starting to avoid Carbon Monoxide

I realize starting and then rapidly opening minimizes any risk, but it does seem like an odd sequence to start the car first

Homelink says Jeeps decision

Jeep says no idea, contact Homelink

Any thoughts or should this be reported as a safety issue???
 

mac214

Member
Wouldn’t you open the garage as you walk out the door with the button on the wall? I wouldn’t imagine there to be any concern getting in your vehicle, starting it, opening the door, and leaving.

I would assume this is more likely programmed this way so that it won’t work if you were to park outside so someone doesn’t break into your home.


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mac214

Member
Fair enough, guess I didn’t think of that as it’s how I’ve always done it. My truck works with no key to open the garage but my car requires ACC power at least to open. I always just assumed that was so it couldn’t be used by someone breaking into the vehicle. On my truck I assume it only works for so much time between turning the vehicle off.


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point well taken, but we load dogs into Jeep before opening - busy road

Thanks for the thoughts

Do you have push button start? If so just push the button twice with the key in the vehicle WITHOUT a foot on the brake. This is the equivalent to turning the key 2 clicks without turning the engine over.
 

13_gecko_rubi

New member
Most FCA vehicles the homelink will work unless you have hit the key fob lock button. That activates the alarm and shuts off homelink so someone cannot break a window and get into your house. I haven't played much with the JL one so now i have to look. It may be different since doors come off which makes reaching in easier.

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ShannonC

New member
Fair enough, guess I didn’t think of that as it’s how I’ve always done it. My truck works with no key to open the garage but my car requires ACC power at least to open. I always just assumed that was so it couldn’t be used by someone breaking into the vehicle. On my truck I assume it only works for so much time between turning the vehicle off.


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My thought is that they don’t want it to work unless he key is on in case you have the top / doors off sitting in your driveway.


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Boisedan

New member
Selecting when Homelink is powered on

With all the things you can change on the JL, I would like to be able to change it to be powered on when the fob is within the distance to start it. Maybe Jeep will allow me make a small wiring change without voiding the warranty.
 

NFRs2000NYC

Member
Gecko said it best. It's a safety issue and is on many other vehicles as well. You don't want someone to be able to break your window, and be able to enter your home while you're away or asleep. It is specifically for this reason I have not programmed homelink on many family vehicles...they did NOT have this feature. One thing I'd love to see manufacturers add to their infotainment systems is the screen requiring a pin when you ask the GPS to "take you home." Don't want someone to be able to find the home of the vehicle if it gets stolen, valet'ed etc. Would be nice if they started to also replace start buttons with iphone style fingerprint readers.
 

JeepGA

New member
Gecko said it best. It's a safety issue and is on many other vehicles as well. You don't want someone to be able to break your window, and be able to enter your home while you're away or asleep. It is specifically for this reason I have not programmed homelink on many family vehicles...they did NOT have this feature. One thing I'd love to see manufacturers add to their infotainment systems is the screen requiring a pin when you ask the GPS to "take you home." Don't want someone to be able to find the home of the vehicle if it gets stolen, valet'ed etc. Would be nice if they started to also replace start buttons with iphone style fingerprint readers.
I just set my home address to be "near" my home. I can usually find my way from there [emoji12]

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Boisedan

New member
Still like it my way

I would still like to have it my way. I can set the DRLs to be on or off, have all the doors lock/unlock or just driver's door, change the information panel, arrange the icons, etc and if I choose to be able to open or close my garage door when I am within range with the key fob I really don't think someone is going to get in my garage with me standing that close. I would even like to see a digital "analog" speedometer and tachometer so I would see the same speed the computer is seeing. The analog speedometer is sometimes up to 4 MPH off. Just saying... BTW, is Jeep ever going to offer a maintenance manual or when did they stop. My last Jeep was a '02 TJ and I had one for it on CD. My '78 CJ7 had a set of manuals, too.
 

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BillArnett

New member
You can configure the EVIC to display a digital speedo at the top. I don’t think there’s a digital RPM option, though.
 

NFRs2000NYC

Member
If your needle speedometer is off from the digital, the dealer can recalibrate that for you under warranty. Some owners have had to have their clusters replaced.
 

MoparTH

New member
There is a pretty easy mod to the switched Homelink power. If you remove the trim piece above the drivers door, 4 Torx screws I think, there will be a yellow wire that feeds the Homelink via switched 12VDC, you cut that wire, reattach the visor side of that yellow wire to the red wire that supplies power to the vanity light on the visor, then insulate the other side of the yellow wire. The red wire is still not hot all the time, if times out about 30 or so minutes after the doors are shut, but as soon as you open the door the wire is hot again, no need to turn the ignition on to operate the garage door opener after that.
 

Boisedan

New member
Great! Thank you for that. I installed a Homelink in a truck and it worked in a similar fashion, stayed on for 10 minutes after shutting off and on when a door was opened. I had wiring diagrams for the truck.

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