Having trouble programming your Craftsman car remote to work with your garage door opener? You’re not alone. Many homeowners encounter a frustrating issue where they can program either their remote or their wireless keypad, but not both to work seamlessly together. This often stems from a technology conflict within your garage door opener, which might be equipped to handle both rolling code and billion code technologies, but not simultaneously.
Let’s break down why this happens and, more importantly, how to work around it to get both your Craftsman car remote and wireless keypad functioning correctly.
Understanding the Technology Conflict: Rolling Code vs. Billion Code
Garage door openers, especially newer models, are sophisticated pieces of technology. Many are designed to accept different types of security codes for remotes and keypads, primarily rolling code and billion code.
- Rolling Code: This is a security feature common in modern garage door openers. Every time you use your remote, the code changes, making it extremely difficult for unauthorized access. Wireless keypads, especially newer ones, often utilize rolling code technology.
- Billion Code (or Fixed Code): Older remotes often use billion code technology. This system uses a fixed code selected from a large number of possibilities, but it’s less secure than rolling code.
The problem arises when your garage door opener can handle both but gets “locked” into one technology type after the first programming session following a reset. When you reset your garage door opener (usually by pressing and holding a ‘Learn’ or similar button for several seconds), you erase all previously programmed remotes and keypads. The technology it adopts for future pairings is often determined by whichever device you program first.
Step-by-Step Guide to Program Your Craftsman Car Remote and Wireless Keypad
Here’s a workaround that leverages this technology selection process to help you program both your older Craftsman car remote and your newer wireless keypad.
1. Reset Your Garage Door Opener’s Codes
First, you need to erase all existing programming from your garage door opener. Locate the ‘Learn’ button on your garage door opener motor unit. Press and hold this button for approximately 6 seconds or more. This will clear all previously programmed remotes and keypads. Your garage door opener is now ready to learn new codes.
2. Program Your Craftsman Car Remote First
This is the crucial step. Program your older Craftsman car remote first. By doing this immediately after resetting, you are likely setting the technology type of your garage door opener to billion code, which is compatible with your older remote.
Follow the specific programming instructions for your Craftsman car remote and garage door opener model. Typically, this involves pressing the ‘Learn’ button on the opener and then pressing the button on your car remote. The indicator light on the opener should blink or turn off to confirm it has learned the code.
3. Program Your Wireless Keypad
Now that your Craftsman car remote is programmed, proceed to program your wireless keypad. This is where you might need to experiment a little.
Newer wireless keypads, like those from Chamberlain (often sold under the Craftsman brand or compatible with it), often offer options to select the type of garage door opener you are using during the initial setup. These options are usually represented by numbers corresponding to different manufacturing periods or technology types.
When programming your keypad:
- Start with the “recommended” or default option. If this option was rolling code (which is often the case), it might not immediately work with your older remote setup.
- If the default option doesn’t work, try other options. Cycle through the available options (e.g., option 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) and attempt to program the keypad after selecting each one. You may need to repeat the keypad programming process multiple times, trying a different option each time, until you find one that works with your garage door opener which is now set to billion code technology due to the remote being programmed first.
Example from Experience: One user reported needing to try four different options on their wireless keypad before finding one that successfully programmed with their garage door opener after programming their older remote first. Options 1 through 3 didn’t register with the opener (the LED indicator didn’t blink), but option 4 finally worked.
Troubleshooting Tips and Considerations
- Patience is key: Programming both types of devices when there’s a technology conflict can take a few tries. Don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t work on the first attempt.
- Refer to your manuals: Always consult the manuals for your specific Craftsman garage door opener, car remote, and wireless keypad for detailed programming instructions and troubleshooting tips specific to your models.
- LED Indicator: Pay attention to the LED indicator light on your garage door opener. It’s your primary feedback tool during the programming process. If it doesn’t blink when you press a button on your remote or keypad during programming, it means the opener isn’t recognizing the signal from that device with the currently selected technology.
By following these steps and potentially experimenting with the different options on your wireless keypad, you should be able to successfully program both your Craftsman car remote and wireless keypad to work with your garage door opener. Let us know in the comments if this workaround helps you solve your programming challenges!
