Finding that your garage door won’t open when you’re heading out for work is a major disruption. While some failures are mechanical and require a professional, others are safety-related glitches you can resolve in minutes. This guide ranks solutions from most likely to least likely to help you diagnose the issue efficiently.
5 Common Causes for a Garage Door Not Opening
1Blocked or Misaligned Safety Sensors
Since 1993, all openers have photo-eye sensors at the bottom of the tracks. If a leaf, a spiderweb, or a trash can blocks the beam, the motor will refuse to move as a safety precaution. In 2026, many sensors are also sensitive to “sunlight glare” during specific times of the day.
Symptoms
- The opener light flashes 10 times when you try to open/close it.
- The door starts to move but immediately reverses.
Care Plan
- Wipe both sensor lenses with a microfiber cloth.
- Check that both small LEDs on the sensors are solid (usually one green, one amber).
- If a light is blinking, gently wiggle the sensor until it stays solid.
- Tighten the mounting bracket to ensure it doesn’t vibrate out of place.
- If sunlight is hitting the sensor directly, use a small piece of cardboard to create a “sun shield.”
Common Mistakes
- Assuming the sensors are “broken” when they are just dusty.
- Kicking the tracks to align them, which can bend the metal.
2Broken Torsion or Extension Spring
The springs do 90% of the lifting work. A torsion spring typically lasts 10,000 cycles (about 7–10 years). When it snaps, the motor is suddenly forced to lift the full weight of the door—which it is not designed to do.
Symptoms
- You heard a loud “bang” (like a gunshot) in the garage earlier.
- The motor hums or starts for a second and then stops.
- There is a visible gap in the coils of the spring above the door.
Care Plan
- Do not continue to press the remote; you will burn out the motor.
- Look at the spring above the door. If it is in two pieces, it is broken.
- Call a professional. This is not a DIY repair due to the high tension involved.
- If you must get your car out, you will need two people to manually lift the door (after pulling the red release cord) and prop it open securely.
Common Mistakes
- Thinking the motor is “weak” when the spring is actually the problem.
- Attempting to replace torsion springs with standard household tools.
3Engaged "Vacation Mode" or Manual Lock
Most wall-mounted consoles have a “Lock” or “Vacation” button. If this is toggled, the motor will ignore all handheld remotes and keypads. Additionally, many doors have a physical sliding lock on the inside of the panel that can prevent the door from moving.
Symptoms
- The wall button works, but nothing else does.
- The light on the wall button is blinking.
Care Plan
- Check the wall console; if the “Lock” light is flashing, hold the button down for 3 seconds to unlock.
- Inspect the actual garage door panels for a sliding metal bar that might be engaged in the track.
- Ensure no one has placed a padlock through the track holes for extra security.
- Verify that the “Vacation Mode” hasn’t been enabled in your 2026 smart home app.
Common Mistakes
- Forgetting the manual slide-lock is engaged and trying to force the door open with the motor, which can bend the tracks.
4Snapped or Off-Track Cables
Cables work in tandem with the springs to lift the door. If a cable frays and snaps, or if it slips off the drum, the door will become “crooked” in the tracks and seize up immediately.
Symptoms
- The door is hanging at an angle (one side higher than the other).
- You see a loose “steel string” hanging down near the tracks.
Care Plan
- Stop using the opener immediately to prevent the door from falling out of the tracks.
- Check the drums at the top corners for “bird-nesting” (tangled cables).
- If the cable has slipped but isn’t snapped, a pro can reset the tension.
- If the cable is snapped, it must be replaced along with a safety inspection of the rollers.
Common Mistakes
- Trying to “level” a crooked door by hand while it’s still under spring tension.
5Stripped Drive Gear or Motor Failure
Inside the motor housing, a plastic “drive gear” connects the motor to the chain or belt. Over a decade of use, the teeth on this gear can wear down (strip). The motor will spin perfectly, but the chain won’t move.
Symptoms
- The motor makes a “grinding” or “whirring” noise, but the chain/belt stays still.
- You see white “plastic snow” (shavings) inside the motor casing.
Care Plan
- Unplug the unit and remove the plastic cover.
- Inspect the large white plastic gear for worn-out teeth.
- If stripped, you can buy a “Gear and Sprocket” replacement kit for about $30.
- Apply white lithium grease to the new gear to prevent future wear.
- If the motor itself doesn’t make any noise, the logic board may have failed due to a surge.
Common Mistakes
- Replacing the entire opener when a $30 plastic gear is the only failed part.
