Some garage door opener problems are easy to solve. Some issues are complex. What’s common in any occasion is that it’s not easy to figure out what’s wrong. When the garage door won’t perform as it should, anything can be wrong – from a broken torsion spring to a cable off drum. But when it comes to mechanical parts, it’s fair to say that you can see if the spring is broken or the cable is off. When it comes to garage door openers, it’s difficult to determine if there is a problem with the motor, reverse system, circuit board, or clicker.
What you need is some garage door troubleshooting tips to define the problem. That’s always the best step before you decide whether you need to replace parts or just make some repairs. So, let us see which the most common opener problems are and what causes them.
6 common garage door opener problems and solutions
The wall button works but not the remote
If the garage door clicker still won’t work after you change the battery, you need to reprogram it. Another problem would be with the lock button at the control box. If it’s activated, it won’t let the remote control work. Deactivate it to allow the door control accept the remote’s signal.
The clicker works but the door won’t open from the wall button
In this case, either the switch on the wall or the wires are damaged and must be replaced. Open the box and hold the wires together. If the opener works, replace the switch. If not, change the wires.
The overhead door won’t go all the way up or down
Such problems occur when the travel limits of the door need adjustment. To do such garage door adjustments, you need to find the UP and DOWN switches in the opener unit. Adjust either the close or open limit switch to make sure the door reaches the opening or closing position.
The opener lights flash and the door won’t close
The door won’t close down and the opener lights will flash when one of the two safety features is activated. The first one is the lock button. You need to turn it off. The second feature is the reverse mechanism. Check the sensors. They are properly out of alignment or their beam is obstructed. If there are no obstructions, tighten the loose sensor once you align it with the one on the other part of the door.
The garage door goes up and down on its own
If the door moves without you activating the opener, there might be a short. Check the wires between the motor and wall box. If the wall control is damaged, it will cause the same problem in which case you will need to replace it. Sometimes, this problem happens due to external interference. In this case, reprogram the garage door remote.
The garage door reverses on its own
If the overhead door only goes down for a few inches and then comes back up, check if there are any obstructions among the sensor beams. If the door comes all the way down and then goes back up, adjust the travel limit.
