Garage Door Won't Close? Try These Fixes in This Exact Order
Your garage door won't close. Maybe it goes halfway and reverses, maybe it bounces back up, maybe the wall button does nothing while the remote works fine. Before you call anyone, work through this list in the order pros actually use — cheapest, fastest fixes first. Six out of ten "won't close" calls get solved in under a minute. The rest you'll at least describe correctly when a tech rolls up.
Quick answer
Most "won't close" failures are dirty or misaligned safety sensors — 30 seconds with a damp cloth fixes roughly 60% of calls. After that: reversing on contact = down-limit or spring tension; stops short = down-limit too high; wall button dead = wire short; loud bang = broken spring (call a pro); door visibly skewed = off-track (don't run the opener).
Try this first: the 30-second sensor wipe
Look at the bottom of the door track, 6 inches off the ground, on each side. Two small plastic boxes face each other — the photoelectric safety eye, federally required on residential openers since 1993. If anything interrupts the beam, the door refuses to close. Modern openers won't even try; they just flash the overhead light.
Wipe the lens on each sensor with a damp cloth (not a paper towel — fibers smear). Then check the LED on each box. LiftMaster and Chamberlain show one green steady and one amber steady when aligned; Genie shows two greens. Any LED blinking means the beam is broken or misaligned. Off means no power.
If a sensor LED is blinking, loosen the wing-nut on the bracket and tilt the sensor until the LED goes solid. Tighten and try the door. This single fix resolves roughly 60% of "won't close" calls. If it doesn't fix yours, you've ruled out the most common cause, and a Los Angeles garage door repair pro can skip straight to harder diagnostics.
Door comes down then reverses up: weight or limit issue
If the door starts down, gets partway, then reverses and goes back up — your opener thinks it hit something. Two causes share this symptom; you need to figure out which.
Spring tension test. Pull the red emergency release cord to disconnect the door from the opener. Lift the door manually to chest height and let go. A properly balanced door stays put. If it slams down or shoots up, the spring is broken, weak, or improperly tensioned. The opener was fighting the door's weight and the safety reversal kicked in. This is a spring job. Don't keep cycling the opener — you'll burn out the motor trying to lift a 200-pound door.
Force adjustment. If the door balances correctly when disconnected, the issue is the opener's down-force setting. On the motor head you'll find a screw labeled "down force" or "close force." Turn it clockwise 1/4 turn, reconnect, and test. If it still reverses, another 1/4 turn. Do not crank it all the way up — defeating the safety reversal entirely lets the door crush an object (or a pet) on the way down.
Door stops 6 inches off the floor
The door comes down almost all the way, then stops with a gap at the bottom and the opener light blinks. It isn't reversing — it's deciding it's done. The opener thinks it hit the floor when it didn't.
The cause, 90% of the time, is the down-limit setting. The motor head has a screw labeled "down limit" (separate from the down-force screw). Each full turn typically moves the stop point by about 2 inches. If the door is stopping 6 inches high, turn the down-limit screw counterclockwise about 3 turns, then cycle and check. Adjust in small increments until the door seats against the floor without the opener straining after it touches.
The other 10% of the time, the issue is the bottom rubber seal. If the seal is bunched up or jammed with debris (a rock, a wood chip), the opener reads that resistance as "I hit the floor." Clear the debris and smooth the seal before touching the limit screw. If the seal is brittle and cracked — common on Valley homes where UV bakes the rubber — it's a 15-minute replacement and a $25 part.
Remote works but wall button doesn't (or vice versa)
Wall button dead, remote works. The wall button is wired to the opener with two low-voltage wires along the ceiling. Common failures: a nicked wire from something hung overhead, or a mouse chewed the insulation (known issue in older LA garages with attic access). Inspect the visible run. If you see a break, splice with a wire nut. If intact, pop the cover and short the two terminals with a screwdriver. If the door responds to the short but not the press, replace the button — $20–$40 at any hardware store.
Remote intermittent or dead. Three suspects. First, swap the battery (CR2032 or 23A for most modern remotes). Second, re-pair: on most LiftMaster and Chamberlain units, press and release the "Learn" button on the motor head, then press the remote button within 30 seconds. Third, if the remote works near the opener but not from the driveway, you likely have RF interference from a cheap LED bulb in the opener housing — swap it for an incandescent or a garage-door-rated LED.
Loud bang then nothing: broken spring
If you heard a sound like a small firework or a bat hitting concrete in the last day, and now the motor runs but the door won't move — your torsion spring snapped. Look at the assembly above the closed door: a broken spring shows a 2–4 inch gap in the coil.
Stop. Do not lift the door manually. With the spring broken, the door is full dead weight — 150–250 pounds single-car, 250–400 pounds double-car. People have crushed fingers and dropped doors on their heads manhandling past a broken spring. Don't run the opener either — the motor isn't designed to lift without spring assist and burns out within a few cycles.
This is the textbook "call a pro" moment. Spring replacement requires winding bars and proper bracing. The CPSC tracks roughly 20,000 garage-door injuries per year, and a disproportionate share involve DIY spring work. In LA, expect $200–$700 for single-spring or $400–$1,400 for matched-pair replacement.
Track or roller off-track: stop and call
If the door looks visibly bent, skewed, or one panel sticks out, a roller has jumped its track. Usually after one of three events: someone bumped the track with a bumper, something heavy stored against the door tipped over, or a cable on one side snapped.
Do not run the opener. Running the motor on an off-track door bends the panels — a $300 problem becomes a $1,500 problem in 20 seconds. The opener doesn't "know" the door is off-track; it keeps pulling until the panel gives (4–8 weeks to order replacements for older profiles in Hancock Park and Pasadena).
If the door is partially open with the opener still engaged, pull the red emergency release cord to disconnect it, then leave the door alone. A pro with the right bracing can reset the rollers, straighten the track, and inspect for hidden damage in 30–60 minutes. Muscling the door back yourself usually causes further damage and cable failure on the opposite side.
When you've tried everything: call a pro
If you've worked through the list — sensors wiped, limits checked, button tested, springs intact, track straight — and the door still won't close, a pro can diagnose in 5 minutes what you've been guessing at for two hours.
In LA, expect $80–$150 for a service call that includes one common fix — sensor replacement, limit adjustment, capacitor swap, cable re-tensioning. Spring or full-opener work prices separately. A reputable pro gives you a written quote before work starts, broken out by parts and labor.
For pricing context, see how much garage door repair costs in Los Angeles. When you're ready to get matched, the LA garage door repair page routes by ZIP and symptom, and the national garage door repair hub covers other metros. Handyum matches you with a local pro who quotes, warranties, and does the work.
Frequently asked
Why does my garage door open but not close?
The most common cause is the photoelectric safety sensors at the base of the track. Modern openers will lift but refuse to close if the beam is broken or misaligned. Wipe both lenses and adjust the bracket until each LED is solid (not blinking). This resolves roughly 60% of "opens but won't close" issues in under a minute.
Why does my garage door close then immediately reverse?
Either the opener thinks it hit an obstruction, or the door is mechanically unbalanced. Pull the emergency release and lift the door manually — if it doesn't stay at chest height, your spring is broken or weak. If it balances correctly, the down-force setting is too sensitive; turn the down-force screw clockwise 1/4 turn at a time until the door closes cleanly.
How do I align garage door safety sensors?
Loosen the wing-nut on each sensor bracket and tilt the sensor until its LED goes from blinking to solid. Both sensors must show solid LEDs at the same time — typically one green and one amber on LiftMaster/Chamberlain, two greens on Genie. Wipe the lenses with a damp cloth first; dust or a spider web reads identically to misalignment.
How do I tell if my garage door spring is broken?
Look at the horizontal bar above the closed door — a broken torsion spring shows a 2–4 inch gap in the coil. Second test: pull the emergency release and lift by hand. If it feels like dead weight (150+ pounds) instead of floating up easily, the spring isn't doing its job. Don't run the opener with a broken spring; you'll burn out the motor.
Can I manually close a garage door with a broken spring?
Technically yes, but it's risky. With the spring broken, the door is full dead weight (150–400 pounds). If your grip slips, the door drops with no resistance. If you must close it, get a second adult, pull the emergency release, and lower slowly with both hands. Then leave it closed and call a pro.
How much is a garage door service call in LA?
A standard service call in Los Angeles runs $80–$150 and typically includes one common fix — sensor replacement, limit adjustment, capacitor swap, or cable re-tensioning. Spring or opener replacement is quoted separately. Same-day or after-hours calls add 30–50%. Always ask for a written breakdown of parts and labor.
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