GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

PSA - Chamberlain/LiftMaster garage door controls 888LM

cb1111

Newbie
Location
Virginia, USA
A few weeks ago my wife came home and said "you forgot to close the garage door." I slapped myself a couple of times and forgot about it.

Today, I'm having dinner and the dog jumps up from under the table, and goes racing to the door barking her head off.

I look out the window and see my garage door going up, then down, then halfway up, then down a little, up again and so forth.

My first thought is that a leaf or some crud is blocking the sensor but all is clean. It turns out that the door control panel had fried. A quick Google search shows that there are lots of reports about the 888LM door control being problematic. LiftMaster will replace these for free and extend the warranty until 2023.

If you have a 888LM control, then go to this link and get a new one.

Why is this important? This Security+ 2.0 was touted to be the most secure garage door opener in the world, with a separate locking mechanism to keep someone from jacking up the door.

The problem here is that when the panel dies (due to a known defective part - a leaking capacitor), instead of locking down the door, it opens it, then closes it, and opens again over and over until the panel fails - then it finally opens the door and dies.
 

cb1111

Newbie
Location
Virginia, USA
Is your opener fairly new?
Yep. About two years old. I've got three of these that run the 8500 openers (the wall mounted ones).

The failures apparently start with the light not working all the time, then there are random openings (called phantom openings by LM), then the control panel will start to buzz, then it will open and close in rapid succession before the panel croaks.

The one that failed today started with the intermittent lights about two months ago, then the random opening a couple of weeks ago.

So if you have 888LM that has a failing light, order a replacement now.
 

nonegiven

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Midwest
A few weeks ago my wife came home and said "you forgot to close the garage door." I slapped myself a couple of times and forgot about it.

Today, I'm having dinner and the dog jumps up from under the table, and goes racing to the door barking her head off.

I look out the window and see my garage door going up, then down, then halfway up, then down a little, up again and so forth.

My first thought is that a leaf or some crud is blocking the sensor but all is clean. It turns out that the door control panel had fried. A quick Google search shows that there are lots of reports about the 888LM door control being problematic. LiftMaster will replace these for free and extend the warranty until 2023.

If you have a 888LM control, then go to this link and get a new one.

Why is this important? This Security+ 2.0 was touted to be the most secure garage door opener in the world, with a separate locking mechanism to keep someone from jacking up the door.

The problem here is that when the panel dies (due to a known defective part - a leaking capacitor), instead of locking down the door, it opens it, then closes it, and opens again over and over until the panel fails - then it finally opens the door and dies.

Thanks for the heads-up! I have an 8500 purchased last year that hasn't started acting up but I'm not taking any chances.
 

Diggs24

Autocross Champion
Location
de plains! de plains!
Car(s)
2015 GTI


GTI & Golf MK7 General Discussions
 

m3lonbr3ad

Ready to race!
Location
TX
Thanks for this! Would have had to find out the hard way.
 

cb1111

Newbie
Location
Virginia, USA
Thanks for the heads-up! I have an 8500 purchased last year that hasn't started acting up but I'm not taking any chances.
f course Liftmaster doesn't tell you (or doesn't know) the date ranges of the defective units. They claim the new one is a "complete redesign" and is referred to as G888LM.

Either way, order one now (extends your warranty to 2023) and keep the old one as a backup should the new one fail.
 

VL3X

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Delaware
Car(s)
2017 GTI SE
Damn, good looking out! Being in the market for a power garage door opener, I appreciate the info.
 

cb1111

Newbie
Location
Virginia, USA
Damn, good looking out! Being in the market for a power garage door opener, I appreciate the info.
The 8500 with the 888LM is a good opener (when it works). The advantage of the 888LM is that the "learn" button is on the control panel instead of on the opener, so adding or removing remotes is a breeze. The 8500 (and the newer 8500W) are quiet and have a remote light that plugs in anywhere in your garage and turns on when the control panel senses movement - not only when you activate the door.

If you get an opener with a 888LM, then order a replacement on the website right away just to have a backup.
 

dequardo

Autocross Newbie
Location
America’s Dairyland
Car(s)
‘21 GLI Autobahn GLI
Exactly how does this relate to MKVII’s???
 

shortyb

Autocross Newbie
Location
Upstate SC
Car(s)
Felon Taxi,Dad Wagon
People have GTIs. Some people park their GTIs in the garage. Some of those garages have Chamberlain/LiftMaster garage doors.

It's like 6 degrees of separation.

I'm one of the some ;).

CB, at the risk of infuriating those without a garage or Chamberlain/LM opener by perpetuating this thread and commandeering extra bandwidth, is your 888LM the wireless variant?
 

Charlotte.:R

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte
Car(s)
'18 Golf R 6MT
I'm one of the some ;).

CB, at the risk of infuriating those without a garage or Chamberlain/LM opener by perpetuating this thread and commandeering extra bandwidth, is your 888LM the wireless variant?

I have a 10+ year old Chambelain, and it has, on occasion, opened for no reason :confused:
 
Top