HomeLink vs Lear CAR2U

[DaveO9]

OK, so here's a weird one. I purchased an overhead console off eBay with the garage door buttons. I need to buy a new remote anyway, and the console cost about the same, or even cheaper so it seemed like a good way to go. Little did I know, however, that GM cheaped out for some of the NNBS years and used a different system, Lear CAR2U. What I also didn't know is that that system kind of sucks and that there are many openers for which it is incompatible, including my Craftsman. And the final thing in this list of unknowns, it turns out that for both HomeLink and Lear, many garage door openers require an external repeater, but the one for the Lear is out of production and doesn't seem to be available anywhere. So I am stuck and will probably have to buy a good old Craftsman remote, unless............

Hoping to find a true HomeLink module that I can install. The way to tell is HomeLink has just one LED over the middle button, whereas Lear has LEDs for all three buttons. Also there's a HomeLink "house" logo on that one, no logo on the Lear. From HomeLink's website, 2007-2010 and 2014 and later, all used true HomeLink. It was just 2011-13 where they used the off brand. Supposedly.

I was also thinking about the NBS years. In looking at some of those consoles on ebay the buttons look identical. I'm wondering if the module could just be swapped? Or any other ideas, let me know. The eBay seller said he'd take a look in the yard they use, and I might go to my Pick-n-Pull to see what I can find.

 

[Hazrat Sahadat]

OK, so here's a weird one. I purchased an overhead console off eBay with the garage door buttons. I need to buy a new remote anyway, and the console cost about the same, or even cheaper so it seemed like a good way to go. Little did I know, however, that GM cheaped out for some of the NNBS years and used a different system, Lear CAR2U. What I also didn't know is that that system kind of sucks and that there are many openers for which it is incompatible, including my Craftsman. And the final thing in this list of unknowns, it turns out that for both HomeLink and Lear, many garage door openers require an external repeater, but the one for the Lear is out of production and doesn't seem to be available anywhere. So I am stuck and will probably have to buy a good old Craftsman remote, unless............

Hoping to find a true HomeLink module that I can install. The way to tell is HomeLink has just one LED over the middle button, whereas Lear has LEDs for all three buttons. Also there's a HomeLink "house" logo on that one, no logo on the Lear. From HomeLink's website, 2007-2010 and 2014 and later, all used true HomeLink. It was just 2011-13 where they used the off brand. Supposedly.

I was also thinking about the NBS years. In looking at some of those consoles on ebay the buttons look identical. I'm wondering if the module could just be swapped? Or any other ideas, let me know. The eBay seller said he'd take a look in the yard they use, and I might go to my Pick-n-Pull to see what I can find.

Hey boss, so I have a 2008 Yukon Denali and my overhead garage opener use LEAR CAR2U. I did a swap out on the module with a 2012 Arcadia and it work great for my liftmaster myQ 2.0. The 2012 has the newer verson of software. I think you can get any GMC or Chevy SUV 2012 and newer for the newer module. Hope this help you. I love my garage opener now and it was just plug and play... Try your luck and go to the junk yard it's way cheaper.

 

[DaveO9]

Hey boss, so I have a 2008 Yukon Denali and my overhead garage opener use LEAR CAR2U. I did a swap out on the module with a 2012 Arcadia and it work great for my liftmaster myQ 2.0. The 2012 has the newer verson of software. I think you can get any GMC or Chevy SUV 2012 and newer for the newer module. Hope this help you. I love my garage opener now and it was just plug and play... Try your luck and go to the junk yard it's way cheaper.

Thank you! I did just do a junkyard run yesterday, but I went older, not newer. Found a module out of a GMT400 - cost me $7. It fits perfectly in my console, screw holes line up and connector plugs in same place. But I haven’t tried it yet so I don’t know if it’s going to work. We’ll see - I will report back.

 

[Hazrat Sahadat]

Thank you! I did just do a junkyard run yesterday, but I went older, not newer. Found a module out of a GMT400 - cost me $7. It fits perfectly in my console, screw holes line up and connector plugs in same place. But I haven’t tried it yet so I don’t know if it’s going to work. We’ll see - I will report back.

Ok great, hope it worked, if not you will have to go with the newer models, good luck, let me know if you got it to work .

 

[Fubar0715]

Man, this is good info....I did the same as OP with the new overhead console and never got it to work with my door openers (MyQ and Craftsman) cuz I was tarded....Guess its time for a junk yard run!!! Thanks for the contributions.

 

[DaveO9]

Ok great, hope it worked, if not you will have to go with the newer models, good luck, let me know if you got it to work .

I got it to work, with a caveat. I had to purchase the HomeLink repeater that I mentioned in my first post. $39, Amazon. Once I installed that it worked. One other drawback. The Tahoe is parked in my shop - it has the newer craftsman opener, the one that I had to buy the repeater for. But we also have a two-car garage with older craftsman openers. Once I programmed the the HomeLink unit to the repeater I can't get it to work with the older openers. No biggie - the 'hoe barely fits in our garage, so I never park it in there.