San Marcos, Texas · Hays County · 78666
Garage Door Won’t Close? Causes & Fixes
Door starts down, then reverses back up? Won’t move at all and the opener lights blink? Nine times out of ten it’s the safety sensors. Here’s how to find the cause, what you can safely fix yourself, and when to call for help in San Marcos.
Start here
Check the safety sensors first
The two small sensors near the floor on each side of the door send an invisible beam across the opening. If the beam is blocked or the sensors can’t see each other, the opener won’t close the door — or reverses it — and the lights usually blink.
- Clear the path: look for anything in the beam — a bin, a leaf, a cobweb, a toy.
- Clean the lenses with a soft cloth.
- Check the lights: both sensor lights should be steady. A blinking or off light means misalignment or a wiring problem.
- Line them up: loosen the wing nut and gently aim the sensors at each other until both lights are steady.
- Check for sun glare: low afternoon sun on a west-facing garage can blind a sensor. Try closing the door later, or shade the sensor.
Other causes
If the sensors aren’t the problem
Opener
Close limit needs resetting
The door touches the floor, then reverses. The opener thinks it hit something. Travel limits need adjusting.
Opener
Force setting too low or too high
Heat, wear or a binding door can throw off the force setting and trigger the auto-reverse.
Door
Binding track or worn rollers
The door drags on its way down and the opener reverses it as a safety measure.
Easy check
Lock button or dead remote
If nothing happens at all, check the wall-control lock button and the remote battery.
Door
Broken spring or cable
A door that closes crooked or slams down needs attention right away.
Weather
Heat or a storm
Openers can overheat on hot afternoons, and outages or surges can scramble their settings.
Need it closed now?
How to close the door if the opener won’t
If the sensors are damaged and you need to secure the house, most openers will close the door if you press and hold the wall button until the door is fully down. Watch the door the whole time and keep people and pets clear.
Never disable the safety sensors permanently — they’re required by federal safety standards for a reason.
FAQ
Garage door won’t close FAQ
Why does my garage door go down and then back up?
Usually the safety sensors are blocked or misaligned, the close limit needs resetting, or the force setting is off. Check the sensors first.
Why won’t my garage door close when it’s sunny?
Low afternoon sun can shine directly into a sensor and blind it, especially on west-facing garages. Shading the sensor usually fixes it.
How do I close my garage door if the sensors aren’t working?
On most openers, press and hold the wall button until the door is fully closed, watching it the whole time. Then get the sensors fixed.
Why do my garage door opener lights blink when it won’t close?
The opener is signaling a safety-sensor problem. On LiftMaster and Chamberlain openers, 10 flashes usually means the sensors are blocked or misaligned.
Related
Related help
Door won’t close? Get a straight answer.
Call and tell us what the sensor and opener lights are doing. We’ll tell you the likely cause and usual price range.
No obligation. Written quote before any work.