Help! Garage door won't close

[mystang52]

Spontaneously, my garage door won't close when using my automatic door closer. i.e., when pushing either of my car's button, or the outside garage door button, the door either doesn't close at all, or it goes a very short distance before it reverses. Strangely, when I push AND HOLD the inside garage door button, it will close all the way. But if I just press the button the door likewise moves at most a foot or 2 before reversing.
I tried changing the downward force, but that did not do anything. I cleaned the safety sensors, likewise no change. I'm sending this early Friday afternoon before the holiday weekend, so I doubt I can get a service person here until next week. Can anyone here offer some suggestions?

 

[pacergal]

New Battery needed somewhere?

 

[qwerty3656]

All I can suggest is search youtube - there are a lot of how-to videos there

 

[Car-Guy]

Maybe spray some WD40 on the tracks and door joints as well as chain/screw drives (if chain/screw driven)

 

[wmc1000]

Are the safety sensors out of alignment with each other so the infrared beam isn't received by the other sensor.

 

[bloom2708]

Sounds like the sensors are mis-aligned.

Check and see if someone bumped a sensor and they are not pairing.

The door won't close if the sensor is off/out.

 

[freedomatlast]

It's an issue with the safety sensors. Since you already cleaned them, check the wiring and recheck the alignment. You may need to replace them. If you have two doors of the same brand, see if you can swap the sensors from one to the other to troubleshoot. The key was that you noted the door will close normally if you push and hold the button.

 

[CRLLS]

Unhook the door from the track and see if it closes and opens manually. This will eliminate the door and tracks from the equation. Then with the door still disconnected, see of the opener moves normally along the track. This tests the opto sensors being the problem. If it doesn't operate properly, it could be the force sensors inside the motor unit.

My bet is a loose or broken wire on the sensors. Do yours have the LED indicating blocked or OK?

 

[mystang52]

Thanks everyone. The door opens and closes manually. I will check the sensors and alignment, now. Will send update later.

 

[marko]

When my sensors are out of line, the overhead light flashes

 

[ShokWaveRider]

OP, mine does this when the sun is shining on the door sensor (Bottom of the door). The Garage hardwired switch overrides this, it is normal for my door.

 

[5Miler]

I have experienced this in the past. Found it was a setting on the opener to limit the downward pressure the door would exert. It was very cold and suddenly the issue started. It is a safety so the door wouldn't crush anything in it's path including small children I suppose.

I was able to adjust the pressure limits but eventually it failed totally so I replaced the door opener. The adjustment got me an additional 6 months or so of use.

This was an older Craftsman opener for reference before the beam sensors that are in use today so don't know if the pressure sensor still applies.

 

[Chuckanut]

Are the safety sensors out of alignment with each other so the infrared beam isn't received by the other sensor.

I had that problem a few years back. The sensors were just on the edge of not being aligned. Sometimes the door would vibrate the sensor just enough to break the beam and up went the door. I bent the bracket holding the beam sensor and the problem was fixed.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I would also suspect the sensors have gotten out of alignment with each other. Cleaning them is good, but they need to point directly at each other to work.

Just yesterday, my 84 year old mother was reporting the same thing. It had been happening for a week or more and she finally told me about it. Her apartment complex maintenance guy put a new battery in her remote control, but that didn't seem to solve anything.

When I went to look at her garage, she had placed a show shovel directly in front of one of the sensors. I'm surprised her opener even worked intermittently because the shovel entirely blocked the one sensor. Moving the shovel did indeed solve the problem nicely. She was not aware how the door worked at all. My late father was in charge of that topic. I'm a bit surprised her maintenance man didn't find the fix, but I don't know if he actually came to the garage or if he just assumed it was a battery issue and moved on to his next task. He's an overworked guy.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

If you have a cat check the sensor wiring. Not sure if she chewed on it or kept rubbing up against it and managed to disconnect it but it was constantly broken and I once saw her messing with it. I finally gave up and left it broken since it's the rear garage door to my back yard which is rarely used. When needed I just lift it manually now even though that cat has passed away, one day I'll get around to fixing it.

 

[jazz4cash]

When my sensors are out of line, the overhead light flashes

+1. The sensor lights change colors when out of alignment too but you can only really see them when dark.

 

[Car-Guy]

Over the years, I had so many problems with sensors getting out of alignment I finally put a stop to it and now it's the last thing I check if I'm having door opening/closing problems.... Of course it's hard for them to get out of alignment when they are in the rafters 6" apart.

 

[mystang52]

Spoke with manufacturer's service department. They had me run through some tests; appears the sensors are dead and need to be replaced. There's a local place that has the replacement sensors. It looks easy enough to DIY, but then again it's also pretty darned easy to spend another $150 for someone else to do it. I will decide next week. Thanks again to everyone.

 

[jazz4cash]

My sensors are 8 inches above the floor….too low to prevent the door from hitting the car if it’s under the door. I always wanted to add a second set of sensors in series about 2 ft above the floor.

 

[Sunset]

My sensors are 8 inches above the floor….too low to prevent the door from hitting the car if it’s under the door. I always wanted to add a second set of sensors in series about 2 ft above the floor.

I've had the same thought, that I could park under the door and the sensors could see under the car and bang !!

Next garage door opener install I'm putting them up about 1 foot from the floor.

 

[Qs Laptop]

Spoke with manufacturer's service department. They had me run through some tests; appears the sensors are dead and need to be replaced. There's a local place that has the replacement sensors. It looks easy enough to DIY, but then again it's also pretty darned easy to spend another $150 for someone else to do it. I will decide next week. Thanks again to everyone.

Went through this scenario last winter. Exact same symptoms. Posted about it here on ER.org. (Do a search.) Bad sensor. Check ebay for replacement sensors.

 

[Ronstar]

Spoke with manufacturer's service department. They had me run through some tests; appears the sensors are dead and need to be replaced. There's a local place that has the replacement sensors. It looks easy enough to DIY, but then again it's also pretty darned easy to spend another $150 for someone else to do it. I will decide next week. Thanks again to everyone.

I had the same deal - needed new sensors. I had the same decision - DIY or garage guy. I had the garage guy do it since he was doing some other stuff on another door.

Another weird thing a few days ago. Door wouldn't close all the way - went down about a foot and bounced back up. Cleaned sensors, checked alignment - all good. I had a small piece of styrofoam insulation leaning against the garage wall near but not blocking one of the sensors. I moved the insulation and the door worked fine. Maybe the sun's reflection off the insulation triggered the sensor but I'm not sure.

 

[MichaelB]

This problem is contagious

I read this post yesterday, then last night my garage door opener refused to close properly. It closes, then reopens, gives an error code.

In my case the error code points to a fix that is not user friendly. The unit was installed new last April, so it is under warranty. I’ll call and see what they have to say ..

 

[EastWest Gal]

We have an occasional problem as the OP posted. Only on some sunny mornings. At certain times of the year, the sunlight is directed at one of the sensors and interferes with it. I stand and cast a shadow on the sensor, or wait 30 minutes.

 

[Time2]

I read this post yesterday, then last night my garage door opener refused to close properly. It closes, then reopens, gives an error code.

In my case the error code points to a fix that is not user friendly. The unit was installed new last April, so it is under warranty. I’ll call and see what they have to say ..

"This problem is contagious"

You tell us this, afterwe read through the thread!
After hurricane damage we got a replacement for our 30 year old double wide garage door. After the first up/down cycle, I told the installers, it's to quiet, how will I know when the wife is sneaking out!