A garage door that won't close is one of the most stressful breakdowns a homeowner can face — particularly if it happens at night or just before you leave for work. Before calling a technician, there are a few things worth checking yourself. This guide walks through the eight most common causes of a garage door that won't close on Gold Coast properties, from the quick DIY checks to the faults that definitely need professional attention.
Blocked or misaligned safety sensors
Safety sensors sit at the bottom of the door tracks on each side, about 15–20cm above the ground. They project an infrared beam across the opening — if anything breaks that beam, the motor reverses. On the Gold Coast, common culprits include spiderwebs, salt residue on the sensor lens, dirt, or the bracket being knocked out of alignment.
Wipe the sensor lenses with a clean dry cloth. Check that both sensors have a solid green or amber light (not flashing). If one light is flashing, the beam is broken — check for obstructions and realign the brackets so the lights are steady.
Close limit switch needs adjustment
The close limit switch tells the motor where the "closed" position is. If it's set too far or not far enough, the motor either reverses before the door touches the floor, or thinks the floor is an obstruction and reverses once it makes contact.
A technician adjusts the close limit setting on the motor unit. On older motors this is a mechanical screw; on modern units it's programmed through the motor's setup sequence.
Broken or weak torsion spring
A spring that has lost tension or broken completely makes the door too heavy for the motor to control properly. The motor may run but the door drops, reverses or struggles. This is a safety issue — a door without spring counterbalance can drop suddenly.
Do not continue to operate the door. Call a technician for spring replacement.
Remote control fault
If the door closes with the wall button but not the remote, the issue is in the remote — not the door or motor. Flat batteries are the most common cause, followed by a lost programming code.
Replace the battery first. If that doesn't help, reprogram the remote following the motor manual instructions, or call us for remote programming.
Obstructions in the door's path
Objects on the floor, a garden hose, a bike wheel or even a large leaf can trigger the sensor beam or physically prevent the door from reaching the floor. The motor's pressure sensor will also reverse if it encounters unexpected resistance during travel.
Clear the door's path completely. Check for anything protruding into the door's sweep, including weather seal material that has separated and folded inward.
Down-force sensitivity too high
Garage door motors have a force setting that determines how much resistance the motor will tolerate before reversing. If set too sensitively, normal friction from slightly sticky rollers or a stiff hinge will cause the door to reverse.
The force setting can be adjusted on most motors via a screw or digital setting. We recommend a technician does this — setting it too low removes safety protection.
Track misalignment
If a track has shifted out of alignment, the door may bind at a certain point in its travel and reverse. Tracks gradually shift over time, particularly if wall brackets have loosened.
A technician realigns and tightens the track brackets and checks the full travel path for obstruction points.
Motor logic board fault
In rare cases, the motor's circuit board develops a fault that causes erratic behaviour including unexplained reversals. This is typically diagnosed after all other causes have been eliminated.
Board replacement or motor replacement depending on the motor's age and parts availability.
When to Call Immediately
If you suspect a broken spring (loud bang, extremely heavy door, visible gap in spring), do not operate the door. A broken spring is a safety hazard and the motor should be disconnected.
Call 0434 099 873Frequently Asked Questions
My garage door goes down about 30cm then reverses — what's wrong?
This almost always indicates a misaligned or dirty safety sensor. The motor detects a beam interruption (real or false) and reverses to prevent the door from closing on an obstruction. Clean the sensor lenses and check the alignment.
The door closes fine with the wall button but not the remote — why?
This indicates a remote issue rather than a door or motor fault. Check the battery, try reprogramming the remote, or test with a different remote if available. The wall button bypasses radio frequency reception.
Garage door closes but goes back up immediately when it reaches the floor — what's causing this?
The close limit switch is set incorrectly — the motor thinks the floor is an obstruction and reverses. A technician needs to adjust the motor's down travel limit. On some motors this is a screw adjustment; on others it's electronic.
Is it safe to disable the safety sensor to close the door?
No. Safety sensors prevent the door from closing on people, animals and objects. Disabling them removes critical safety protection. Address the underlying fault rather than bypassing the safety system.