Garage Door Opener Not Working? What to Check and When to Call

Last updated: November 5, 2026

Most opener problems fall into a few patterns. Some you can sort out in five minutes. Others are a sign that something on the door itself is broken, and those are a job for a pro.

Safe checks you can do first

1. Power. Make sure the opener is plugged in and the outlet works. Check for a tripped breaker.
2. The wall button. If the wall button works but the remote doesn't, the remote may need a battery or may need to be programmed again.
3. The lock button. Some wall controls have a "lock" or "vacation" button that blocks remotes. Check that it's off.
4. The sensors. Look at the two small sensors near the bottom of the door tracks. Nothing should be between them. Wipe the lenses with a soft cloth and make sure both face each other.

Don't open the opener's cover, change its force or travel settings, or touch the springs or cables.

Door won't close, or goes back up

The sensors are the usual cause. The door is designed to stop and go back up when the beam between the sensors is broken. Check for:

• Something in the way: a box, a rake, a bike tire.
• A dirty lens, especially after dust or rain.
• A sensor knocked out of line, so the two no longer face each other.

If the sensors are clean and lined up and the door still won't close, call. A loose wire or a failing sensor needs a pro.

Motor hums, door doesn't move

Stop pressing the button. A hum with no movement often means a broken spring, so the opener can't lift the door's weight. It can also be a stripped gear. Look for the signs of a broken spring: a loud bang earlier, a gap in a coiled spring above the door, a loose cable. Don't touch the springs or cables. See broken garage door spring.

Opener clicks or does nothing

Check the power first. If the opener has power but nothing happens, the problem may be the wall control, the wiring or the motor. That's a job for a pro.

Door stops partway

A door that stops partway or reverses on its way up can be out of balance, binding in the track or have a spring problem. Keep people clear and have it checked.

The monthly safety reverse test

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says residential openers made or imported since January 1, 1991 must have a reversing system, under a federal safety standard. It recommends testing yours every month:

1. Lay a piece of wood, such as a 2×4, flat on the floor under the door.
2. Close the door with the opener.
3. The door should stop when it touches the wood and go back up.

If it doesn't, stop using the opener and have it repaired or replaced. The CPSC also recommends:

• Sensors mounted 4 to 6 inches above the floor.
• Remotes kept out of children's reach.
• A professional check if the door is out of balance.

If your opener is older than 1991, or doesn't reverse, a new opener is the safe choice.

Repair or a new opener?

Repair makes sense for sensors, remotes, wall controls and many gear problems. A new opener makes sense if the motor is burned out, parts are hard to find or the opener has no reversing system.

What it costs

National cost surveys put opener repairs at about $100 to $500, sensor realignment at $150 to $250, and a new opener installed at about $218 to $540. The opener unit alone can cost $100 to $900 or more. The provider will confirm the price before any work. More in garage door repair cost in the RGV and on opener repair.

Opener still not working?

Call and talk to a local garage door pro in Brownsville or Harlingen.

Sources

• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission – Non-Reversing Automatic Garage Door Openers Are a Hazard (PDF)
• 16 CFR Part 1211 – Safety Standard for Automatic Residential Garage Door Operators (GPO)
• HomeAdvisor – Garage Door Repair Cost (updated June 20, 2026)
• HomeAdvisor – Garage Door Opener Installation Cost (updated June 20, 2026)