When the garage door opener stops working, it’s usually at the worst time: you’re late, the car is inside, and the button just clicks. The good news is that a lot of opener problems come down to something simple you can check safely in a few minutes. This guide walks through the checks we’d do first, in order, and tells you which signs mean you should stop and call a technician. If you’d rather skip straight to help, call Metro GDS at (310) 299-0996, 24/7.
Safety first: rule out a broken spring
Before you troubleshoot the opener, look at the door itself. If you heard a loud bang, see a gap in the spring above the door, or a cable is hanging loose, the problem isn’t the opener. Don’t keep pressing the button. A broken spring means the opener is trying to lift the door’s full weight, and that can strip the gear or bend the door. Read our broken spring safety tips and call us.
8 quick checks before you call
1. Does the opener have power?
Look for the light on the motor unit. If nothing lights up, check that it’s plugged in, try another device in that outlet, and reset any tripped breaker or GFCI outlet in the garage. Power blips in summer heat waves and Santa Ana wind outages are a common cause in LA.
2. Is the lock or “vacation” button on?
Many LiftMaster and Chamberlain wall buttons have a lock feature that blocks all remotes. If the wall button works but no remote does, look for a lock icon or a blinking light on the wall control and turn it off.
3. Remote batteries and range
If only one remote fails, replace its battery. If every remote has short range, LED bulbs in the opener or nearby can interfere with the signal. Try removing the bulbs as a test.
4. Safety sensors
The two small sensors near the floor on each side of the door must see each other. If the door starts down and reverses, or the opener light blinks, check that both sensor lights are steady, wipe the lenses, and make sure nothing is blocking the beam. Sensors get bumped by bins and bikes all the time. Gently realign them until both lights are solid.
5. Is the trolley disconnected?
If the motor runs but the door doesn’t move, the red emergency release may have been pulled. With the door fully closed, run the opener once and the trolley will usually re-engage. Our manual release guide shows how.
6. Something in the tracks
Look along both tracks for a bent section, a loose bolt or something caught in the rollers. Don’t hammer a bent track straight yourself; a misaligned door can come off the track.
7. Travel limits and force settings
If the door closes, touches the floor and reverses back up, the travel limit or force setting may be off. That often happens after hot weather or a new threshold seal. Newer openers have up/down buttons for this. Follow your opener’s manual, and if you’re unsure, leave it to a technician since these settings are tied to the safety reverse.
8. Listen to the motor
A hum with no movement, grinding, or a motor that runs but the chain or belt doesn’t move usually points to a stripped gear, a worn drive or a failing capacitor. That one needs a repair visit.
When to stop and call a technician
- A broken spring or cable, or the door hangs crooked
- The door came off the track
- Grinding, burning smell or a motor that hums but won’t turn
- The logic board’s lights flash an error code you can’t clear
- The opener is 15 or more years old and keeps acting up
Repair or replace the opener?
Many openers can be repaired: gears, sensors, logic boards, remotes and wall buttons are all replaceable. Replacement makes more sense if the opener has no battery backup (California has required it on new openers since 2019), if it’s loud enough to wake the house, or if parts are no longer made. Newer belt-drive and wall-mount models are quieter and add smartphone control. Our quiet opener guide compares the options, and our garage door openers page lists the brands we install.
How Metro GDS fixes opener problems
We repair and install LiftMaster, Linear and Craftsman openers, and service most other major brands. On a typical visit we check the door’s balance first (an unbalanced door kills openers), test the sensors and auto-reverse, diagnose the motor and board, and reprogram your remotes and keypads. See our garage door opener repair page for details, or start at our garage door repair hub.
We’re based in Woodland Hills and serve the whole San Fernando Valley, the Westside and LA County, including Woodland Hills, Encino and Sherman Oaks.
Opener FAQ
Why does my garage door open but not close?
Nine times out of ten it’s the safety sensors: misaligned, dirty or blocked. Check that both sensor lights are solid.
Why does the wall button work but not the remote?
Check the remote battery and the lock button on the wall control. LED bulbs can also block the remote’s signal.
Can I open the door if the opener is dead?
Yes, with the door fully closed and springs intact you can use the emergency release and lift it by hand. If the door feels very heavy, stop; a spring may be broken.
Do you program remotes and keypads?
Yes. We program remotes, keypads, car HomeLink buttons and smartphone apps during any opener visit.
How fast can you come out?
Same day in most of the Valley and LA County, and we answer 24/7 at (310) 299-0996.
Still stuck? Call (310) 299-0996 or book online.