The most common causes and what you can check before calling for service.
A garage door that stops short or reverses before fully closing is usually a safety system doing its job — but sometimes it's a simple mechanical issue. Here's how to diagnose which one you're dealing with.
This is the most common cause. The two sensor units near the bottom of your door tracks send an invisible beam across the opening. If anything breaks that beam — a leaf, a cobweb, a piece of debris, or even bright sunlight hitting a sensor directly — the opener won't close the door.
Check: Both sensor indicator lights should be solid (not blinking). If one is blinking, the beam is broken or the sensors are misaligned. Clear any debris. Loosen the sensor bracket and re-aim until both lights are solid, then retighten.
The opener has a "close limit" that tells it how far to travel before stopping. If this is set too short, the door stops before it reaches the floor. On most chain/belt drive openers, this is a screw adjustment accessible from the back of the opener unit — consult your manual or call Jerry to adjust it correctly.
Visually inspect the tracks for debris, a bent section, or an object (garden tool, storage item) that the door hits before closing. Even a small obstruction triggers the auto-reverse.
If your garage floor has settled unevenly, the bottom seal can contact the high spot before the door fully closes and trigger a reversal. A floor threshold seal can compensate for minor gaps. Larger floor height differences may require a different seal profile.
An unbalanced door (spring tension off) can cause the opener to work harder than it should, triggering its built-in force limiter before the door fully closes. If the door seems to close fine manually but not with the opener, this may be the issue.
If none of the simple checks resolve it, call 314-897-4721. Same-day service is usually available.
Technically yes — you can hold the wall button continuously on most openers to override the sensors. This is only appropriate for specific situations (e.g., testing) and should not become your normal method of operation. Safety sensors exist to prevent the door from closing on a person, pet, or vehicle.
If the sensor lights are both solid but the door still won't close, check for direct sunlight hitting one of the sensors (a common issue in certain seasons) and verify the sensor wires haven't been pinched or cut. If wiring looks intact, the sensor unit itself may have failed.
Usually a close limit adjustment. The opener is stopping too early. This can often be corrected by adjusting the close limit screw on the opener unit. It can also indicate a floor height change over time due to settling.
Yes. Even a small gap at the bottom is enough for someone to slide a hook tool under and trip the emergency release from outside. If the door won't seal, prioritize getting it fixed.