Garage Door Won’t Close? Here’s Why, and What to Do
A door that opens fine but won’t close usually points to one specific system. Here’s how to narrow it down.
1. The Light Blinks and the Door Reverses
This is almost always the safety sensors near the floor on each side of the door. Check for dirt, spider webs, or a bumped alignment first, this fixes the majority of these cases without a service call. If cleaning and realigning doesn’t help, see our opener repair page.
2. Nothing Happens When You Press the Button
If the wall button works but the remote doesn’t, it’s usually a dead battery, a lock feature turned on, or a remote that needs reprogramming. See our FAQ page for reprogramming steps, or our opener repair page if the wall control doesn’t work either.
3. The Door Starts to Close, Then Stops or Reverses Partway
This can mean the sensors are misaligned rather than fully blocked, or the opener’s travel limit settings have drifted. It can also point to a door that’s out of balance, putting uneven strain on the system. See our maintenance page for a balance check, or our roller replacement page if the movement feels rough or uneven.
4. The Door Is Stuck Partway, Neither Open Nor Closed
Stop trying to force it. This often means a spring or cable has failed while the door was in motion. See our spring repair page and cable repair page, or call our emergency line if the door is blocking a vehicle or entryway.
Still Not Sure? Let the Tool Narrow It Down
Answer two quick questions in our free troubleshooting tool, or check our full FAQ page for more scenarios.