Troubleshooting Overhead Garage Door Openers
As long as they work, garage door openers are the best addition to a garage. They allow
you to operate the garage door without having to leave your car in inclement weather.
Few things are more frustrating than going out to open your door just to find out
something is not working. Troubleshooting your garage door opener is simple.
Garage Door Sensors
 Check the plug for the garage door opener and ensure it is securely plugged into the
outlet. The plug can work itself loose over time and prevent the door from opening or
closing.
 Look at the light emitting diodes (LED) on each of the two sensors. When the
infrared beam is transmitting from one of the sensors, and received at the second
sensor, each will have a green LED lit. If one or both of the sensors displays a red or
blinking red LED light, that particular sensor has a problem.
 Clean the lenses on both sensors with a soft tissue so they properly send and receive
the infrared beam of light.
 Adjust the two sensors where they point directly at one another. While the sensors
do have a relatively wide tolerance for misalignment, if the two sensors are not
aligned, they will not work properly.
 Inspect the terminal connection at the garage door opener where the sensors connect
to the opener. A strip of screws under the front face of the garage door opener is
where the sensor wires land to the terminal. A loose or corroded connection at the
terminal screw prevents the sensors from transmitting the appropriate signal back to
the opener.
 Replace the garage door sensors if cleaning, adjustment or inspection of the terminal
leads fails to solve the problem.
 Keep the garage door sensors clean and aligned to prevent door closure problems.
Door Will Start to Close but Reverses Direction
 The Consumer Product Safety Commission passed a law requiring all door openers
manufactured after 1991 have a safety reverse mechanism on them. This is to keep
children and animals from being injured or killed by automatic closing garage doors.
If your door is automatically reversing and there is no obstruction, there are a couple
of things to inspect.
Sarah Seidler, Owner-Broker
 Check the operation of the garage door especially as it moves through the curve of
the door track. If it binds, it will cause the safety mechanism to reverse the door.
To check for binding, release the door from the opener by pulling the emergency
release cord. With the door released, close it and open by hand. You should feel no
bind, and the door should roll smoothly. If there is a bind, repair the cause and hook
the door back up to the opener.
 The electric eyes could be out of alignment as well. Check the beam to make sure that
the components have not been knocked loose or otherwise bent out of place. Realign
them as necessary. Look for debris, dust and condensation on the lens as well as this
will block the beam and give the garage door opener a false reading.
Remote or Wall Switch Will Not Open Door
 The most common problem with a remote not operating a garage door opener is that
the battery is dead. Take the battery cover off the remote and replace it with a new
one. This should solve the problem.
 If the wall switch will not operate door, there could be a loose wire. Follow the wire
from the wall button to the garage door opener. Check for spots that may have
become bare underneath staples. Check the connection at the back of the door
opener. Sometimes, they will come loose over time.
Door Does Not Close All The Way
 If the door does not close all the way down to the floor, you will have to adjust the
down limit switch. The limit switch tells the opener how much travel it is supposed
to have. Check the owner's manual for the location of the down switch, although on
most models it is at the rear or the motor assembly.
 To adjust the switch, take a flat screwdriver and turn it a little bit at a time to allow
your garage door to seal. You will have to open and close the door with the remote
until you get the adjustment correct. If you adjust too much, the door will reverse
after hitting the floor. Just make small turns on the switch and you will get it
adjusted.
 If you have the opposite issue and the door does not open completely, you will have
to make the same adjustments, only you will be working with the open limit switch.
It may take you several attempts before you get the exact adjustment.
Sarah Seidler, Owner-Broker