Vivint Door Lock Not Working: How to Troubleshoot

Since I started using my Vivint Door Lock, I’ve always unlocked my door with my Vivint app. But when I tried opening the door with the app last week, it just wouldn’t work.

I didn’t want to call my technician or Vivint Support immediately. So, I did some research on the internet about the problem. This helped me discover several ways to fix the issue, which I applied to my smart lock. After several minutes of trying different tips, my door lock began working again.

You don’t need to be tech-savvy to follow these steps. So, here is how to go about this:

If your Vivint Door Lock isn’t working properly, change the batteries. If the problem persists, remove the lock from your Vivint panel, then reset it and re-add the lock to your panel. This should resolve the issue.

For a step-by-step guide on how to troubleshoot this issue, keep reading.

Table of Contents

Change the Batteries in Your Lock

If you’re having issues with your Vivint door lock, (such as not locking/unlocking or not responding), the first place to look is the batteries.

If the battery power is getting low (below 40%), the lock may not respond to remote commands. So, replace the batteries to see if it works.

Your Vivint door lock uses 4 AA alkaline batteries.

Follow these steps to change the batteries in your Vivint Door Lock:

Slide the cover of your lock up. Then detach the cover from the lock.
You’ll see the battery pack now. Hold the top of your battery pack to pull it out of the lock.
Remove the batteries in the pack and replace them with 4 new AA alkaline batteries.
Insert the battery pack into the lock.
Now, put the lock cover back in place.

After changing the batteries, try operating the lock with the Vivint app. If the lock doesn’t work, proceed to the next step.

Remove, Reset and Re-add the Lock to the Vivint Smart Hub

If your Vivint door lock doesn’t work after battery replacement, the device might be malfunctioning. This often occurs when the batteries in your lock die completely before the replacement.

To resolve this issue, you’ll need to delete the lock from the Vivint hub and factory reset it. Then re-add the lock to the hub after factory resetting it.

The guide below will show you how to delete the Vivint door lock from the hub, factory reset it, and re-add it to the hub.

Deleting the Lock from the Vivint Smart Hub:

Go to the Vivint’s website — www.vivint.com.
Tap the navigation bar (it looks like three horizontal lines) on the top left-hand corner. Then tap Customer Login.
Enter your login details to access the Site Manager.
From the Site Manager, click on the three-dot icon on the right side of the units to access the options.
Now, tap on Unlock Installer Toolbox.
A 4-digit code will appear on your Site Manager (you’ll need this code when re-adding the lock to your panel).
Disarm your Smart Hub and enter your PIN.
Click on the Menu icon (3 dots) on the home screen and select Software Version.
Choose Smart Home Devices. Then tap on Z-Wave.
Choose Remove Node. You’ll be asked to click on the button on the node.
Now, detach the cover of your lock from the lock. Then press the A button you see inside the lock. This will delete your door lock from the Vivint Smart Hub.
The hub should inform you now that the operation is complete.

Factory Resetting the Lock:

After deleting your lock from the Vivint Smart Hub, the next step is to factory reset the lock.

Here’s how to factory reset your Vivint Door Lock:

Remove the lock cover. Then take out the battery pack.
You’ll now see the Program button. Press and hold this button.
While still holding the Program button, re-insert the battery pack into its compartment.
Keep holding the Program button for 30 seconds after inserting the battery pack. You should hear a beep and see a red light blink from the lock.
Release the Program button after the red light appears.
Press the Program button again. A green light will flash now. You’ll also hear another beep.
Now your lock is reset.

Re-adding the Lock to the Vivint Smart Hub:

Click on the Menu icon on the home screen of the hub.
Select Software Version.
Input the 4-digit code that was displayed on the Site Manager after you unlocked the Installer Toolbox.
Now, tap on Smart Home Devices.
Then choose Z-Wave and tap on Add Node.
Remove the cover of your lock again to reveal the A button.
Press this button to pair your Vivint Door Lock with the Smart Hub.
The hub will notify you that the lock has been added and ask you to name the device.

Once you’ve re-added the lock to the Vivint Smart hub, try operating the lock again. If it doesn’t respond, move on to the next tip.

Recalibrate Your Lock

If your Vivint panel is not showing the current status of your door lock, or the deadbolt doesn’t extend properly when you lock your door, recalibrating the lock might help. Don’t worry, your lock will not disconnect from the Vivint hub if you recalibrate it.

Follow these steps to recalibrate your Vivint Door Lock:

Go inside your home and close the door.
Detach the back cover from the lock.
Take out your battery pack.
Open your door and leave it open until you complete the remaining steps.
Now, you need to ensure that all the power in your lock is drained. You can do this by pressing and holding any button on the exterior part of the lock. If you don’t hear a beep, there is no power in the lock.
Press and hold the Lock button on the exterior part of the lock (the keypad).
While still holding the Lock button, re-insert your battery pack into its compartment.
Your lock will start locking and unlocking itself.
Release the Lock button to complete the recalibration.

Next, check if your Vivint door lock is working properly now. If not, continue to the next step.

Weak Panel Signal: Try Again

If your Vivint door lock is malfunctioning (not responding to remote commands), the panel’s signal may be weak at that time.

If the fixes above don’t help, the panel’s signal might be the culprit. You don’t have to do anything other than wait for some time and try again.

Wrapping Up

When applying the tips, follow them in the same order as I mentioned here to get the best results.

If the problem persists, contact Vivint Support.

You may also like to see how to troubleshoot a Smonet Door Lock, Schlage, and Revolo Smart Lock.