Zoich

I saw members having issues programming their home link buttons. This to me is an example of engineering to solve a non-problem. It's Audi's fault for making a simple process too complicated when it tried to incorporate a proven technology/process with its MMI interface.

Since I got my car over the weekend, with 2 garage doors, the 1st one where you followed the on-screen menu to the T, and it didn't work. So I said let me go back to the fundamentals and I think Audi left out a few KEY Information in their on-screen menu.

To understand how garage door opener works, it may be good to understand how the fundamentals of the types of the transmitter.

1. Old school fixed code opener - the type you would use 25 years ago where you push and set a series of internal pins to +/0/- on the opener as well as in the transmitter to match each other (Btw, for the on screen instructions in the MMI, they WILL work for this type, because the opener and transmitter are manually set, and when you make your Homelink learn the code, the code is fixed. Once Homelink learns, it's just another device that shares the same code.

2. Rolling code - it is exactly what it is, the code changes every time you press the button on the transmitter but it's based on the algorithms on your remote. Once your garage opener learns this unique algorithm, it knows and expects the next set of code when you press the button on the transmitter again. Let's say if this morning you're on rolling code sequence #5, and the door is expecting the next time you press it,, it would be sequence #6 since both devices are in sync. Now what if your snotty 6 year old who likes to press buttons when the transmitter is not in range of garage door? Say your transmitter is now on sequence #9 because my snotty kid had pressed it 3 more times when the transmitter is out of range; well, your garage opener is pretty smart, it has the ability to look "forward" to the next 256 sequences of rolling codes and will stay in sync once it makes contact with the transmitter. I believe you can test it if you want to press the transmitter 257 times and supposedly you will need the opener to relearn the transmitter's algorithm again.

Anyways, I don't think there are many fixed code in existence, certainly no one makes them anymore, it could be someone's 25 year old garage door opener which is still possible.

So on to rolling code transmitter and openers.

Each rolling code transmitter has its own unique code algorithm, so it's the garage door headunit learning about the transmitter. To do that, YOU MUST PRESS THE LEARN BUTTON on the back of the garage door opener. This is the step that's lefted out of the MMI onscreen programing.

To program
1. Your assigned home link button must learn the rolling code algorithm
2. Then the garage opener has to learn the home link button

simple as that.

I think everyone can get through step 1 pretty easily. When the home link is in learning mode, it flashes amber slowly until you press and hold your transmitter at the center rearview mirror; if it has successfully learned/synced a rolling code transmitter, it will flash green rapidly when you press it. When it learned a fixed code transmitter, it will also flash, but the green will flash much slower.

Then this is the step "call Synchronization where Audi ask you to press the button 2 times" - well that's crap. totally wrong and misleading.
Once step 1 is done. You need to go click the LEARN button on the back of the opener. Within 30 seconds, you need to press the assigned button which just learned the code from the transmitter. You would press the button and hold it just long enough until the garage opener light flash once, but it flashes very slowly. Once that happens, you're done!

YYCyclist

I have the old school fixed code opener that you reference above and was unable to have my Q7 learn the code. It said I have to call a support person. I'm replacing the (30yr old) garage door and opener in a few weeks so decided not to bother.

PROEDGEBIKER.COM

I figured out that our issue was that I literally have to have the car right by the door in order for it to open or close. I mean RIGHT UP TO THE DOOR unlike any other vehicle I've ever owned that I can open from the street as I pull up.
As far as my hood's gate remote I can't get that thing to program for the life of me. Keeps saying error do you want to try again.

Zoich

That sucks... See if you can borrow a loaner from the dealer and try programming one of theirs (erase afterwards of course - typically hold down button 1 and button3 at the same time for 30 sec)

One thing I learned is that LED landscape lighting is on the same frequency as garage door transmitter. Go figure! Couldn't figure out the life of me why during day time I wouldn't have any trouble opening the garage door remotely while at night I would have to pull up so close to the door and also had to try several times for the door to open.

Was searching and search for the root cause and somehow came across an posting that LED lights interferes. shut the landscape lighting box off and proved it was true! Also it has to do with colder weather also. You should have that problem in FL.

we now have installed LiftMaster's MQ gateway and wall switch. I can just use my phone's MyQ app to open and close if the transmitter fails.

drkknte

I think it is a combination of the car and door opener. We just sold our home in TX and moved to GA; our house in TX had a newer system (Chamberlain/Belt drive/rolling code) and we too had to be fairly close to the door for it to open. At our house here in GA, which has at least a decade old system by looks (Genie/screw drive/rolling code), its able to open at least 500 feet away.

A4Nash

Spent the better part of a half hour try to figure out the MMI instructions until I googled and found your advice. Thanks a ton. I can't believe the total tech lapse for this process.

kip1

Homelink is to blame, not manufacturers. First you need to check from homelink page if your remote is compatible. I had to order a new remote, that was compstible with car and door, looks like the old, but code is different. I can program my bmw and tesla separately, but if i program both. Both doors open at the same time. The system gets confused somehow. After several zeroing of both car and door, i have to accept both doors open. If everything is compatible its not that hard to program.

mwoc

I had an issue programming the gate to my community. I had a 'learning remote' that wasn't the original that I could open the gate with no problem, however homelink in the car wouldn't recognize it and I kept getting error try again. I decided to track down the original remote for the gate (which has the dip switches in it) and it programmed the first try in seconds. Even though my aftermarket remote works just fine to open the gate it wasn't good enough for homelink. Try finding a remote with the dip switches or original remote if you have issues. My craftsman garage door with the 'learn' button on the opener worked just fine programming homelink. The gate does not have a learn button.

joebird

I started by trying to follow the instructions in the Q7 manual. No go. I eventually found some info here and my procedure turned into:

1) press the learn button on the garage door opener main unit (but not too long, as my Chamberlain opener deletes all codes after ~6 seconds. oops).

2) press and hold the button in the Q7 that you want to program

3) confirm in the MMI

This procedure also worked for an A6, and an Acura that I needed to re-program after initially holding the opener's learn button down for too long. See #2, above.

ven7782

I struggled as well but figured out eventually. The 3rd party clicker will not help. Mine is a Chamberlain with an external keypad which I had to remove and take in inside the vehicle. I had to key in the code and hold the "0" key long enough to sync with the homelink. Then I had to go press the learn button on the garage opener and repeat the sync step. So its a 2 step sync process. The manual simply says to follow the MMI instructions which is very misleading for many.