Garage Door Opener Repair: How to Fix The Most Common Issues

February 27, 2023

Any garage every garage setup should include door openers to ensure easy and convenient operation for opening and closing. Nevertheless, garage door openers, being mechanics devices, possess the inherent possibility of malfunctioning as time progresses.

Here are five of the most common garage door opener problems and how to fix them:

Problem #1: The wall station works, but the remote does not.

Troubleshooting Steps: Try a second remote and if that doesn't work try or you don't have one then try replacing the batteries.

If your wall station is working, but the remote isn’t try changing the battery or use another remote if you have one. If neither remote works after changing the batteries, the problem might be a faulty internal logic board. Fixing this can be costly and may not be the best course of action if your opener is used a lot and is over 8 to 10 years old. Older openers used to have manual up and down limits along with dials that are used to adjust the amount of force used to help the opener push and pull the garage door up and down but those mechanisms have now become digitized which doubled and sometimes tripled the cost of the logic boards that come with new model garage door openers.

When trying to decide whether to repair or replace keep in mind that everything on the opener including the belt (unless it’s a chain model), safety sensors, internal sensors, remotes, trolley, and keypads are all the same age and will eventually need to be replaced. Gator Garage Doors is happy to replace the logic board if that’s what the customer would like to do but we also want you to make the best decision that is right for you and your family.

Problem #2: The wall switch does not work, but the remote does.

Troubleshooting Steps: Narrow down whether the root cause is the wall station, wiring, or logic board.

You might need to replace the wall switch or the wiring if the remote operates, but the wall switch does not. First, unscrew the switch from the wall, then connect the wires (the wires are low voltage and will not shock you) to see if the switch or the wires are damaged. If the door begins to move, it indicates a problem with the wall station. For older model openers, a cost-effective solution could be using a doorbell button. You will probably need to purchase the exact model wall station for openers with more advanced features to ensure 100% functionality.

If the issue is not a faulty wall control and you need to determine if the problem is with the wiring, you can bypass the existing wiring by removing the wall control off the wall and attaching it directly to the motor. If the system works, then you should replace the low-voltage wiring that runs from the opener to the wall control. At Gator Garage Doors, we like to use 18-gauge thermostat wiring that can typically be found at almost any hardware store. It’s will have two wires that are large enough in diameter for it to make a strong connection at the motor terminal block.

The items above will typically solve this type of problem but if it doesn’t you may be looking at a faulty logic board. If you get to this point and you’re not sure what to do it may be time to call a professional garage door company.

Problem #3: The door opens but only closes when you hold down the wall switch.

Troubleshooting Steps: #1 Check for obstructions. #2 Realign safety sensors. #3 Replace safety sensors.

All garage door openers will blink a certain amount of times in the event of an error. If that error is related to a misaligned safety sensor the opener will blink 10 times. If this happens we recommend you try the following to troubleshoot the issue:

Make sure nothing is blocking the beam, such as a box or the rear of a car, that could interfere with the beam that’s created between transmit and receive safety sensors.
Locate the two photo-eyes that are located toward the bottom of the vertical tracks that are on each side of the garage door. Use a soft cloth to remove any debris or spiderwebs that may have built up over time.
Each photo-eye is typically held in place using a wing nut although this is manufacturer-specific. Loosen the wingnut, align the two sensors so they are facing each other, and then tighten the wingnuts.
If you’ve tried the above three steps and the opener still won’t move and the motor continues to blink 10 times you can try pressing and holding the wall station button down which will allow you to override the safety sensors but be careful doing this because you could make a bad situation worse. We recommend calling a reputable garage door company at this point.

Problem #4: Everything is functioning but the lights.

Troubleshooting Steps: Determine whether the issue is related to the bulb, socket or logic board.

If you’ve already tested the light bulb and you know it’s good it could be related to the light socket. You can try the following things if you feel up to the task.

Unplug the opener from the socket before attempting any repairs so you’re not electrocuted.
Remove the bulb from the socket and make sure that the brass tab is making good contact with the bulb. To do this you may have to use a pair of needle nose pliers. Be careful when doing this so you don’t break the delicate tab.
If the tab is broken you may have to contact the manufacturer to get a replacement socket.
If the issue persists you’ll have to remove the end panel which typically has two small phillips-screws at the top and one on the bottom.
Unplug the two wires that are connected to the light socket. Furthermore, push down the tab that connects the socket to the end panel and remove the socket.
Insert the new socket and put the end panel back into place and secure the three screws.
Make sure you use a bulb that has the correct wattage.
Plug the unit back in and test.

Problem #5: The garage door does not open even if the trolley carriage is moving.

Troubleshooting Steps: Re-engage the trolley/carriage.

If you find yourself in a situation where the piece on the garage door opener rail, the trolley, moves back and forth but the door doesn’t budge someone has probably pulled the emergency release cord. Reengaging the trolley can be tricky and we recommend this be done manually to prevent damage to the opener.

First, make sure your garage door is in the down position.
Now move the trolley so that it’s close to the motor and manually lift the door until you hear the trolley engage.
If you have issues with the engagement process it’s probably related to the type of trolley you have. Some trolleys have a plastic tab that needs to be flipped up or it could be a small spring that’s stuck open and gently pulling on the emergency release cord will force it into the close position and now the trolley should engage.
If you continue to have issues we recommend you call a professional to avoid damage to the opener.

Final Tip

Garages shelter vehicles and outdoor items from inclement weather. When all of your systems are working properly, they also act as a safe entrance and exit point for your house.

The garage door gets used more frequently than many other home devices. And if this situation persists, the garage door’s mechanical system will eventually need repairs and proactive maintenance.

Simple troubleshooting techniques will often address common garage door opener problems. However, a professional technician may be needed to identify and fix the problem in more difficult situations.