Has your Craftsman garage door remote stopped working? There are several things that can cause remote failure, we’ll cover the main ones here.
The Most Obvious Failure
Probably the most obvious failure would be the batteries. If you have more than one remote and/or a keyless entry pad try them all. The odds that all the batteries are too weak are dare I say it “remote”, but I have run garage door calls where 2 remotes had dead batteries. The third device tested would be the tie breaker most likely. Ok, so now you’ve tried everything and none of them work, but before you run out and buy replacement batteries, try this next step.
Reprogram the Remotes
It is possible that your garage door remote has stopped working because the opener itself has an issue. Sometimes the logic board (the “brains” of the opener) can drop the codes. By reprogramming the codes it may correct the problem. Reprogramming the garage door remote is super easy. Craftsman openers have a ‘learn button” located on the same side that has that piece of wire hanging down from it (that’s the remote antenna). The button is square and will be brightly colored. You’ll probably need to use a ladder to see and reach it. Once you press the learn button you have 30 seconds to attempt programming the remote.
Now press the remote button and hold it down for several seconds, within this time span you should get a reaction from the opener. Either the lights will flash or if there are no lights you should hear it click. If either happens, let go of the button, the remote is now programmed. If it didn’t program it may be time to buy batteries.
Replacing the Remote
If you tried a new battery and it didn’t do the trick (and assuming you only have 1 remote to test with) it may be time to replace the remote. Make sure you get the part number on the remote or barring that the model number off the unit (it is located on the front of the unit). Craftsman remotes are not interchangeable and therefore not compatible with all garage door openers.
Now if you buy one you can test the remote without opening the packaging . Try programming as described earlier, just in case you got the wrong one or it wasn’t the problem. If the opener still isn’t working with a new remote, there’s only one thing left.. the logic board.
Logic Board
If you tried everything else the only thing left is the logic board. If that’s the case be prepared for some serious sticker shock if you have someone do the repair for you. Depending on where you go the repair can be as much as getting a new garage door opener and having it installed.
If you are a DIY kind of person, logic board replacement is actually easy. The part number is located on the outside of the unit, usually right below where the wiring attaches to the opener. You may want to shop around online to get the best deal.
Replacement Tips
Obvious tips, unplug unit before servicing and don’t forget to program the remote(s) to the new logic board. Less obvious is that you may need to adjust the up and down force settings on the new logic board. These control how much power is used to open and close the door. Too much or not enough and the door won’t function properly. You can look at the settings on the old logic board and adjust accordingly.
