Garage Door Won't Open? 5 Safe Checks

Step 1: Does the opener respond at all?

If nothing happens, check that the opener is plugged in and the outlet or breaker has power; a tripped GFCI outlet in the garage is a common culprit. Next, look at the wall button for a lock or vacation light, which blocks remotes on many models. Then try the wall button and a remote separately. If the wall button works and the remote does not, try a new battery.

Step 2: Does the opener run but the door stay put?

A hum, a click or a door that lifts a few inches and stops often means the springs are no longer carrying the door's weight. Look above the door from the floor: a torsion spring with a gap in the coil is broken. Stop here. Do not keep pressing the button, and do not pull the emergency release on a door that may have a broken spring, because the door can drop. See spring repair.

Step 3: Does the door start closing and go back up?

That is the safety system doing its job. CPSC requires openers made after January 1, 1991 to reverse, and added external entrapment protection such as photo eyes in 1993. Check that nothing is in the beam, wipe the lenses and see whether both sensor lights are steady. A blinking light usually means the eyes are out of line. Do not tape or bypass the sensors.

Step 4: Is it cold or wet?

After a freeze, the rubber bottom seal can stick to the slab. Pressing the button can strain the opener or bend the bottom section. Leave it until it thaws or ask for help, and keep water away from the opener and outlets.

Step 5: Is the door crooked or off track?

If one side is lower or a roller is out of the track, unplug the opener and keep people clear. That is an off-track or cable problem, not an opener one.

When the checks are done

If power, controls and sensors look fine and the door still will not move, or you found a broken spring or a loose cable, stop troubleshooting. Note the opener brand, what the lights did and what you found. The opener repair page explains the next level of causes.

Also worth knowing

Why won't my garage door open with the remote but opens with the wall button?

Start with the remote battery. If a new battery does not help, check whether the wall control is set to lock or vacation mode, which blocks remotes on many openers. If every remote fails while the wall button still works, the opener's receiver may need attention.

My door opens a few inches and stops. What does that mean?

That pattern often points to a broken spring. The opener senses the heavy load and stops. Look above the door for a gap in the torsion spring coil, or along the tracks for a loose extension spring. Stop using the opener and do not pull the release while the door is up.

Is a tripped GFCI outlet a common cause?

Yes. Many garage outlets are GFCI-protected, sometimes by an outlet elsewhere in the garage or on an exterior wall. If the opener shows no lights at all, check for a tripped GFCI and the breaker before assuming the motor failed.

The door is frozen to the floor. What should I do?

Unplug the opener or stop pressing the button so it does not strain against the seal. Let the seal thaw, or ask for help. Forcing it can tear the seal, bend the bottom section or damage the opener. Clearing slush from the threshold after storms helps prevent a repeat.

When should I stop troubleshooting and call?

Stop as soon as you see a broken spring, a loose or frayed cable, a door that is crooked or out of its track, or anything electrical that sparks or smells. At that point further checks add risk without adding information.