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CB Appliances Review of Wayne Dalton iDrive
Wayne Dalton iDrive

Wayne Dalton iDrive review: Wayne Dalton iDrive garage door opener = rubbish 21

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12:23 am EST
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I bought the iDrive because it offered a quick and simple approach to mounting a garage door opener. The design seemed ingenious...and it really is...but their implementation of the motor/gearbox is less than robust.

In just under a year, I've burned up two motors (under warranty) and 3 months ago they sent me a whole new unit under warranty and just today it burned up again. I'm lifting a standard 16' wide x 8' high insulated steel door...and it is properly balanced - so the opener isn't working harder than it has to.

The biggest issue is mostly just the electric motor. They allegedly came up with a new design for the electric motor...but when the going gets tough (cold weather) - this thing tucks its tail between its legs and runs away - even with the new motors.

Their customer support is only open from 8AM-5PM during the week (when you're at work...) and limited hours on Saturday - when you call them, you're put in a queue and you have to be standing at the garage door to give them numbers and then do some troubleshooting with them on the line.

Getting replacement parts requires you to go through a troubleshooting session (ensuring door is balanced by manually lifting to various heights and ensuring it doesn't lift/fall on its own...) with their CS folks...rightfully so - they want to be sure what the problem is. The problem is that every time the motor fails...you're without a garage door opener for a few weeks until the new motor arrives.

I'm estimating that over the last year, this unit has been down for a total of 3 months.

I had hoped this would work out, but now I want a refund - we'll see if they come through on this. It wasn't a cheap opener...

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The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

21 comments
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StacyR715
US
Feb 16, 2010 8:41 pm EST

I have the same problems. No worries in the summer but when the winter comes and the ground shifts .. it's no good! And I'm a tiny, little single woman who manages a home, job, school & kids - I don't feel like calling someone every year to adjust my garage door ... I didn't expect to have to worry about screwing with a garage door to adjust the tension every year when the ground shifts. To me, a garage door opener should just "work" once it's in. I never heard of this problem until I bought my iDrive. I'd like my money back too ... but they just say they'll replace the parts (not give me a better choice).

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Pat Brookshaw
White Bear Lake , US
Mar 15, 2010 2:35 pm EDT

These things only belong down south. They do not work in the winter. I have 2 doors with them and one of them always stalls out about 1/4 to 1/2 way up. It is really being a pain. I probably need a new motor. It did not last very long.

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Pat Brookshaw
White Bear Lake , US
Mar 15, 2010 2:40 pm EDT

I agree with the cold weather syndrome these motors have. They get powerless and keep stoppping the door half way up. My doors are brand new and perfectly balanced and countless times have had to open the door manually. I am thinking about junking these IDrives and putting in the old reliable kind. These openers only work in the summer!

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timWhatley
Plano, US
Dec 02, 2010 2:21 pm EST

agreed - I have same problem.. someone please start class-action suit on them for this and contact me at tim@ods2dds.com

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theseopenersjunk
US
Jan 20, 2011 4:43 pm EST

I agree with all the complaints. I bought 2 at the same time. I've had nothing but problems with the opens. I would like to have someone give me money back and take these out of my garage. I work where these are sold at and they are discontinued. they need to be recalled. I have more money in paying people to try to fix them then I paid to have them

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Mr. Love
Little Ro, US
May 28, 2011 7:46 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I had two motor burn up on my iDrive, over a two year period. Haven't had any issue except with the motor, which is an expensive part to have to replace about once a year. This will be my last Wayne Dalton product I purchase. I don't feel like the company address this issue when brought to their attention.

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Splatman
Liberty Lake, US
Aug 10, 2011 8:21 pm EDT

Sorry, no complaints from me. Works great summer and winter in eastern Washington, for the last 8 years!

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OHDNM
ALAMOGORDO, US
Sep 08, 2011 5:45 pm EDT

I am a professional door dealer who pushed the Idrive hard, we are Wayne Dalton dealers, the company has always been on the cutting edge in the industry, we trusted them, We installed thousands and have replaced hundreds at our expence. The company was good about honoring warranty issues.
THEN THE OPENER DIVISION WENT TO A HOLDING COMPANY. This should tell where things will go from here. The red tape, the HANG UPS after sitting on hold, the run around, the 5 months we waited for warranty parts on back order...boy do i have stories! I will personally notify every person who purchased one from us and encourage them to join a Class Action Suit. Idrive has no reputation to uphold so they no longer care. The sooner they can frustrate folks into throwing away and replacing their machines the less calls they will get. Win - win for them.

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rmndlws
Omro, US
Jan 29, 2012 4:00 pm EST

I am also very willing to join a class action vs Wayne Dalton and their worthless iDrive openers. I'm in Wisconsin and have trouble with mine every stinking year...including this morning. It is stuck and not moving at all right now! Sign me up!
rmndlws@yahoo.com

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gmmathias
Lakeville, US
Apr 15, 2013 1:42 pm EDT

I would also like to join a class action law suit. I live in Minnesota and have issues every winter. Please contact me so we can get these people for providing a poor product and now no warranty support. gmmathias@yahoo.com

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renee stoecker
US
Nov 09, 2013 5:31 pm EST

PLEASE Add me to the class action suit - same problems especially winter time EVERY year. Replacement charges etc etc.
Reneeh12@aol.com THANKS !

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Jim Michon
Allen Park, US
Dec 01, 2013 8:33 am EST

Will not work in Michigan winters. I've sent a letter to them with complaint and threat to wait till class-action suit begins with no response, of course. Count me in on the suit... jjmichon@comcast.net

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carl schuh
US
Feb 19, 2014 2:40 pm EST

I have gone thru 4 I drives from Wayne Dalton in 11 years..The last one lasted 4 years and 3 months but it is dead again.. almost broke the door when the lock piece came between the door and the top of the garage door. Just make gratin noised now.

where do I sign up for the class action suite? cschuh@aol.com

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JJ Bos
Jerome, US
Mar 10, 2014 10:27 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

We have 4 of these doors, they have been nothing but trouble since we purchased them, all 4 of them. Weather has never made a bit of difference. Now we only have 2 of the 4 functioning. Our door technicians who installed them have come out repeatedly to take care of the issues to no avail. They have told us that they can no longer service the idrive due to the company no longer providing parts or solutions, so now we either have to continue to operate the doors in manual position like we've been doing or decide to purchase 4 new openers. This is really very unfortunate and rather frustrating. We built our home 5 years ago and these doors were installed in the new build. Probably hands down the biggest mistake we ever made in building the home was installing this product.

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Don Feenie
Lyons, US
Jun 03, 2014 11:57 pm EDT

I have a situation that will cause me to replace my iDrive motor, when under normal circumstances a reputable company would stand behind their product and replaced at no charge. That won't happen, of course, now that they are playing a shell game with corporate assets. I would join in a class action lawsuit.

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terry stine
Chambersburg, US
Aug 31, 2014 7:43 am EDT

I also purchased the idrive openers 2 of them and had the same problems as everybody else . winter hasnt been a big problem for me, just motor issues allready replaced both motors a consumer shouldnt have to deal with this issue so soon.very dissatisfied with the i-drive.sign me up too a class action law suit is in order.mstine@embarqmail.com

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spires
Wrightstown, US
Dec 04, 2015 1:02 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I have already replaced one iDrive at a cost of $870. Now the third single bay door is shot and I am told I will need another $870 iDrive replacement! Doesn't matter that the door is half the size of first double bay door, it's the torsion bar that also needs to be replaced. So mad I could scream. Called Wayne Dalton. Told to call Home Run Holdings. Called, sent emails, got nothing. Is there a class action lawsuit out there. I want to join. In good faith, I invested a lot of money in something that had a lifetime warranty. But it's not worth the paper it's printed on.

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ZippysMom
US
Jan 20, 2016 11:02 am EST

Same complaints as above. Please post if/when a class action suit is filed.

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Dean Beers
US
Aug 08, 2016 5:52 pm EDT

Two openers installed at the same time. 12 years and no problems with one. Nothing but problems with the other. Same winter problems, and now doesn't always respond to rf signal. Can't find a replacemet board any where. Sign me up for the suit!

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Bob Ph
US
Oct 24, 2017 12:18 pm EDT

I also have the Idrive. I contacted the company several times over the years to get replacement parts since it dies about every year or two. It is dead again and I can no longer find a number to call to get replacement parts. If there is a law suite Let me know and I will join.

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Radek Petrak
US
Jan 30, 2018 9:34 pm EST

Same issue fighting with it for years.
Wayne Dalton split the company and of course closed down the company careening lifetime waranty.
Somebody should go to jail for this, this is fraud.

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