Published 2026-06-24
Garage Door Won't Close? Here's Why, and How to Fix It
A garage door that will not close leaves your home open. The good news: most causes are quick to diagnose.
Common causes, most likely first
- Safety sensors. Blocked, dirty, misaligned or wet photo-eyes cause the door to reverse. Clean the lenses and check that both lights are steady.
- Travel and force limits. If the door stops an inch short or bounces off the floor, the close-travel limit needs a small adjustment.
- Something in the track. Debris, a rock, a bent section from a car bump. Never force the door past an obstruction.
- Worn rollers or dry hinges. Binding makes the opener think it hit something and reverse.
- Broken spring or cable. The door may close crooked or slam. Stop and call for spring repair or cable repair.
- Remote or wall button lock. A "lock" feature disables remotes; the wall button still works.
Closing it manually in the meantime
Pull the red emergency release with the door fully closed or fully open, never halfway. Then lower the door by hand and use the slide lock or a padlock through the track hole.
Door still stuck open? Same day emergency garage door repair is available in every Arizona city at (888) 904-6236.