Do garage door remotes wear out?

[Brian Elfert]

I have been having a problem with my garage door remote needing to be pressed four or five times before the door will open for a few days. I just replaced the battery a week or two ago and it was working great and the range was much improved. This is a Genie with Intellicode. The answers I find online are always replace the battery or reprogram the remote with the opener. The remote eventually works so it shouldn't need reprogramming.

Do the switches on the remotes wear out or anything like that? The remote and opened are about eleven years old.

[Dan Hintz]

Yes... if it's a microswitch, the contacts can wear out. If it's a soft press that uses carbon paint on rubber to short two PCB traces, the carbon wears off. In the first case, a new switch (or remote) is necessary. In the latter, they sell carbon paint to use on the rubber switch.

[Jim O'Dell]

I have a Genie with intellicode that died altogether. LOML's is still working great. Ours came with a key chain remote as well, so I have been using that one. Haven't opened it up to see what type of switching it has. Might need to try that. Jim.

[Dan Hintz]

If the button feels rubbery, go for the carbon paint.

[Brian Elfert]

I'll have to see if the circuit board can even be removed. I did find a place online that sells new remotes for about $23 shipping included so it may not be worth spending too much time if the switch is shot.

[Rick Potter]

Just a thought. Does the remote have more than one button? If so........

Rick Potter

[Brian Elfert]

I was able to easily remove the circuit board by taking out a single screw. The switch is an actual switch and not just contacts on a a circuit board. For some strange reason the switch has a rubber plunger instead of a solid plastic or metal plunger. Even in the garage the switch failed about every 4th push. It seems like a poor design for a switch.

I was able to open the garage door with one push of the button today and not three or four presses like the other day. I'm not sure what I should do right now.

The remote only has one button unlike some of the other Genie remotes that have three buttons.

[Dan Hintz]

I was able to open the garage door with one push of the button today and not three or four presses like the other day. I'm not sure what I should do right now.

Make sure the plastic plunger that pushes on the switch is not worn down... if it is, that is the likely explanation as to why you have to press multiple times.

[Brian Elfert]

Make sure the plastic plunger that pushes on the switch is not worn down... if it is, that is the likely explanation as to why you have to press multiple times.

There is actually a large rubber button that then pushes down on the rubber plunger in the switch. No wear I can see. I think the issue is inside the switch. I would post a picture if I hadn't put it all back together already.

[Bill Huber]

I have the same problem with the remote, my problem is the remote I use is on my key chain and it gets saw dust in it from working in the shop. I have to take it apart and blow it out every now and them.
I guess that tells me I need a better DC in the shop.