If you heard a bang, or the door is crooked or hanging by one cable, stop using it. Don't keep pressing the button and don't lift it by hand. Unplug the opener and call.
A garage door that won't open or won't close is the most stressful kind of problem because it usually happens when you need to leave. The good news: a few causes are easy to rule out yourself. The rest are jobs for a technician. Work down this page in order and you'll know which one you're dealing with before you pick up the phone.
If the door won't open
1. Nothing happens at all
No light, no sound. Check that the opener is plugged in, that the breaker hasn't tripped, and press the reset button on any GFCI outlet in the garage. Storm-related power flickers trip GFCIs all the time. Then check the lock or vacation button on the wall control, and try the wall button instead of the remote. If the wall button works and the remote doesn't, replace the remote battery.
2. The opener hums or clicks but the door doesn't move
The opener is trying. Either something inside it has failed (often a plastic drive gear) or the door is too heavy for it to lift, which almost always means a broken spring. Look up at the spring above the door from a safe distance. A gap in the coil settles it.
3. The motor runs but the door stays put
The trolley on the opener rail may be disconnected from the door. That happens if someone pulled the red release cord. With the door fully closed, running the opener once will often reconnect it. If it still runs without moving anything, the drive gear is likely stripped.
4. The door starts to lift, then stops
Usually a spring problem: the opener lifts a few inches, feels the weight and gives up. It can also be the force or travel settings, especially in cold weather when everything is stiffer.
5. The door is frozen to the floor
After snow and a hard freeze, the rubber seal along the bottom can freeze to the slab. Unplug the opener so it doesn't keep straining, then free the seal with a plastic scraper or a hair dryer on low. Don't use a metal shovel or an ice pick on the seal. More in the winter guide.
If the door won't close
It goes down a bit, then reverses
The number one cause is the safety sensors. Each one has a small light. If one is blinking or off, the beam is blocked or the sensors are out of line. Wipe both lenses with a soft cloth, clear anything in the path (a recycling bin, a snow shovel, a puddle of slush can do it), and gently re-aim a sensor that got bumped. Low winter sun shining straight into a sensor can also confuse it for part of the day.
It closes most of the way, then bounces back up
The opener thinks it hit something. That can be a sensor, a close-force setting that's too sensitive, ice or packed snow under the door, or a door that's binding in the track. If it only happens on cold days, stiff grease and an iced seal are the likely reasons.
It only closes if you hold the wall button down
That's the opener's override when the sensors aren't working. It's fine to get the door shut, but get the sensors fixed. They're there to keep the door from closing on a person, a pet or a car.
It won't close at all, and it's crooked
Stop. A door that's tilted or has a loose cable can come down hard. Read about cables, rollers and tracks and call a technician.
Safe checks, in order
| Check | What you're looking for | Safe to do? |
|---|---|---|
| Outlet, breaker, GFCI | Opener light on, GFCI reset | Yes |
| Wall control lock button | Lock or vacation mode switched off | Yes |
| Remote and keypad batteries | Fresh batteries, especially after cold weather | Yes |
| Safety sensors | Both lights steady, lenses clean, beam clear | Yes |
| Bottom seal | Ice, packed snow or salt crust | Yes, with a plastic scraper |
| Springs | A gap in the coil, a loose extension spring | Look only. Don't touch |
| Cables and tracks | Frayed or slack cable, roller out of the track | Look only. Don't touch |
When to stop and call
- You heard a bang, or the door suddenly feels very heavy
- The door is crooked, or a cable is hanging loose
- A roller has popped out of the track, or the track is bent
- The opener has power and none of the checks above helped
When you call, it helps to say what the door is doing, whether you heard a bang, and whether it's a torsion or extension spring door. Our before-you-call guide lists everything worth having ready.
Questions people ask
Why won't my garage door open but the light on the opener comes on?
The opener has power, so the usual suspects are a broken spring, a disconnected trolley, the lock button on the wall control, or a stripped drive gear. If the door is heavy when lifted by hand, it's the spring.
Why does my garage door close a little and then reverse?
The safety sensors are blocked, dirty or out of line, or the opener's force setting is too sensitive. In winter, a stiff or iced door can also trigger the reversal.
How do I open my garage door during a power outage?
Only if the door is fully closed and the springs are intact: pull the red release cord and lift the door by hand. If the door is heavy or won't stay up, don't force it. Don't pull the cord with the door open, because it can drop.
My door is frozen shut. What should I do?
Don't keep pressing the button. Unplug the opener, chip away ice along the bottom seal with a plastic scraper, or use a hair dryer on low. Then try again. See the winter guide for more.