Repair guide
Garage door opener not working: 9 things to check
Start with power, the lock button and the remote battery. Those three cover a surprising number of "dead" openers. If the motor runs but the door doesn't move, or the door feels heavy, stop and read the warning below.
An opener is a motor, a rail, a trolley that connects to the door, and some electronics. When it stops working, the problem is usually in the power, the controls, or the door itself. The door is the part people forget.
Nothing happens at all
- Power. Is the opener's light working? Check that it's plugged in, then check the GFCI outlet (the one with the test/reset buttons, sometimes in another spot in the garage) and your breaker panel.
- Lock mode. Most wall buttons have a lock or "vacation" button that blocks every remote. If the wall button works but no remotes do, press and hold lock for a couple of seconds to turn it off.
- Power outage. Since July 1, 2019, openers sold or installed in California must have a battery backup. If yours has one and the battery is old, the opener may beep or refuse to run. Batteries usually need replacing every few years.
The remote or keypad doesn't work
- Replace the battery in the remote or keypad. If the remote works only up close, the battery is the most likely cause.
- Reprogram it. Remotes and keypads lose their pairing after power surges or a reset. Your opener has a "learn" button (often on the back or side of the motor unit); the manual explains the steps for your brand.
- Check the antenna. The short wire hanging from the motor unit should hang straight down, not be tucked into the housing.
- LED bulbs. Some cheap LED bulbs in the opener's light sockets jam the remote signal. If range got worse after you changed bulbs, try a garage-door-rated bulb.
The door starts, then stops or reverses
- Sensors. If it goes down and comes back up, see garage door won't close.
- Disconnected trolley. If the motor runs and the chain or belt moves but the door doesn't, the emergency release (red cord) may be pulled. Close the door by hand and run the opener; most trolleys reconnect on their own.
Signs it's the opener itself
- Grinding with no movement: often a stripped drive gear in chain-drive openers.
- Clicking from the motor with no movement: a failing capacitor or circuit board.
- The opener runs for a second then stops, at the same spot every time: limits or a board issue.
- The opener is old, has no battery backup, or uses a remote that can't be replaced anymore.
Opener repairs can be worth it on a newer unit. On an older one, a new opener with battery backup, a quieter belt drive or a wall-mount motor may be a better buy. Our opener buying guide compares them.
Questions
Why does my garage door remote only work up close?
Usually a weak remote battery. It can also be a bent antenna on the motor unit or interference from LED bulbs in the opener.
How do I reset my garage door opener?
Most openers have a learn button on the motor unit. Holding it for several seconds erases all remotes; you then reprogram each remote and keypad. Check your opener's manual for the exact steps.
Why does my opener hum but the door won't move?
Often a broken spring makes the door too heavy to lift. It can also be a stripped gear or a pulled emergency release. Don't keep running it.
Do I need a battery backup on my garage door opener?
California has required battery backup on openers sold or installed in the state since July 1, 2019, so the door works during a power outage. An older opener without one can keep running, but a new one must have it.