Does your HomeLink work when your 4Runner has been parked?

[xyzzy]

I think I might have a security flaw in my 2019 4Runner (TRD ORP).

I can let my 4Runner sit parked overnight and the next morning I can get in and push the programmed HomeLink button and my garage door opens without even putting the key in my ignition.

I've never had this security flaw in any previous vehicle. HomeLink was always disabled when the vehicle was turned off.

So to gain access to my house all you need to do is break a window (or somehow push my HomeLink button) on my parked outside 4Runner, and voila, my house is wide open for you.

Does yours do the same?

 

[gbarr]

My 2014SR5 and my 2016 ORP and my 2019 Highlander all worked as yours does.

 

[adrtoy]

My 16, 17, and now 20 have all been that way.

 

[phillyd2]

Things wake up when you unlock and open the door so the middle of the night broken window scenario shouldn’t be a thing.

Leave window open, turn off and lock the truck. Wait a bit and then reach in to push the button and report back.

 

[cb1111]

The homelink in most modern cars is always live.

That's one reason I don't use homelink and just velcro my opener somewhere where I can easily reach it but not visible - or for the 4R, bet a button to fit one of the blanks and wire your opener to that.

 

[Sky]

Millions of handheld garage door openers left in cars work the same- anyone gaining access to the opener can push the button and open the garage door.....

 

[cbreze]

This is one more reason I have a kill switch on my garage door opener. I shut it off at night and when out of town. Peace of mind,been doing this for many years.

 

[xyzzy]

This is my first vehicle that I can remember that HomeLink was not disabled when the vehicle was turned off.

Every Audi, Jaguar, and Subaru we've owned for the past 20+ years that had HomeLink always had it disabled when the vehicle was turned off so this is a new thing for me to see it enabled.

OBD II port also appears to be always powered regardless if the vehicle being on or off, another new thing for me that I didn't expect.

 

[cb1111]

This is one more reason I have a kill switch on my garage door opener. I shut it off at night and when out of town. Peace of mind,been doing this for many years.

Most modern garage door openers have a "lock" switch that disables the remotes.

Me? I put the cars in the garage, so if somebody gets to the opener, then they're already in the garage, but to get into the house, then they have to get past me

 

[DAF54]

My 2020 TRD ORP and four different GM vehicles (02 - 16) have all had functional HomeLink buttons even when not running.

 

[cbreze]

Most modern garage door openers have a "lock" switch that disables the remotes.

Me? I put the cars in the garage, so if somebody gets to the opener, then they're already in the garage, but to get into the house, then they have to get past me

Yeah, that feature hasn't worked in quite awhile so I just rigged my own off switch and shut it off as needed.
I also park in the garage all the time anyway so mostly a non issue.
Wouldn't want to have to try to get past that doggie.

 

[Sky]

OBD II port also appears to be always powered regardless if the vehicle being on or off, another new thing for me that I didn't expect.

Fords are the same, don't know if they've always been that way but since at least 2015 when I started running the Torque app in my Transit they have.
I'll have to check my 1995 Ranger and 1996 F350 to see...

 

[daytonaviolet]

Where can we get a homelink schematic, I’m sure we can wire up relay. We can trigger off the Accessary wire, dome light or any hot lead which is on when the key is used.

 

[VB.TRD.Pro]

Of the three cars of different brands currently in the garage with Homelink, all three Honelinks are live without ignition turned on and that's true of any car I've owned in the past with Homelink no matter the brand. It's convenient for when I'm lazy and allows me to open a standalone single car garage door without an ignition key ot having to walk all the way over into the other garage. Could be bad times for those who park outside though.

 

[Cndnmax]

the only security feature of homelink is that thieves can’t walk away with it and come back later like they can with a remote.
Homelink is meant for convenience of combining multiple remotes into one and not having to hang one off your sun visor.
I like the fact that it’s always on and I just disable the main garage opener when going out of town.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

My wife parks outside and her Subaru disables the homelink whenever she removes the key. It's a giant pain in the ass because she has to start her car just to use the garage door opener. Just sayin

 

[IanB]

It's no different than having a garage door opener remote on your sun visor, just that it's wired to the battery instead of having it's own internal battery. I park in the garage overnight, get in the truck, open the garage door, then start the truck. I've never considered it a security issue.

 

[Superjet]

This is my first vehicle that I can remember that HomeLink was not disabled when the vehicle was turned off.

Every Audi, Jaguar, and Subaru we've owned for the past 20+ years that had HomeLink always had it disabled when the vehicle was turned off so this is a new thing for me to see it enabled.

OBD II port also appears to be always powered regardless if the vehicle being on or off, another new thing for me that I didn't expect.

Pin 16 at the OBD2 port is always constant 12v, it's part of the spec.
On-board diagnostics - Wikipedia

For homelink issue, lock your vehicle. It has an alarm.

 

[GripT4R]

Park in the garage. Problem solved.

 

[TB_T4R]

I tested it as phillyd2 suggested.

Left my window down, locked the car and waited 30+ min. With the car locked, reaching through the window and pressing the homelink button did NOT activate my garage opener.

Next, I unlocked the car, reached in the window (without opening any doors), and tried again. With the car unlocked but no doors open, the homelink button activated my garage door opener successfully.

Therefore, homelink is only active when the car is unlocked or on.

Things wake up when you unlock and open the door so the middle of the night broken window scenario shouldn’t be a thing.

Leave window open, turn off and lock the truck. Wait a bit and then reach in to push the button and report back.