Close-limit set too low
Technician job- How you know
- The door reaches the floor, touches, then reverses fully. Sensors are solid and there is no obstruction.
- The fix
- Down-limit adjustment on the motor unit.
Troubleshooting
Garage door opens or closes then reverses
If it reverses before touching the floor, suspect the photo eyes. If it touches down first, the close limit is low. How to tell which, in five minutes.
Diagnosis
What's actually causing it
Work down the list. The tells are what separate one cause from another.
Photo-eye sensors misaligned
You can check this- How you know
- The door stops and reverses before it gets to the floor, and the opener light blinks.
- The fix
- Clean and realign both sensors until the LEDs are solid.
Obstruction or debris in the track
You can check this- How you know
- It reverses at the same height every time.
- The fix
- Clear the track and check for dents.
Binding roller or bent track
Technician job- How you know
- The door judders just before reversing. The opener is reading the extra resistance as an obstruction.
- The fix
- Roller replacement or track correction.
Force setting too sensitive
Technician job- How you know
- Reverses inconsistently, often worse after a big temperature swing.
- The fix
- Force adjustment, set correctly and not cranked up to mask a mechanical fault.
Door out of balance
Technician job- How you know
- The opener works noticeably harder in one direction, and the door will not hold position when disconnected.
- The fix
- Spring tension adjustment.
Before you call
Safe things to check yourself
Any of these could save you a service call, and none of them will hurt you or the door.
- Watch whether it reverses before or after touching the floor. That single detail splits the diagnosis in two.
- Check both sensor LEDs are solid and the lenses are clean.
- Look along the track at the height where it reverses for debris or a dent.
- Disconnect the opener and move the door by hand. It should glide. Any catch is mechanical, not electrical.
- Count the blinks on the opener light. Most units publish a blink code for the fault.
When we come out
What a service call looks like
We diagnose on site, tell you what failed and why, and give you a written price before touching anything. If it turns out to be something you could have fixed in five minutes, we will say so.
Our trucks carry springs, cables, rollers, hinges and common opener parts, so most repairs finish in a single visit rather than needing a return trip.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Why does my garage door reverse before it reaches the floor?
Something is breaking the photo-eye beam, or the opener is reading mechanical resistance as an obstruction. Check the sensor LEDs first; if they are solid, look along the track at the height where it stops.
Why does my garage door bounce back up after closing?
The close-limit is set slightly too low, so the door hits the floor before the opener expects to and reads it as an obstruction. It is a small adjustment on the motor unit, but easy to overshoot in the other direction.
Should I just turn up the force setting?
No. That setting is what makes the door stop if it closes on someone. Turning it up masks the real fault and removes the safety margin at the same time.
Why did this start after a cold night?
Temperature changes stiffen grease and contract metal, which raises the resistance the opener sees. A door already close to its force threshold will start reversing. It usually means the door needs lubrication and a balance check rather than a new opener.
How much does this cost to fix?
Sensor realignment is often quick and we will say so if it is something you can do yourself. Opener repairs run roughly $200 to $350 and a full set of rollers $150 to $250 from our published Miami guide. The estimate is free either way.
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