9 Solutions for Garage Door Keypad Blinking And Won’t Open

Garage door keypads make garage doors super accessible and convenient, especially if multiple family members use the garage. That is why it is frustrating for homeowners to find that their garage door keypad is blinking and won’t open, especially if they are stuck outside.

In such situations, it’s best not to panic. A dysfunctional garage door keypad is usually easy to fix. Before you call your favorite garage door technician, try these easy-to-follow solutions.

Garage Door Keypad Blinking and Won’t Open: Causes and Solutions

Let’s take a look at all the different reasons garage door keypads stop working, how to identify them, and how to fix them.

1. Battery Issues

One of the most common causes of a nonworking garage door keypad is a low or dead battery. If you find that your garage door keypad’s indicator light is off, that means the problem is with the battery.

Most garage door keypads (including some wired models) work on batteries. If your garage door keypad’s battery is low, it will send a weak signal, and your garage door won’t open.

To fix the issue, replace the batteries. Here’s how:

• Open the lid where the batteries are inserted into the keypad.
• Pull out your old garage door batteries.
• See the make and model of the old batteries and purchase new ones (of a similar make) from any nearby store. These are usually either AA batteries or a single 9-volt.
• Insert the new batteries in their place and close the lid.
• Keep a few spare batteries at home to avoid inconveniences in the future.

2. Loss of Synchronization

If your keypad does not work even after inserting new batteries, the problem is elsewhere. In such a case, see whether you can open your garage using a garage door remote. If it opens, that means the receiver is working perfectly.

The problem is that the keypad lost synchronization with the garage door opener, possibly due to a power outage.

To re-synchronize the keypad with the garage door opener, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to reset your garage door keypad. Usually, the instructions are as simple as follows:

• Press the Learn or Program button at the backside of the garage door opener.
• Enter a new code on the keypad.
• Press the keypad’s confirm button multiple times.

If you have a smart garage door keypad and opener, you need to reboot the whole opener and keypad system. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to do that. It is usually as simple as unplugging the entire garage door opener system and letting it reset for 5 minutes. After that, just plug the garage opener system back in. 

3. Signal Interference

Sometimes, objects near the keypad can interfere with the signal, preventing it from reaching the receiver. For example, if your keypad is mounted on a metal surface, it can block the transmission of the signal to the receiver.

To see whether that’s the case, detach your keypad from the metal mount and use it. If it starts work after removing it from the metal mount, place a wooden or plastic pad between the keypad and the metal mount. This will help prevent the metal from interfering with the signal.

4. Faulty Wiring

If you have a wired garage door keypad that is blinking, it is probably due to faulty wiring. Follow the steps below to troubleshoot faulty wiring to fix your garage keypad:

• Start from your keypad and trace the wires to the garage door opener. The wires would either feed directly into the opener or a separate remote box.
• Use a continuity tester to check the connection (or visually inspect the connection).
• If the tester doesn’t beep, light up, or register zero resistance, that means there is a break in the connection (usually due to loose or frayed connection wires).
• Reattach the wires and tighten the connections.

5. Opener Lock Activation

Some garage door openers have a lock activation feature. You can activate this feature by pressing the open/close button on the keypad for a few seconds. Once the opener lock is activated, a light will keep blinking on your keypad, and you won’t be able to open your garage with a remote or keypad.

To deactivate lock mode, simply press and hold the open/close button on the keypad for a few seconds. The light will stop blinking, and you will be able to use your garage door keypad.

6. Sticky Buttons

Since garage door keypads are exposed, they accumulate dirt and debris over time. This eventually leads to sticky buttons that prevent it from functioning properly. To fix sticky buttons, simply clean your garage door keypad:

• Carefully clean off the dirt stuck between the keys using a soft brush, an appliance cleaner, or compressed air.
• Open up the keypad and carefully clean it from the inside.
• Try not to be too rough while cleaning, or you’ll damage the keypad components.

7. Wrong PIN Code

It’s common for homeowners to forget to set a permanent PIN on their garage door keypad. After a while, when the temporary PIN expires, the garage door keypad stops working. To add a permanent PIN, follow the steps below:

• Use a ladder to climb up to your garage door opener.
• Open the cover panel.
• Press the Learn button (it’s usually a square button).
• A light will turn on, giving you 30 seconds to enter your new permanent PIN.
• Enter your new four-digit PIN on your keypad and press ENTER.
• Your garage opener will click or flash a light once, confirming that the new PIN is set.

8. Extreme Weather Conditions

Heavy rainfall or storms can loosen the wires, dismount the garage door keypad, or severely damage it. In such cases, you can resolve the issue by fixing any frayed or loosened connecting wires. However, if the keypad is broken beyond repair, you must replace it by following the steps detailed in the following section. 

9. Keypad Wear and Tear

If you have been using your old garage door keypad for years, its condition may be irreparable. In such cases, you should consider installing a new keypad. You can do that by following the instructions below:

• Insert batteries in the new keypad.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to program the keypad to your garage door opener. Usually, it’s a simple process: you just need to press the Learn button and enter your desired passcode. Once your keypad is programmed, test it to see if it functions properly.
• Mount your new garage door keypad where the old one was installed.

Seeking Professional Help for Garage Door Keypad Problems

If you have gone through all the steps in the guide above (including keypad replacement) and still haven’t been able to resolve the issue, that suggests that the problem lies not with the keypad but with some other component of your garage door.

In such cases, it is best to call a professional garage door technician to diagnose and troubleshoot the issue. Garage doors are a complex system of electronics and mechanical components, and it’s hard for the average owner to identify the issue.

If the problem lies in the wiring of the system but tightening the wires doesn’t help, it’s best to call in the professionals. Dealing with live wires is dangerous. Any wrong step can potentially damage the electric components of the garage door system or cause serious injury or (in extreme cases) death.

More often than not, instead of fixing the issue, homeowners end up making matters worse or hurting themselves in the process. Professionals, on the other hand, with years of service, knowledge of the complex garage door system, and the right tools to assist them, don’t take long to diagnose and fix the problem.

During the inspection, a professional contractor may find other issues that could cause trouble in the future and resolve them before they cause any trouble or costly damage.

Conclusion

Troubleshooting a malfunctioning garage door keypad is usually a simple process that doesn’t require expertise. It might be as simple as changing the batteries or removing dirt between the keys.

However, sometimes the problem is more complex for the average homeowner to fix, so instead of experimenting, call in a professional garage door repair service. They will thoroughly inspect your garage door system and fix the “garage door keypad blinking and won’t open” problem (and any other issues they identify).