Why doesn't my garage door opener work to close the door after I pull out of the garage, when I have the HID Headlights on?

10

Asked by ceadon11 Jan 27, 2017 at 07:08 PM about the 2011 Lexus RX 350 AWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I recently purchased a Certified 2011 Lexus RX 350, and ever since I
brought the car home, I have been having problems closing my garage
door after pulling out of the garage, when my headlights [or Auto and it's
dark] are on and shining into the garage.  When I turn the headlights off
and do the same steps, it works fine!  The dealer sent a Tech to the house,
and he brought a 2016 RX 350 loaner.  When he parked next to my car, he
programmed my garage door codes into the loaner and everything worked
fine!  But, when I turned my car on and turned on the headlights shining
into the garage, even the loaner didn't work.  I have read that my 2011
came with HID [High-Intensity Discharge] headlights, and the 2016 model
comes with LED headlights.  Could it be the HID headlight bulbs that are
causing the problem?  For the record, I changed batteries in all the
remotes, and re-programmed the remotes and the Homelink system in my
car - and got the same results every time!  And, my wife's Honda Accord
also has both garage doors programmed into the Homelink system in her
car, and the openers work every single time - until I turn on my car and turn
the headlights on!  HELP!?!?!

8 Answers

189,525

It very well, try changing them and see what happens, trial and error may be what you need to do to find the solution

2 people found this helpful.

The sensors on my garage door opener prevent the door from closing when the setting sun shines on them. I don't' doubt that headlights would do the same.

1 people found this helpful.
10

Thanks, guys! Except, I put 'blinders on the sensors so there is no direct headlight beam on them, I put towels over the headlights, I put a very large piece of cardboard covering the entire front end of my car, and I put one of those heavy furniture moving blankets over the front end..., and got the same results - the garage door did not go down! With respect to TrannyMan, I am not looking for a workaround! I am looking for the root cause of the problem, so the dealer will fix it under warranty. This was a $40K car when new, and should not need to use a workaround to function normally! The dealer thinks it's the garage door opener. But, when I programmed the dealer loaner 2016 RX 350 with my garage door codes, and parked in front of my garage, the door opener works fine! Plus, my wife's Honda's Homelink also works fine with both garage door openers! A-a-r-g-h!

Maybe your headlights are generating RF that interferes with your remotes.

1 people found this helpful.
10

PS FYI - The 2016 Lexus RX 350 loaner has LED headlights, while my 2011 has HID [High-Intensity Discharge] headlight bulbs!

10

F_O_R: I'm also thinking it's something like that..., or the fact that the HID headlights are 5+ years old, and past the max. est. life of 2,000 hours. Or they may be cracked or leaking Xenon..., or the ballasts may be emitting EMI - Electromagnetic Interference! I am trying to get the dealer to replace the headlights for these reasons. It has been escalated on their end..., but I may need to escalate on my end, too, to the Lexus Central Area Offices, but only if I need to do so!

1 people found this helpful.

Perhaps a new garage door opener will solve your problem. I love my new Liftmaster.

2 people found this helpful.
40

I have 2015 Lexus RX 350. The headlights are on auto. In the last few weeks, the garage opener has started not working. The door will partial go down and then go back up. Today it wouldn't go down at all from in car opener. Has anyone found the cause of this problem?

4 people found this helpful.

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