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Garage Door Won't Open? 9 Causes and What to Do
A garage door that won't open is stressful, especially when your car is inside. The good news: the cause is often simple. Work through the checks below in order, from the easiest to the most serious. Stop at any point where the door looks crooked, feels very heavy or you hear something wrong, and call a technician.
Safety first. Never touch the springs, cables or the brackets at the bottom corners of the door. They hold the door's full weight under high tension. If you see a broken spring or a damaged cable, leave the door alone and call us.
1. The remote or keypad has a dead battery
If the wall button opens the door but the remote doesn't, the door is fine. Replace the remote's battery and try again. For a keypad, replace its battery and re-enter your code. If it still won't work, the remote probably needs to be reprogrammed using the “learn” button on the opener. Your owner's manual shows the steps.
2. The opener has no power
If the opener's light is off and the wall control is dead, check that the opener is plugged in. Test the outlet with a lamp, reset any GFCI outlet in the garage and check your breaker. If power is fine and the opener is still dead, the circuit board or wiring may need repair.
3. The wall control is locked, or the door is manually locked
Many wall controls have a lock button that disables the remotes. If the light on the control is blinking or the remotes don't work, look for it and press it. Some doors also have a manual lock bar on the inside. Make sure it isn't engaged.
4. The safety sensors are blocked or out of line
Two small sensors near the floor on each side of the door watch the opening. If either is dirty, bumped or blocked, the door may not close, and the opener light may blink. Wipe both lenses, clear anything in the beam and check that both sensors show a steady light. Note that this problem mainly stops the door from closing, not opening, so if the door won't open, look further down this list as well.
5. The door is disconnected from the opener
If you hear the motor run but the door doesn't move, the door may be disconnected. The red emergency release cord may have been pulled, or the trolley may have come loose. With the door fully closed, check the red cord. If the opener trolley is disengaged, re-engaging it can reconnect the door. Check your manual and only do this when the door is closed.
6. A broken spring
This is one of the most common reasons a door won't open. The spring carries most of the door's weight, so when it breaks the opener can't lift the door, or the door lifts only a few inches. You may have heard a loud bang. The door will feel very heavy if you try to lift it by hand, and you may see a gap in the spring above the door. Don't force the door and don't keep pressing the button. Call a technician.
7. A snapped cable or a door that is off its track
If the door looks crooked, hangs lower on one side, or a cable is loose or frayed, a lift cable has probably let go or a roller has come out of the track. Don't use the door. Forcing a door in this state can bend the track or cause the door to fall.
8. The opener's gear, motor or settings have failed
If the motor hums, clicks or stalls, but the door moves smoothly by hand with the opener disconnected, the opener itself is the likely problem. A stripped gear, a worn motor part, or a force or limit setting that has drifted can all stop the door from lifting. This is a repair or replacement for a technician.
9. The door is frozen or stuck to the ground
In freezing weather, ice or a stiff weatherstrip seal can hold the bottom of the door to the ground. Gently clear any ice and make sure nothing is blocking the door. Don't keep running the opener against a stuck door, because it can damage the opener.
When to stop and call
- You heard a loud bang before it stopped working
- The door feels very heavy or won't stay up by hand
- The door is crooked, stuck partway or hanging on one side
- A cable is loose or frayed, or you see a gap in the spring
- The opener hums but nothing moves, and the quick checks didn't help
Frequently asked questions
Why won't my garage door open but I can hear the motor?
The motor is running, but the door isn't moving. That points to a door disconnected from the opener, a stripped gear in the opener, or a broken spring that makes the door too heavy to lift. If the door feels very heavy by hand, stop and call.
Can I open my garage door manually if the opener doesn't work?
If the opener is the problem, you can pull the red emergency release cord with the door closed and lift the door by hand. If the door feels very heavy, won't stay up or looks crooked, don't try. That points to a spring or cable problem.
Why does my door open a few inches and then stop?
A broken spring is a common cause, because the opener can't lift the weight alone. Safety sensors and the opener's force setting can also cause it. If the door feels heavy by hand, call for a spring check.
Is a garage door that won't open an emergency?
If your car is stuck inside, it's urgent, but it's still better to wait for a technician than to force the door. Forcing it can damage the opener and put you at risk.
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