If you haven't bound the receiver to the transmitter you won't be able to use the reciever at all. It will act exactly as you have described. Binding will fix your problem.

By the manual you have to use use the switch to bind the receiver, but you can't use just any switch harness. It has to be 3-wire switch harness, after market 2-wire switch harnesses will not work. The bind plug creates a short across pin 1 and pin 3 which puts the receiver into bind mode. You plug the bind plug into the charging jack of the switch harness and then turn the reciever on, and follow the binding procedure in the manual. The switch harness that comes with the radio is a 3-wire harness and should be used to bind the receiver.

Ken