Wondering what's going on in there?
How your garage door closes, in plain English
A garage door is heavy, but the opener doesn't lift most of that weight. Springs do. The opener just guides the door up and down, and safety parts stop it from closing on anything.
- You press the button. The wall button or remote tells the opener to move.
- The opener pulls the door. A motor on the ceiling moves a chain or belt along a rail, hooked to the top of the door.
- Springs carry the weight. A big spring above the door, or two along the tracks, balances the door so it feels light.
- Sensors watch the floor. Two safety sensors send an invisible beam across the opening. If anything breaks the beam, the door goes back up.
So a door that won't close is usually one of these:
- The sensors think something's in the way: blocked, dirty, out of line, or blinded by the sun.
- The opener isn't getting the message: no power, Lock is on, or a dead remote.
- The opener isn't connected: the release cord was pulled, or a gear stripped.
- The door itself is stuck or broken: something at the floor, a bent track, or a broken spring or cable.
The questions at the top check these in the same order.
Rather not do it yourself? Call a garage door company.
That's a fine choice. Maybe you're busy. Maybe you're selling the house and just want it done right. A garage door company can fix the sensors, the opener or the track, usually in one visit.
Most garage door companies charge $50–$75 to come out, and many put that toward the repair.
Find garage door repair near you
Find garage door repair near me →Opens Google Maps. We don't ask for your number.
What to say
Calling a pro? Here's what to say.
A few lines to read when they pick up, and the questions to ask before anyone comes out.
Before you call
Say this
Hi. My garage door won't close. When's the soonest you can get here? And what's your fee for the visit? Does it go toward the repair?
Always ask
- What's your fee to come out, and does it go toward the repair?
- Will you tell me the full price before you start any work?
- Do your parts and labor come with a warranty?
Watch out if
- They push a whole new door or opener on the first visit for a small problem.
- They won't give you a price before starting.
- The price they gave on the phone jumps once they arrive.
Feeling pushed to decide on the spot? You can say no and hang up. You owe nothing for a phone call.
Answer up to 5 quick questions. We'll give you the words a pro uses.
Answer the questions →More of a list person?
Common symptoms, causes, tests and costs
Find the row that sounds like your door. The quick test is something you can check yourself in a few minutes.
| What you notice | What it probably is | Quick test | Do it yourself | With a pro | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Door reverses; something between the sensors or dirty lenses | Something is blocking the sensors | Look between the sensors and at their lenses | Free | Not needed | FIXSee the answer: Something is blocking the sensors |
| Door reverses; one sensor light off or blinking | A sensor got knocked out of line | Look at the small light on each sensor | Free | Not needed | FIXSee the answer: A sensor got knocked out of line |
| Door reverses at certain times of day; sun shines into a sensor | Sunlight is blinding a sensor | Watch whether it only happens when the sun is low | Free | Not needed | FIXSee the answer: Sunlight is blinding a sensor |
| Remote does nothing; Lock light on the wall panel | The Lock button is on | Look for a lit Lock button on the wall panel | Free | Not needed | FIXSee the answer: The Lock button is on |
| Wall button works, remote doesn't | The remote's battery is dead | Try the wall button, then the remote | Free | Not needed | FIXSee the answer: The remote's battery is dead |
| Opener silent; its light won't come on | The opener has no power | Check the plug, the outlet and the breaker | Free | Not needed | FIXSee the answer: The opener has no power |
| Opener runs, but the door doesn't move; red cord pulled | The emergency release was pulled | Check whether the door is unhooked from the rail | Free | Not needed | FIXSee the answer: The emergency release was pulled |
| Door reverses right at the floor; something in the way | Something's in the way at the floor | Look along the floor where the door lands | Free | Not needed | FIXSee the answer: Something's in the way at the floor |
| Reverses right at the floor; nothing in the way | The close setting needs adjusting | Nothing in the way, and it still reverses at the floor | Free | Not needed | FIXSee the answer: The close setting needs adjusting |
| Closes only while you hold the button; sensors look fine | The sensors or their wiring failed | Press and hold the wall button | Pro job | $100–$300 | CALLSee the answer: The sensors or their wiring failed |
| Track bent or a roller out; door binds or reverses | A bent track or loose rollers | Look at the tracks and rollers | Pro job | $100–$350 | CALLSee the answer: A bent track or loose rollers |
| Opener runs, the door is hooked up, but it doesn't move | The opener's gears or motor wore out | Check that the door is hooked to the opener | Pro job | $100–$940 | CALLSee the answer: The opener's gears or motor wore out |
| Opener has power, Lock is off, nothing makes it move | A problem with the opener's brain | The light works, but nothing makes it move | Pro job | $150–$400 | CALLSee the answer: A problem with the opener's brain |
| Loud bang; door crooked, very heavy or a cable hanging | A broken spring or cable | Look for a gap in the spring above the door, or a loose cable | Pro job | $100–$350 | CALLSee the answer: A broken spring or cable |
2026 U.S. averages, rounded. Pro prices include parts and labor. Most garage door companies charge $50–$75 to come out, and many put that toward the repair. Nights, weekends and big cities cost more. See all repair prices
Want proof it's working?
The safety reverse test
This checks that the door will stop for a person, a pet or a car. Opener manuals usually suggest doing it regularly. It takes 2 minutes.
- Lay a roll of paper towels or a small cardboard box on the floor where the door closes.
- Press the wall button to close the door.
- The door should touch the box, stop and go back up.
- Then open the door and wave a broom handle through the sensor beam while it closes. It should go back up.
- It reverses both times: the safety features work.
- It presses down on the box and doesn't reverse: stop using the opener and call a pro. It could hurt someone.
Not sure it's safe to keep running?
Stop using the door right away if…
- You heard a loud bang, or see a gap in a spring.
- A cable is hanging loose or frayed.
- The door hangs crooked, or feels very heavy by hand.
- A track is bent, or rollers came out.
- The door doesn't reverse when it touches a box on the floor.
Unplug the opener, keep everyone clear of the door, and call a pro.
Got a big repair quote?
Should you repair it or replace it?
Most garage door repairs cost $150–$350, according to HomeGuide. A new opener runs about $300–$940, installed. Ask yourself three things:
- How old is the opener? The date is often on its label. Older openers may lack features like rolling security codes.
- Is it the door or the opener? Springs, cables and tracks are door repairs. A new opener won't fix them.
- The half rule. If an opener repair costs more than half the price of a new one, get a replacement price too.
Example: $250 for new springs is a normal door repair. A $350 board on a 20-year-old opener is worth comparing with a new opener.
Ran into a word you don't know?
Garage door words, explained
Tap through these before you go looking. The drawings show roughly what each part looks like.
- Opener
- The motor unit on the ceiling that moves the door.
- Wall button
- The button panel by the inside door. Many have a Lock button and a light.
- Lock mode
- A setting on the wall panel that turns off remotes and keypads. Also called Vacation mode.
- Remote
- The small clicker in your car. Most take a coin battery.
- Safety sensors
- Two small boxes near the floor that send an invisible beam across the door. Pros call them photo eyes.
- Emergency release
- The red cord hanging from the rail. Pulling it unhooks the door so you can move it by hand.
- Close limit
- The opener's setting for where the floor is.
- Tracks and rollers
- The metal rails on each side, and the small wheels on the door that roll in them.
- Spring
- The big coil above the door, or along the tracks, that carries most of the door's weight.
- Lift cables
- Steel cables on each side that work with the springs to lift the door.
- Logic board
- The opener's circuit board. It runs the motor when you press the button.
- Breaker
- A safety switch in your home's breaker box (the gray metal panel).
Still have questions?
Questions people ask most
Why does my garage door go back up when I try to close it?
A garage door that goes back up usually has safety sensors that think something's in the way. Clear the path, wipe the lenses and check that both sensor lights glow steady. If it reverses right at the floor, check for something on the floor or the close setting.
Is a garage door that won't close an emergency?
A garage door that won't close is an emergency if you heard a loud bang, a cable hangs loose, or the door hangs crooked. Then stop using it, keep everyone clear and call a garage door pro. Otherwise it's mostly a security problem. Try closing it by holding the wall button down, and watch it the whole way.
Why is my garage door opener light blinking?
A blinking opener light usually means the safety sensors aren't seeing each other. Check them first. Some openers blink a code; your manual explains it.
How do I close my garage door if the sensors aren't working?
You can close many garage doors with bad sensors by pressing and holding the wall button until the door reaches the floor. Watch it the whole way, because it won't stop for anything.
Can I fix a broken garage door spring myself?
No, don't fix a broken garage door spring yourself. Springs and cables are under very high tension and can cause serious injury. Call a garage door pro.
Why does my garage door work with the wall button but not the remote?
When the wall button works but the remote doesn't, the remote's battery is usually dead, or the Lock button is on. Try a new battery and turn Lock off.
Who do I call for a garage door that won't close?
Call a garage door company for springs, cables, tracks and openers. Springs and cables are under very high tension, so they need a trained tech. If the opener has no power and the outlet is dead, an electrician can check the outlet.
How much does it cost to fix a garage door that won't close?
Fixing a garage door that won't close often costs nothing, if it's the sensors, the Lock or the release cord. New sensors run about $100–$300. Springs run about $120–$350. A new opener runs about $300–$940.
How we built this
The questions follow the order a garage door tech checks a door that won't close: what the door does, then the safety sensors, the power and Lock, the release cord, and the floor and tracks. A broken spring or cable stops everything. Each answer makes some causes more likely and others less likely.
Prices are 2026 national averages from published repair-cost guides, rounded. Your local prices will differ.
- HomeGuide, garage door repair cost (January 2026)
- Fixr, garage door repair cost (January 2025)
- Genie, garage door won't open or close? (October 2021)
How we make money: some links go to parts stores that pay us a small commission, and some pro listings pay us when you call them. Verdicts come from the diagnosis, not from who pays more.