Garage Door Won't Open or Close: 15 Reasons and Solutions

Photo Eye Is Misaligned

When a garage door won't close, often the safety sensors may need adjustment or realignment. Near the bottom of the door track on both sides are electronic eyes that require a clear line of view between them.

If the sightlines are clear between the eyes, the door will close smoothly all the way to the floor. However, if the brackets holding the electronic eyes are out of alignment, the door will fail to descend all the way. In most cases, the door will stop or reverse, and lights will flash to tell you there is a problem.

Adjust the safety sensors or brackets by hand so that there is a clear line of sight between each.

Photo Eye Is Dirty

When a garage door will not close, sometimes leaves or debris are blocking the sensors. Make sure there is nothing in the sight path between the two electronic sensors. Gently wipe off the "eye" portion of each sensor. Make sure that you do not misalign the sensors.

Garage Door Remote or Keypad Aren't Working Properly

If a garage door won't open, often a wireless remote control or mounted keypad has stopped operating the opener.

If the door opens with the hardwired wall switch, it's likely that the battery needs replacing in the remote control or keypad. If the battery is fine, make sure that the loose wire antenna on the motor unit is hanging downward and is not damaged in any way.

You may need to reprogram the remote control or keypad. The sensitive electronics in the remote control or keypad can sometimes lose their programming and may need to be reset. Each garage door opener has a slightly different method of reprogramming, so consult the instructions or look online for brand-specific instructions.

Garage Door Rollers May Need Lubrication

A garage door that lowers will sometimes fail to open, especially in winter. In winter or in other cold months, the rollers may stiffen up and the door may open slowly or refuse to open altogether.

If this happens, look for a screw on the motor unit to adjust the sensitivity of the opener. Methods for adjusting sensitivity vary; so consult the owner's manual for directions.

Lubricating rollers can also help with this problem. Use white lithium or silicone lubricant as these types of lubricants will not cake up or attract dirt.

Garage Door Rollers May Need to Be Replaced

Rusted or damaged rollers can cause the door to bind in the tracks so that the door will fail to open. Replacing damaged rollers or lubricating them with silicone lubricant or white lithium lubricant can correct this problem.

Damaged or rusted rollers can create extra friction, signaling the door opener to stop prematurely. Make sure the rollers are in good shape and well lubricated to prevent this problem. 

Garage Door Opener Motor Is Unplugged

When the garage door fails to open when the remote or wall switch is pressed, the power source has been disrupted in some way. In many cases, the motor unit has been unplugged. Plugs can loosen over time. Moving items in and out of the garage may snag the cord and unplug it. Check the ceiling outlet where the door opener is plugged in, and make sure the cord is plugged in all the way.

Power to Garage Door Motor Has Been Disrupted

If the garage door cord is plugged in, it's possible that the circuit breaker, fuse, or GFCI outlet powering the door opener circuit has tripped or burned out. If you find that other lights or electrical circuits in the garage aren't operating, this is the likely cause, and you'll need to reset the breaker or GFCI or replace the faulty breaker or burned-out fuse. If the circuit breaker or GFCI is tripping repeatedly, it's a sign that there is a short circuit somewhere in the system—possibly even the garage door opener itself. 

Up-Limit Switch Needs to Be Moved Closer to the Motor

When the garage door partially opens and stops short of being fully open, the up-limit switch may need to be moved toward the motor unit. This switch is usually a touch-lever mounted on the end of the track near the motor unit.

If the switch is too far ​away, the motor will stop the door before it fully opens. The solution is to move the switch closer to the motor unit. This is a somewhat rare problem, and will usually show itself immediately after a new garage door opener is installed.

Up-Limit Switch Needs to Be Moved Away From the Motor

If the garage door opens but the motor does not stop running, this usually means the up-limit switch needs to be moved away from the motor unit.

This problem will usually be noticed when you first install the garage door opener, though it can occur if or when the gears inside the motor unit have been stripped, which causes the motor to run without moving the door.

Garage Door Close-Limit Switch Needs Adjustment

If the garage door opens correctly but fails to close completely, the close-limit switch may need adjusting. The garage door has set-limit switches that instruct the motor when to stop running—both when it is opening, and when it is closing. If the close-limit switch is set wrong, it may prevent the door from closing. It can also cause the opener to reverse or pull back up when you attempt to close it.

The close-limit switch is a safety measure that keeps people from having the door close on them—it is a necessary and required device for all garage door openers. Adjusting the limit switch will stop your garage door from behaving erratically.

The close-limit switch is usually a screw feature on the motor unit that is turned to adjust how far the door descends.

Garage Door Close-Force Screw Needs Adjustment

When a garage door reverses before it even touches the floor, the issue may be with the garage door adjustment screw.

Garage door openers have an adjustment screw that controls the closing force—the pressure with which a door is allowed to descend before the motor switches off. When the door reverses before it even hits the floor, this is often because the close-force setting needs adjustment. The friction of the door rollers within the tracks is fooling the door opener into thinking the door has reached the floor, and the opener needs to be adjusted for less sensitivity. 

When the garage door immediately leaps upward after touching the floor, this too is a close-limit switch problem. Adjust the close-limit adjustment screw on the door opener motor in small increments until the door stops upon touching the floor. 

Garage Door Opener Motor Needs Replacement

If the garage door won't open, it's possible the garage door opener's motor has burned out and isn't operating at all. You can replace your own garage door motor or call a service technician to do the job for you.

Garage Door Springs Need Adjustment or Replacement

If the garage door won't open, sometimes the problem is with the torsion or extension springs. The torsion spring is located above the garage door opening, while the extension springs are on either side of the garage door.

Torsion springs are difficult and dangerous to replace, so it's usually best to have a garage door technician do the job. Extension springs can be replaced by most homeowners for $40 to $120. Most home centers carry replacement extension springs.

Garage Door Cable Has Snapped

The garage door springs work in conjunction with the door cables to safely lift the garage door. Sometimes, the garage door cables will snap or fall out of alignment.

While the garage door may open with a snapped cable, it is dangerous to do so. Have a garage door company replace the cable.

Garage Door Is Off Track

If the garage door won't open, sometimes the reason is that the door is off track due to a loose track. The problem may be preceded by balky or slow movement or by squeaks and unusual noises.

To get a garage door back on track, loosen the screws that hold the track to its frame. Use a block of wood or a rubber mallet to gently tap the track back into place. Then, retighten the screws.