How to Use Sure-Lock (Vacation Lock) on a Genie Wall Console
Sure-Lock on a Genie wall console blocks every remote and keypad and lets the console close the door but not open it. On the Series II console that current openers ship with, it's a slide switch. On the Series III console used on 2010 to 2012 openers, you hold the lock button for 5 seconds until the indicator flashes, and press it once to turn it off. The console backlight goes out while the lock is on, and the long LED on the motor unit blinks blue.
- Works for:
- Genie openers with a Series II or Series III wall console. Current Genie openers list the 39165R Series II console as the wired wall console.
Written by the ClearTech Garage Doors team in Winnipeg and checked against manufacturer documentation. Updated .
Before you start
- Nothing. Everything happens on the wall console.
Step by step
Step 1: Find the lock on the wall console. Current Series II consoles (39165R) have a small slide switch labelled Sure-Lock, and the earlier Series II 38066R has a press-once button. Series III consoles have a lock button with an indicator light.
Step 2: Series II: slide the Sure-Lock switch up to turn the lock on, or on the 38066R press and release the Sure-Lock button. The console's backlight goes out. Slide it back down, or press again, to turn it off; the backlight comes back on in red.
Step 3: Series III consoles: press and hold the lock button for 5 seconds, until the indicator light flashes. The lock is on. To turn it off, press and release the lock button once; the indicator goes steady.
Step 4: While the lock is on, remotes and the keypad are ignored (apart from one close if the door was open when you locked it), and the console's open/close button only closes the door. Once the door is fully closed, nothing opens it until the lock is turned off. The long LED on the motor unit blinks blue to show the lock is engaged.
If you set the lock with the door open, it still closes from the console. Lock it with the door closed if you want the garage sealed straight away.
Still not working? Here is what it usually is.
- The console backlight is off and nothing works. Either Sure-Lock is on, or the console is wired wrong. Try the switch or button first.
- The door won't open and the round LED is off while the long LED flashes blue. Genie's troubleshooting table says: check Sure-Lock, it should be off for normal operation.
- Aladdin Connect can't open the door. Genie's store Q&A says the app doesn't work while the vacation lock is on, and the app has no way to clear it. Someone has to turn the lock off at the console.
- The lock is off and the remotes still don't work. Battery, then re-pairing: see the battery guide and the remote guide.
We diagnose the whole system, opener, door, sensors, and remotes, and tell you plainly whether it's a quick fix or time for a new unit.
Common Questions
Does the keypad work while Sure-Lock is on?
- No. Genie's lock blocks remotes and the keypad both, and the console itself can only close the door. Plan to come in through the house to turn it off, or turn it off before you leave if someone needs access.
Can I lock the opener from the Aladdin Connect app?
- There's no lock in the app. Aladdin Connect offers time-limited virtual keys and a scheduled auto-close instead, which cover most of the same needs without blocking the app itself.
Which console do I have?
- Series III consoles, used on 2010 to 2012 openers, have the press-and-hold button and an indicator light. Series II consoles came after, from late 2012 on: the earlier 38066R has a press-once button and the current 39165R has the slide switch. If the opener is from the last decade, it's almost certainly Series II.
Sources
This guide was checked against the following manufacturer and industry documents.
More Genie guides
- Program a remotePair a new or replacement handheld remote.
- Program a keypadSet up an outdoor wireless keypad and PIN.
- Program your carPair HomeLink or the built-in buttons in your vehicle.
- Erase all remotesClear every paired remote after a move or a lost remote.
- Wi-Fi and app setupConnect the opener to your phone.
- Fix the safety sensorsDoor won't close, reverses, or the light blinks.
- What the flashing lights meanRead the opener's diagnostic codes.
- Set the travel limitsFix where the door stops at the top and bottom.
- Battery backup beeps and lightsWhat the backup battery is telling you, and when to replace it.
- Replace a remote or keypad batteryWhich battery, how to open the case, and what to expect after.
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