You hit the button, the door starts to close, and... it stops halfway. Or it goes down and bounces right back up. Or it just won't move at all. If your garage door won't close, you're not alone -- it's the #1 most common service call we get at TrueSafe Garage Door Repair in Garland, TX.
Here are the 7 most common reasons your garage door won't close, in order from easiest to hardest to fix:
1. Safety Sensors Are Misaligned (90% of cases)
Look at the bottom of your garage door tracks. You'll see two small black sensors with little lights -- one on each side. These sensors shoot an invisible beam between them. If anything blocks that beam, or if they're not pointed at each other, your door won't close as a safety feature.
The fix: Make sure both sensors have a solid green light. If one is blinking or off, gently nudge it until both go green. Wipe the lenses with a clean cloth -- even a spider web can break the beam. This fixes about 70% of "won't close" calls in 30 seconds.
2. Something Is Blocking the Sensor Path
Even if the sensors are aligned, anything blocking the invisible beam between them will stop the door. Look along the path between sensors for: a stray broom, a kid's toy, leaves, even tall weeds growing into the garage. Clear the path and try again.
3. Track Is Bent or Has Something On It
Look at both vertical tracks. Are they bent? Is there debris? Sometimes a small dent in the track will stop the door at the same spot every time. If you see a visible bend, don't try to hammer it back -- call us. A bent track that's "fixed" wrong will damage the door.
4. Spring Is Broken
If the door starts down, then jerks or stops, look at the spring above the door. Is there a visible gap in the coil? Does the door feel super heavy when you try to lift it manually? A broken spring means the opener can't safely lower the door -- modern openers will refuse to close. Don't keep trying to operate it. Call for spring replacement (typically $289--$389 in Garland).
5. Limit Settings Are Off
Every garage door opener has limit screws or buttons that tell it how far to go up and how far to go down. If those settings get bumped, the opener might think the door is closed when it's still 6 inches off the ground. Then it reverses because it senses an "obstruction." Look for two small adjustment screws on your opener marked "up" and "down."
6. Logic Board / Opener Issue
If you've checked everything else and the door still won't close, the opener itself may be the problem. Capacitors fail. Logic boards fry from power surges. If your opener is older than 10-15 years, replacement is usually more cost-effective than repair (full opener replacement runs $650--$800 in Garland).
7. Cables Are Off the Drum
Look at both upper corners of the door. The cables should be wrapped neatly around the drums. If a cable has come off, the door will hang crooked and refuse to close. Do not try to fix this yourself -- it's how people get seriously injured. Call us immediately.
What to Do Right Now
- Check the safety sensors first (90% of fixes)
- Clear the sensor path
- Try the wall button (not the remote) -- if it works on the wall but not the remote, it's a remote/battery issue
- If the door feels heavy when you lift it manually, do not operate it -- likely a spring issue
- Call TrueSafe Garage Door Repair at 469-238-1831 if you're stuck
We offer same-day garage door repair in Garland, TX and surrounding areas. Free estimate before any work begins.