Jason B

The range is horrible. I've used homelink in other cars to open my garage door and as soon as I pulled into my driveway it would open. Now, with this car, I have to be in front of it for it to open! I thought something may be wrong, but it just seems to be this way.

ImInPA

This is because of the coating used in the glass. I noticed this too. It is, however, normal for this type of glass. The S-Class has a solar reflection additive to reflect heat.

natcahd

Same coating that reduces effectiveness of Radar Detectors im told.

Hd

Atcpup

I have 2 openers and have never noticed a range problem.

Jason B

Ok. So my next question is. How well does this coating work? It is all hype, or in the hot summer months, does it really keep the car cool inside?

Jason B

I'm taking about when using the "homelink" buttons below the rear view mirror...

ImInPA

Yes. I am talking about home link. I get greater range with the native garage remote, but, it is still not that great. It is the infrared reflection coating.

natcahd

Atc....Listen up, the homelink in the mirror. Or do you have two of those?

Hd

natcahd

!

Atcpup

We are talking about the same thing. I have 2 garage door openers and using the "homelink" buttons I do not have a range problem. It might be 2010 "facelift" upgrade for you and HD JK btw....

Jason B

Same issue with the 2014+ w222:

https://mbworld.org/forums/new-s-cla...ted-range.html

Now, I'm still curious to know if these coating really helps keep the car cool when sitting in the sun? Or is it more of a gimmick.

RGS

All,
I have a 2007 S550 and have the same short range issue. I can "buy" the window coating argument, IF the antenna for HomeLink is in the rearview mirror. Does anyone know for sure?

I actually had to add a remote receiver to the Garage Door Opener and place the antenna at he garage door opening, and even then my MBZ must be pulled right up to the door in order to work. Really short range!

RGS

Donnymac

I have noticed the same thing. Based on my garage setup, I think the transmitter is directional as in forward looking only with a narrow beam. As to signal range, i have no clue but there is a directional component.

When in the driveway out side of the garage, I can have my front bumper inches from an adjacent door and the main door will not open. If I backup 3 feet, the main door will then open from the offset position.

My hand held remotes do not have this directional issue. As to signal strength comparing car to handheld who knows. The car has limits the handheld does not.

If glass coatings are the limiting factor, we are driving excellent reflectors for the radar guns.

steveb9771

The antenna is in the mirror. This is obvious based on the programming instructions which require you to place a hand held remote very close to the front of the mirror to get it to learn the code for the device.

Nanook

You may get increased range performance by adding a wire lengthening the antenna wire that hangs off the opener motor..just a thought

AljoGaviola

I have my 2014 S-550 for about a month now and my only issue is the homelink very short range. My previous 2012 E-350 had far better range and it's so annoying that you have to push the buttons a few times and be right in front of garage door before it opens. Has anyone found a solution to this problem. Very disappointing that a car loaded with so much technology would screw up on a supposedly very simple homelink feature. Someone ought to bring this up to the engineers at MB.

Jason B

Correct. It's due to the various coatings on the windshield. No fix.

Or do what I did, control your garage doors from your phone with x10, from anywhere.

Jason B

Fixed this by adding tinfoil on the bottom of the antenna like a little snake...

dannieboiz

I got tired of getting honked at parking in the street waiting for my gate to respond so I added a Zwave control to my gate and garage. Now I can open it 1/4 mile away from my phone.

U can look at the MyQ.

DaveW68

I can open and close my garage door from several houses away with my S600. But I have an early production 2007 that has the extra antenna nub on the trunk lid, so that might have something to do with the great range.


My E60 M5 had brutal range with the Homelink system. I basically had to pull right up to my garage to get it to open or close. But BMW's are well known for poor Homelink range.

Nuru

Here's a question did anyone try to open a window and see if that improves the range. Since the RF transmission probably has side lobes, you may just simply open up a window and get more RF energy out of the car?

platt-deutsch

I have S550 2007 and range is excellent. Factory windshield. My Valentine radar detector has great range also..