Homelink or Car2U for 2013 Ford Explorer models

[VinceL]

I just downloaded the 2013 Owner's Manual and found something curious. It has instructions for both Homelink and Car2U:

UNIVERSAL GARAGE DOOR OPENER (IF EQUIPPED)

The appearance of your vehicle’s universal garage door opener will vary
according to your option package. Before programing, make sure you
identify which transmitter you have by comparing it to the graphics below.

HomeLink
Car2U Home Automation System

Note: The programming of the two types of universal garage door
openers are different and have different instructions. Identify your
package and refer to the instructions listed in this chapter.

Does anybody know what controller comes with which packages?

Thanks

 

[chimoman]

My 302A came with a door opener which I programmed. To be honest, I didn't even know I was getting it when I bought it. Didn't know there was a choice.

 

[VinceL]

I think this is something new for the 2013 model year. The previous manuals (2011/2012) I downloaded only mentioned the Car2U universal remote.

 

[Shomare]

Just ordered a 2013 Explorer and can't find home link listed anywhere. Does anyone know if XLT's come with it or not. We had it on our Flex and it's a nice feature to have.

 

[jimjim15]

Car2U does not work with many LiftMaster/Chamberlain garage door openers. They offer a "conversion" module that wires into your garage door opener, but it requires an electrical outlet.

My story:

I bought a 2012 XLT, so there was no option for a built-in garage door opener. After getting my Explorer, I ordered a sunvisor with the garage door opener built in, and installed it myself (according to the instructions in several other threads on this forum).

Then I found out that I had a Car2U unit, which does not work with many LiftMaster / Chamberlain garage door models, as noted above. I live in a condo building, and we happen to have one of the models with which the Car2U unit won't work. Further, there are no electrical outlets around (the opener is electrically hardwired in the basement with no outlets anywhere around), so I can't plug in the converter module. Not to mention, I don't even own the garage door opener, so even if I was physically able to hook up the converter, I don't know that I'd be allowed to tinker with the opener.

Moral: be careful with Car2U units. When they work with your garage door opener, they're fine. When they don't, they can be a hassle (and potentially inoperable in certain circumstances).

 

[VinceL]

While Car2U as a company seems to be very helpful in getting their system to work with whatever opener you own, incompatibility still is a problem. Most of the time they can help, but sometimes you are just out of luck.

Homelink just works, and I wish Ford would make it standard across their whole vehicle line. If they can't do that, then I wish Ford would use the standard Gentex plug on their dimming rear-view mirrors so they can be easily swapped out for a Homelink model from the Mito Corporation.

 

[machpep]

I just picked up my 2013 Limited yesterday. it does have the Homelink style. I am having problems right from the get go. The first thing to do is push the link button and garage remote at the same time but it will not start blinking. This is driving me nuts, i have a 2011
Edge that programed right the first time.

 

[VinceL]

Cool, thanks for responding machpep. I wonder why it is being stubborn? Let us know if you figure it out.

 

[peterk9]

I just picked up my 2013 Limited yesterday. it does have the Homelink style. I am having problems right from the get go. The first thing to do is push the link button and garage remote at the same time but it will not start blinking. This is driving me nuts, i have a 2011
Edge that programed right the first time.

I had that problem the first time with my Highlander. Even if it didn't work, make sure you do a 'clear' or 'erase' before you try again.

Peter

 

[machpep]

Well I finally figured it out by accident. I was looking in the garage door manual and it said something about master clear but didnt say why you you need to do it. I cleared the motor unit memory and started over with all remotes. Everything started taking and now all remotes are working.

Thanks for the ideas given.

 

[VinceL]

Cool, glad it's working for you. Those instruction manuals are a life saver

 

[VinceL]

I can confirm that Homelink came on our 2013 Explorer Limited with 302A. I'm not sure if that holds true with other trim lines or packages, but wanted to pass along what came with ours.

It took less than a minute to program and works like a charm. After all these years, I finally have the programming method memorized! lol

 

[peterk9]

I can confirm that Homelink came on our 2013 Explorer Limited with 302A. I'm not sure if that holds true with other trim lines or packages, but wanted to pass along what came with ours.

It took less than a minute to program and works like a charm. After all these years, I finally have the programming method memorized! lol

Good morning Vince. I think that another post a while back mentioned that as well.
Good to know. I see you're at 999 posts and counting. Cheers.

Peter

 

[VinceL]

Hey Peter, yeah I saw machpep's posting, but I wanted to be pretty specific as to what I had on the car that had the Homelink, so people could start getting an idea of what to expect.

999? Heck, I'm over a thousand now. It's crazy how they add up. And look at you, almost 2000!!!! You are a maniac

 

[RonRN18]

Unfortunately, our 2013 Explorer Limited with the 302A package came with the Car2U instead of HomeLink. My 2005 Nissan Altima has HomeLink and I've had no issues with it controlling our Chamberlain Whisper Drive® 3/4 HPS garage door openers. I tried linking my garage door opener with the Explorer for well over 30 minutes today and in frustration, I came here and found this thread. This is quite frustrating that I'll need to by conversion modules because mine happen to come with the wrong type of controller.

 

[VinceL]

Well, RonRN18, that totally blows my idea out of the water. I wonder why the difference? When was yours built? Sorry to hear you are having difficulties with it. Give CAR2U a call, I hear they are good about getting things taken care of quickly.

 

[FeliasFord]

I got the 2013 Explorer Limited with 302b feature package and the Homelink was standard on it. However, I am having trouble understanding the instructions.I have tried to program it a couple times without any luck. So discouraging.

 

[VinceL]

Welcome to the forum FeliasFord!

I wish I could help you figure out your homelink, but I wouldn't be able to offer much advice beyond what the instructions say.

The most common issue I have seen people having is forgetting to press the button on the opener's motor unit if they have a rolling code opener.

 

[peterk9]

I got the 2013 Explorer Limited with 302b feature package and the Homelink was standard on it. However, I am having trouble understanding the instructions.I have tried to program it a couple times without any luck. So discouraging.

Like Vince said, welcome to the Forum FeliasFord. :wavey:
I don't have the 'Homelink' system in mine so my manual doesn't show that procedure. One common problem is that the 'Learn' button on the garage unit was not pressed before the selected link button in the vehicle. If you have tried and failed, make sure that you do an 'erase' procedure before trying again. That way you always begin with a cleared memory.

Peter

 

[onaropus]

My 2013 EX Limited 302A package came with the Car2U, programed to a Chamberlain garage door opener no problem.