[firehawk618]

In for pricing once it becomes available.

 

[dogunter]

I don't have a garage but I do have an automatic gate that lets us onto our property. My work-around for lack of home-link was to simply go through my SmartThings hub using my mobile phone as a "presence sensor."

As soon as I pull onto my drive, the phone registers on the home wifi network. This triggers the Smartwave hub to both open the gate as well as unlock the front door.

The downside is that if my phone is ever stolen, I have to get to another phone to send a special text code, or to a computer, to shut the system down.

 

[JRRF]

I don't have a garage but I do have an automatic gate that lets us onto our property. My work-around for lack of home-link was to simply go through my SmartThings hub using my mobile phone as a "presence sensor."

As soon as I pull onto my drive, the phone registers on the home wifi network. This triggers the Smartwave hub to both open the gate as well as unlock the front door.

The downside is that if my phone is ever stolen, I have to get to another phone to send a special text code, or to a computer, to shut the system down.

This sounds like a risky proposition. It reminds me of people that put their banking information on their phone and get all flummoxed when they lose their phone. I realize that our phones are an essential component of our lives, but putting critical information or capability on them is just not wise.

 

[Qinsp]

There's also the issue with theft. If your opener is stolen then someone can get into your garage. With Homelink they have to steal your car. Also, if you lose it or the battery goes dead then you aren't getting into your garage.

It depends. If your car is outside, many HomeLink devices will operate with no key.

We use MyQ. Using your cellphone, you can check the status of your garage door, and open and close it from anywhere. It's a one button thing. Push it open when you a minute or two from home, or get to work and verify the last person out closed the garage. Friend calls and wants to borrow something? Open the garage for them, then close it.

 

[jcanoe]

It depends. If your car is outside, many HomeLink devices will operate with no key.

We use MyQ. Using your cellphone, you can check the status of your garage door, and open and close it from anywhere. It's a one button thing. Push it open when you a minute or two from home, or get to work and verify the last person out closed the garage. Friend calls and wants to borrow something? Open the garage for them, then close it.

I second the recommendation for LiftMaster's MyQ intelligent home app. I recently replaced my garage door lift unit with a LiftMaster opener and it supports WiFi with the ability to monitor and control the garage door from the app. You can set alerts so that if you forget to close the garage door the MyQ app will issue an alert after a predetermined number of minutes/hours. Also, if you've ever worried if the garage door is open while you are away the alert feature should provide some peace of mind.

There is currently no direct integration with the Amazon Alexa service but there is support for some other smart home services and also support for IFTTT. I have not tried this yet but I believe if I link the MyQ account to IFTTT then I will be able to issue a voice command to Alexa by saying "Alexa, ask IFTTT to Close the Garage Door." *

* Chamberlain (owns the LiftMaster brand of garage door lift devices) and also owns MyQ does not currently allow non MyQ apps to open the garage door, only close the door, but in the future that may change.

 

[wssix99]

I got tired of waiting, so I put this kit together myself. I went all in and created the retrofit harness, which was a total bitch. (The terminals are so small that it takes a watchmaker's magnifier and a ton of patience to do it by hand. Arthritis sufferers need not apply for this job, also...) Given the effort to make this harness (and presumed expense), I would think using t-taps to tie the garage door opener into the harness would be the easiest way to do this. More on that later.

Here's what the final product looks like in my Volt. It works like a charm!

The cost for most will generally be around what it costs to purchase the HomeLink retrofit kit: (This is a lot easier to install!)

1 - Chevy Malibu Center Console Trim (with sunroof and HomeLink controls) - 84081553 - $177
1 - Service Harness for the HomeLink Module - 19300600 - $38*
1 - Custom Volt Center Console Harness - N/A - priceless (not needed for most, but useful for my personal situation)

* Note: I didn't buy the actual Service Harness for the HomeLink module because I made my own. So, I can't 100% confirm this is the right part, but GM lists it in the Malibu Service Manual. The components are much more expensive than normal connector parts, but this price is still highway robbery. If a lot of folks want to get into this modification, I can make a batch of these (for a lot less) but won't want to sit on inventory and would need to do them in a group.

 

[wssix99]

Here's the process for making the modification:

1) The center console of the Volt pries out front corners first, and then the back corners. Remove the main console connector and then the separate microphone connector. (The mic connector is attached to the plastic body of the electronics module. It slides forward and off, which makes it easier to get a small screw driver into the connector to pry it loose.)

Here's what the Volt and Malibu consoles look like next to each other from the front and the back:

2) Remove the two screws holding the electronics module to the console ring and then use a plastic trim pry bar to separate the black electronics modules from the rings.

Here's what the Malibu console ring looks like when its liberated from its electronics module. (I will keep my Malibu module and may re-install it if I ever need the sunroof controls to re-purpose for a future ejection seat, etc.)

3) Swap the electronics modules between the console rings and replace the two screws.

Here is what my kit looks like from the back with the Volt electronics module, Malibu ring (with HomeLink module) and the custom harness adapter.

4) From this point, the package installs reverse from step #1.

 

[wssix99]

Here's the process for the harness:

A view of the final harness:

A view of the harness before taping:

And a view of the splice for the HomeLink Module:

^ In the end, one could avoid the custom harness and use T-taps to tie the three wires into the main Volt harness that unplugs from the center console.

I had hoped to tie in the HomeLink wires by crimping two wires to the pins in the Volt harness connector, but this particular type of connector is too tight - it will only take one wire into each cavity; so all of the wires need to be T-spliced in.


There are just three wires that need to be tied in. On the back of the main connector of the Volt Harness are 22 cavities. At the 4 corners of the connector, cavities 1, 11, 12, and 22 are numbered. (The numbers are stamped into the plastic - they can be viewed with a magnifier where the wires enter the connector.)

HomeLink Pin 1 (22 ga) - Positive Voltage - Ties to Volt Harness Pin 1 (20 ga)
HomeLink Pin 2 (22 ga) - LED Backlight Dimming Control - Ties to Volt Harness Pin 22 (22 ga)
HomeLink Pin 3 - Not Used
HomeLink Pin 4 (22 ga) - Ground - Ties to Volt Harness Pin 5 (20 ga)

 

[colchiro]

Wsix99, as much as we may enjoy your tutorial, it is hijacking this thread, which is about a factory part. Your post should have been a new topic by itself, under accessories and mods.

That out of the way, I am enjoying your post.

Most places list your Malibu part as discontinued. However GmPartsGiant has it and the harness.

 

[colchiro]

I too got tired of dragging my keychain remote out of my coat pocket ever time I want to open the door (and having to push the button multiple times) and parts are ordered.

Thanks.

 

[Eagleco]

There are a bunch of places on the Volt to hide a garage door remote. We have ours stuck to the top of the little front bin right above the usb ports. It's not even visible and when pressed, activates the garage door from nearly two houses away.

On my Cruze it's attached in the door pocket and is not visible either. We just use the 3M command strips with Velcro so they can be easily removed for battery replacement.

No need to hang a remote from the visor.

 

[colchiro]

OMG, why didn't we think of that? </endsarcasim>

Now go away.

 

[wws]

Wsix99, as much as we may enjoy your tutorial, it is hijacking this thread, which is about a factory part. Your post should have been a new topic by itself, under accessories and mods.

He started the thread, so he can drift it any way he wants.

That out of the way, I am enjoying your post.

Most places list your Malibu part as discontinued. However GmPartsGiant has it and the harness.

Yes, great observation that the Malibu part is basically the same as the Volt part. Looking at GM Parts Direct, the non-sunroof version seems to be part number 84226110 for $94.96. I don't know if that includes the Homelink module (part #23341161 - $95.76) and buttons (#23342171 - $11.77) or not. But it almost seems like it should.
https://www.gmpartsonline.net/auto-...2016/chevrolet/malibu/lt-trim/1-5l-l4-gas-engine/body-cat/overhead-console-scat

 

[Eagleco]

OMG, why didn't we think of that?

Now go away.

I apologize. It just seems like a non problem to me and not worth the effort to rectify. That being said I certainly respect the desire of anyone to have a built in garage door opener remote. I hope it works out well.

I have read in other posts of people complaining about having to hang their remotes on the visor due to the lack of a homelink. Apparently not everyone has thought of alternative locations. It's those individuals I was addressing.

I'm not going away either, unless the administrator bans me.

 

[colchiro]

He started the thread, so he can drift it any way he wants.

Dang, missed that. My apologies to the OP.

I apologize. It just seems like a non problem to me and not worth the effort to rectify. That being said I certainly respect the desire of anyone to have a built in garage door opener remote. I hope it works out well.

I have read in other posts of people complaining about having to hang their remotes on the visor due to the lack of a homelink. Apparently not everyone has thought of alternative locations. It's those individuals I was addressing.

I'm not going away either, unless the administrator bans me.

Obviously you missed the smiley, but you should be observant enough to recognize there are a number of people who prefer a factory appearance. We all know we could Velcro a remote somewhere, but it could get stolen and the batteries will need replacing at times, and this works SO much better.

My 12 Volt had the remote there and my wife's Encore does too. If I could have paid for it when I picked it up, I would have, but obviously that wasn't an option. That's where this thread comes in.

 

[jcanoe]

In this Homelink installation does the remote control function work when the Volt is not running? This is a major security flaw as anyone can gain access to the garage, an easy way to break into the home if they can get into the vehicle.

 

[VoltAP1]

In this Homelink installation does the remote control function work when the Volt is not running? This is a major security flaw as anyone can gain access to the garage, an easy way to break into the home if they can get into the vehicle.

You just need to wire the Homelink remote to where it only gets power on a switched ignition source. Most OEM installations are this way in my experience. A minor PITA sometime when you just want to open the garage door, but a good security feature overall.

 

[wssix99]

Dang, missed that. My apologies to the OP.

No problem. I kinda liked the idea of hijacking my own thread. lol

I did feel this mod was appropriate for the thread, since the parts are identical to what will be in the kit and we don't know if the factory kit will actually ever see the light of day. After making that harness; I'm not so sure.

 

[wssix99]

In this Homelink installation does the remote control function work when the Volt is not running? This is a major security flaw as anyone can gain access to the garage, an easy way to break into the home if they can get into the vehicle.

You just need to wire the Homelink remote to where it only gets power on a switched ignition source. Most OEM installations are this way in my experience. A minor PITA sometime when you just want to open the garage door, but a good security feature overall.

Yes, this remote works at all times; just like any other remote one would leave in the car. (So its no more or less secure than any other remote.) This kit (and all the power in the upper console area) is powered under the same conditions as the OnStar functions of the car.

I'm not sure what the concern with someone breaking into the car is. The only situation where a car break-in would give someone access to the garage is if they had the remote fob and could drive the car to the actual garage. (If the car is in the garage... well, they've already broken into the garage.) If one's garage is full of crap and one can't actually park their car in the garage, then one could simply not program the remote.

Then there's the point that all one needs is a simple crow bar to break into any garage. (They aren't secure at all.)

 

[jcanoe]

Yes, this remote works at all times; just like any other remote one would leave in the car. (So its no more or less secure than any other remote.) This kit (and all the power in the upper console area) is powered under the same conditions as the OnStar functions of the car.

I'm not sure what the concern with someone breaking into the car is. The only situation where a car break-in would give someone access to the garage is if they had the remote fob and could drive the car to the actual garage. (If the car is in the garage... well, they've already broken into the garage.) If one's garage is full of crap and one can't actually park their car in the garage, then one could simply not program the remote.

Then there's the point that all one needs is a simple crow bar to break into any garage. (They aren't secure at all.)

I always remove the visor remote control unit if I park my Volt overnight other than inside my garage. I can't do that with an always powered on home link system. Sometimes I power wash, paint the floor of my garage and I need to park outside for several days. If I leave on a trip and park at the airport I take the visor remote out of the vehicle, take it with me in my carry on luggage.