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HOW TO USE THE UNIVERSAL REMOTE SYSTEM

Difficulty Level: Intermediate |  Time Required: 10 Minutes | Tools Required: None | Related Parts, Products, Services or Technology: None 

Program your Universal Remote to appear as an icon in your center display, replacing up to eight physical remotes. The Universal Remote System works for select garage door openers, security systems and other home devices.

PROGRAM A UNIVERSAL REMOTE

The process to program a Universal Remote is time sensitive. Make sure you’re ready to complete the next step quickly. It may be helpful to have another person assist you. 


The following instructions are for garage door openers, but you can follow similar steps for other compatible devices.

1. Park outside in front of your garage. There should be a clear path between the vehicle and the garage door receiver. 

2. Have your garage door opener handheld remote with you in the vehicle. Make sure it has new batteries so the signal is strong.

3. On your vehicle’s center display, tap the Controls App, then tap Universal Remotes. You may have to tap See More Controls to see the icon.

4. Tap Add Remote.

5. Select Yes if your opener came with a handheld transmitter. If not, follow the alternate steps on screen.

6. Hold the transmitter about 1-3 in. away from your rearview mirror. Press and hold the handheld transmitter button. Don’t let go until Signal Found appears on the center display.

7. Once the signal is found, you can test the Universal Remote System by tapping the Test button on the screen. You may need to press the Test button several times. 

a. If the garage door moves, programming was successful. Tap It Worked on the screen to complete the process. 
b. If the garage door did not move, tap It Didn’t Work and continue to step 8. 

8. On some garage door openers, you’ll need to press the Learn or Smart button on the receiver inside the garage (generally located near the antenna wire).

9. Return directly to your vehicle and press the Test button again.

a. If the garage door moves, programming was successful. Tap It Worked on the screen to complete the process. 
b. If it’s still not working, check your Owner’s Manual for other steps you might need to take to program your remote. 

10. Once a remote is programmed, tap the pencil icon to rename it for easy identification in the center display.

For additional assistance, visit the HomeLink website or call HomeLink at (800) 355-3515.

USING YOUR UNIVERSAL REMOTE

After your Universal Remote is programmed, the remote will appear in your center display. Simply tap the icon on the screen to use the remote. When the vehicle is in Reverse, the icon will appear on the reverse camera screen.

 

Your vehicle will also save your GPS coordinates when you program your remote. Then, when you arrive at that location in the future, the vehicle will automatically display the remote in the App tray of your center display for easy access. You can use the pencil icon to update the location saved during programming. This might be necessary if you want the remote to appear on-screen earlier when approaching your garage. For example, you can drive to your mailbox and set that location, causing the remote to pop up earlier as you approach.

 

Note: When setting the location, keep in mind that the remote will only be visible within a limited range around the saved GPS coordinates.

Q&As

HOW MANY UNIVERSAL REMOTES CAN I PROGRAM?

You can program up to eight Universal Remotes in your center display or in your Front Command Center, if equipped.

HOW DO I DELETE A UNIVERSAL REMOTE?

You can delete a Universal Remote by selecting the pencil icon next to the remote then selecting delete. It will also be deleted during a factory reset. If you repair or replace your garage door opener or your vehicle overhead console, you will need to reprogram your Universal Remote.

HOW DO I PROGRAM A UNIVERSAL REMOTE IF MY GARAGE DOOR OPENER DIDN’T COME WITH A REMOTE?

Garage door openers that didn’t come with a remote may need special programming steps. See your vehicle’s Owner’s Manual for details.

WHY CAN’T MY UNIVERSAL REMOTE FIND THE SIGNAL TO PROGRAM MY GARAGE DOOR OPENER?

The signal on some garage door openers will time out after several seconds, which might not be long enough to program the Universal Remote. In this case, try pressing and releasing the handheld transmitter button every two seconds instead of pressing and holding, until the signal is found.

CAN I MOVE THE UNIVERSAL REMOTE ICON ON THE DISPLAY?

Each remote you program creates a shortcut icon that can be repositioned within the Controls App. You can do this by pressing and holding, then dragging and dropping the icon to a new spot. Note that you can only move the shortcut icon within the Controls display area and not to another menu.

 

If the location was saved properly, the shortcut icon will show up in the Smart Controls area of the main display when the vehicle returns to the location where you originally programmed the Universal Remote.

CAN I CHANGE THE LOCATION PROGRAMMED FOR MY UNIVERSAL REMOTE?

Yes. You can update the location programmed for a Universal Remote. When you’re parked at the desired location, tap the pencil icon next to the remote name and then select Update Location.

 

Use this process to reset the location if it didn’t save properly with initial programming or to set a different location. Additionally, you can use Update Location if you want the Universal Remote icon to appear sooner upon approach. For example, setting the location near the end of your driveway instead of using the exact location of your garage door (or other device controlled by the Universal Remote) will enable the remote icon to appear on-screen earlier as you approach.

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To find out if your vehicle has this feature, contact your dealer or refer to your vehicle’s equipment list. Please check your vehicle's Owner's Manual for more information about features.