Garage Door Reverses Before Reaching the Floor: Causes & Solutions
By Literally Garage Door Team | Northern NJ garage door experts with years of hands-on experience serving Bergen, Essex, Morris, Passaic, and Hudson counties.
Your garage door starts closing, then reverses back up before it reaches the ground. Here's why it happens and how to fix it.
Door Reverses Mid-Travel: What's Going On?
Unlike a door that closes completely then reopens, this problem involves the door reversing partway down, before it ever reaches the floor. It might stop and reverse at the same point every time, or it might reverse at random positions. Either way, you can't get your door to close, and that's a problem.
This issue is related to your opener's safety systems, but the specific causes and fixes are different from a door that closes fully before reversing. Let's walk through each possibility.
Cause #1: Photo-Eye Sensor Problems
This is the most common cause of mid-travel reversal and the first thing to check.
How the sensors work: Two small sensors face each other at the base of the door frame, about 6 inches off the ground. The sending unit projects an infrared beam to the receiving unit. If this beam is broken while the door is closing, the opener reverses immediately; it's designed to prevent the door from closing on a person, pet, or object.
Why sensors cause mid-travel reversal:
- Misalignment: If the sensors are slightly off-angle, the beam connection is marginal. Vibration from the door moving can be enough to interrupt the unstable beam, triggering a reversal at whatever point the vibration peaks.
- Dirty lenses: Dust, cobwebs, water spots, and condensation on the sensor lenses weaken the beam signal. A weakened beam may hold during initial door movement but break as vibration increases.
- Sunlight interference: Direct sunlight (especially afternoon sun) can overpower the infrared beam. The door may work fine in the morning and reverse every time in the afternoon.
- Damaged wiring: The thin wires running from the sensors to the opener can be damaged by foot traffic, stored items, or lawn equipment. A partially broken wire creates an intermittent connection; sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
- Failed sensor: The sending or receiving unit itself may have failed. This typically requires replacement rather than adjustment.
How to fix sensor issues:
- Check both sensor indicator lights. The sending unit should show a steady green light. The receiving unit should show a steady amber/orange light. If either is off, blinking, or flickering, there's a problem.
- Clean both lenses with a soft, dry cloth.
- Verify alignment; both sensors should point directly at each other at the same height. Loosen the wing nut, adjust until lights are steady, retighten.
- Inspect wiring from both sensors back to the opener for damage.
- If a sensor has failed, it needs replacement (usually $85–$150 installed).
Cause #2: Something Is Physically Blocking the Door
Before diving into mechanical or electrical diagnosis, look for simple obstructions:
- Items stored near the door's path: A bicycle handlebar, a rake, storage bins, or shoes positioned near the door's edge can intermittently trigger the sensors or physically contact the door.
- Debris in the tracks: Small objects, leaves, ice, or hardened dirt in the track can prevent smooth travel and cause the opener to interpret resistance as an obstruction.
- The door seal catching: A bottom weatherstrip that's too thick, partially detached, or bunched up can catch on the floor and create enough resistance to trigger reversal.
Cause #3: Track or Roller Problems
If the door encounters physical resistance at a specific point in its travel, the opener's force sensor may trigger a reversal before the door reaches the floor.
- Bent track: A dent or bend in the vertical or curved section of the track creates a pinch point. The rollers can't pass smoothly, the door jams momentarily, and the opener reverses.
- Worn or seized rollers: A roller that no longer spins freely creates a drag point. The door may move through it slowly or stop entirely, either can trigger reversal.
- Track misalignment: If the tracks aren't plumb or properly spaced, the door binds at certain points. This is more common in garages where the tracks have been bumped by a vehicle or where foundation settling has shifted the framing.
The fix: Track straightening, roller replacement, or track realignment. These are professional repairs, bending tracks without proper tools can make the problem worse. Learn more about track repair →
Cause #4: Spring Imbalance
If one spring is weaker than the other (due to uneven wear, a partially broken spring, or incorrect replacement), the door travels unevenly. One side may drop faster than the other, creating binding in the tracks that triggers the opener's force sensor.
How to test: Disconnect the opener (pull the emergency release cord when the door is fully closed). Manually lift the door to the halfway point and release. If it doesn't stay in place, if it drifts up, drops down, or tilts to one side; the springs need attention.
The fix: Professional spring adjustment or replacement. Do not attempt to adjust torsion spring tension yourself.
Cause #5: Opener Logic Board or Wiring Issues
If you've ruled out sensors, obstructions, tracks, and springs, the problem may be internal to the opener:
- Failing logic board: The circuit board that controls the opener's functions can develop faults from age, power surges, or moisture. Erratic behavior, including random reversals, is a symptom of a dying board.
- Loose wiring connections: Vibration loosens terminal connections over time. A loose wire to the sensor terminals or motor terminals can cause intermittent failures.
- Short circuit: Damaged insulation on internal wiring can create intermittent shorts that confuse the opener's control system.
The fix: These are professional opener repairs requiring electrical diagnosis.
Quick Diagnostic Checklist
- Check sensor indicator lights (both should be steady, not blinking)
- Clean sensor lenses
- Look for objects near the door's path
- Check tracks for debris or damage
- Listen for grinding, scraping, or binding during door travel
- Test door balance with opener disconnected
- Try closing the door using the wall button while holding it (bypasses sensors, if it closes this way, it's a sensor issue)
When to Call a Pro
If sensor cleaning and realignment don't solve the problem, professional diagnosis is needed. The issue could be mechanical (tracks, rollers, springs), electrical (wiring, logic board), or a combination. We can diagnose and fix the root cause in a single visit.
Related
- Door closes then reopens
- Opener repair
- Garage door repair
- Off-track repair
- Roller repair
- Spring repair
Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Warren, Union and Somerset Counties.