Motion sensor troubleshooting

Learn what to do when you have a problem with a motion sensor connected to your Xfinity Home system.

What you'll need:

• Xfinity Home Pro Protection or Self Protection
• The motion sensor with which you're having trouble
• Access to your touchscreen or the Xfinity Home app if you subscribe to Pro Protection
• Access to the Xfinity app if you subscribe to Self Protection
• Phillips-head screwdriver (for resetting the NEXT K85 SMA Motion Sensor)

Difficulty

Medium

Indicates motion when no one is there

Make sure the motion sensor is installed correctly.

Too sensitive

Pets may set off a motion sensor by moving through a room or getting on furniture.

• Verify that the motion sensor is a model designed to ignore pets.
  • SMCMT03-Z — immune to pets up to 40 pounds
  • NEXT K85 SMA — immune to pets up to 85 pounds
  • XHS1-TY — immune to pets up to 85 pounds
  • XHS1-UE — immune to pets up to 85 pounds
  • UEHM2AZ0/H74470BA00-0004 — immune to pets up to 85 pounds
• Keep pets out of rooms covered by motion sensors or consider arming in Stay mode, which disables the motion sensors.
  
  

Curtains, blinds or other objects that move in a breeze may set off a motion sensor.

• Check areas in front of fans, air conditioners, and heating vents for light or movable objects.
• Make sure windows and doors are tightly closed.

Doesn't detect far away movement

To test the sensor detection area:

1. Make sure there is no movement in the area for two minutes.
2. Walk at the outer edge of where you expect the motion sensor to detect movement and see if the sensor is triggered.
   
   

When properly installed, the NEXT K85 SMA Motion Sensor should detect movement up to 40 feet away and the XHS1-TY Motion Sensor should detect movement up to 50 feet away. Make sure the motion sensor is installed correctly.

Light doesn't turn on when I walk in front of it

The sensor may still be detecting motion even if the LED doesn't turn on.

If you subscribe to Xfinity Home Pro Protection:

• Check the Xfinity Home app to see if the sensor status changes when you walk by it.
• Or, set up a temporary rule for the system to text you whenever the sensor detects movement.
  
  

If you subscribe to Xfinity Home Self Protection:

• Check the Xfinity app to see if the sensor status changes when you walk by it.
• Or, set up a temporary notification for the system to text you whenever the sensor detects movement.
  
  

When the sensor is triggered (detects movement), it notifies your system and then goes to sleep for two minutes to conserve battery power. It won't detect further movement and the LED won't light during this time. Wait for two minutes and then see if the LED lights when the sensor is triggered.

NEXT K85 SMA Motion Sensor

For the LED to light, the LED jumper switch inside the sensor must be set to ON, which is the default setting. If you didn't change this jumper setting, the LED should light when the sensor is triggered.

If you changed the jumper to OFF, change it back to ON. The ON setting uses more battery power, but you can still expect the battery to last for about three years.

XHS1-TY, XHS1-UE, or UEHM2AZ0/H74470BA00-0004 Motion Sensor

• When the sensor is triggered (detects movement), it notifies your system and then goes to sleep for two minutes to conserve battery power.
  • It won't detect further movement and the LED won't light during this time.
  • Wait for two minutes and then see if the LED lights when the sensor is triggered.
• The XHS1-TY does not have an LED jumper switch.

Restart motion sensor

Restart the motion sensor by removing its battery, waiting a few seconds, then reinsert the battery.

Reset to factory settings

Follow these instructions to reset your XHS1-TY or XHS1-UE Motion Sensor. If you have a different model, contact us for assistance.

Low battery

Replace the motion sensor battery within two weeks of receiving a low-battery alert.

Tamper message on touchscreen

If the touchscreen displays a tamper message:

1. Verify that the motion sensor's battery compartment is fully and securely closed.
2. If the issue persists, remove and replace the motion sensor battery.
3. If the problem persists, contact us.

Communication lost message on touchscreen

If the touchscreen displays a communication lost with your motion sensor message:

1. Restart the motion sensor by removing its battery, waiting a few seconds, then reinsert the battery.
2. If the message remains, replace the battery with a fresh battery.
3. If the problem isn't resolved, it may be caused by an issue with your touchscreen's location.
   • Has the touchscreen been moved from its originally installed location?
     • If so, return it to where it was installed.
     • If the problem persists, contact us.

Motion sensor offline message

If the Xfinity app displays a motion sensor offline message:

1. Restart the motion sensor by removing its battery, waiting a few seconds, then reinsert the battery.
2. If the message remains, replace the battery with a fresh battery.
3. If you have recently moved your gateway to a new or different location or have recently moved a large object (such as a piece of furniture, appliance, or electronic device) in between the sensor and your gateway, return the equipment to the original location, or clear any large objects out of the path of the sensor and the gateway.
   • If the problem persists, contact us.