Question 1

The door won't open, or lifts a few inches and stops

Accepted Answer

Usually a broken torsion spring. The spring carries the weight of the door, and without it the opener cannot lift it. Look at the spring on the bar above the door with the door closed. A broken one has a gap of an inch or two somewhere along the coil.

Question 2

There was a loud bang in the garage

Accepted Answer

Almost always a torsion spring snapping. It often happens while nobody is using the door. Look for the gap in the spring above the door. The door may still be closed and look normal.

Question 3

The door hangs crooked or a cable is hanging loose

Accepted Answer

A lift cable has come off its drum or snapped, so one side of the door is carrying the load. Look at the bottom corners of the door. A slack or frayed cable on one side tells you which side failed.

Question 4

Rollers came out of the track or the door is jammed sideways

Accepted Answer

The door is off track. A bent track, a worn roller or a car tapping the door are the usual causes. Look along both tracks for a bend or a roller sitting outside the rail.

Question 5

The opener runs but the door doesn't move

Accepted Answer

Either the opener is disconnected from the door, or the drive gear inside it is stripped. If the red release cord was pulled, press the button once: the carriage travels and clicks back onto the door. If you hear the motor but nothing travels on the rail, it is the gear.

Question 6

The door starts to close, then goes back up

Accepted Answer

Most often the safety sensors near the floor cannot see each other. Look at the two small sensors on either side of the opening. Wipe the lenses and nudge them until both lights stay solid. If it still reverses, the opener settings or something dragging on the door is the cause.

Question 7

The remote or keypad stopped working, the wall button still works

Accepted Answer

A dead battery, the lock mode on the wall control, or a remote that lost its pairing. Change the remote battery first. Then look for a lock button or lock light on the wall control; if lock is on, the remotes are ignored. If the remote only works up close, look at the bulbs in the opener: LiftMaster and Chamberlain both list some LED bulbs as a cause of remote interference.

Question 8

Nothing happens at all, the opener light does not come on

Accepted Answer

No power to the opener, or a failed circuit board. Check the outlet in the ceiling with a lamp, the breaker, and any GFCI outlet in the garage that may have tripped.

Question 9

The door is loud, grinds or shakes when it moves

Accepted Answer

Worn rollers, dry hinges and bearings, or loose hardware. A door that shakes can also be out of balance. Watch the rollers while the door moves. A wobbling or cracked one is worn.

Question 10

Light, water or leaves get in under the closed door

Accepted Answer

The bottom seal is flattened or torn, or the door is no longer closing level. Close the door with the light off inside the garage and look along the bottom edge.

Question 11

A panel is dented or cracked

Accepted Answer

One section damaged. It can often be replaced on its own if the maker still makes it. Look at the hinges on either side of the damage. If they are straight, the other sections can usually stay.

What's Wrong With My Garage Door?