A garage door that won’t auto-close usually points to misaligned sensors, travel limits, or lock settings—check these first.
What Auto-Close Depends On
Your opener watches for three things before it lets the door slide down on its own: a clear safety beam at floor level, a learned travel path with solid stops, and controls that aren’t locked. If any item fails, the motor refuses to finish the cycle and the lights may blink as a warning. That safeguard keeps people, pets, and cars out of harm’s way while telling you where to look.
| Symptom You See | Most Likely Cause | Fast Check |
|---|---|---|
| Door starts down, then goes up with flashes | Photo eyes blocked or crooked | Clean lenses, aim LEDs at each other, secure brackets |
| Door won’t move from remote but wall button works | Lock mode enabled on wall control | Hold the LOCK button 3 seconds to toggle |
| Stops short of floor or reopens near the bottom | Down travel limit or down force off | Re-set limits; test reversal on a flat 2×4 |
| Only closes when you hold the wall button | Safety circuit not satisfied | Check sensor LEDs and wiring polarity |
| Closes at random times or not at the set time | Timer-to-close mis-programmed | Reprogram delay; confirm sensors are solid |
Garage Door Not Closing Automatically: Quick Diagnostics
Step 1: Confirm The Safety Beam
The photo-eye pair near the tracks must “see” each other. Wipe dust, remove spider webs, and look for steady LEDs on both heads. If a light is off or flickering, aim the eyes until both stay solid, then tighten the wing nuts so vibration can’t knock them out again. Recheck LEDs after tightening brackets. Manufacturer guides show LED meanings and alignment in detail; see this LiftMaster safety sensor guide for reference.
Step 2: Clear Obstructions And Sun Glare
Anything that breaks the beam stops the close command, including a trash can, a tire, a broom, or even low winter sun blasting straight into a lens. Move items out of the path and shade the receiver with a visor or a small hood. If the bracket is bent, replace it so the beam stays stable.
Step 3: Check Wall Control Lock
Many openers include a lock feature that ignores handheld remotes. If the door opens but won’t close from the car, look at the wall control. A lit “lock” LED or a padlock icon means remote signals are blocked. Press and hold the LOCK button for three seconds to return to normal operation.
Step 4: Re-Set Travel Limits
Auto-close depends on accurate stops. If the down stop is set too high, the opener thinks the floor came early and reverses. If it’s too low, the trolley presses into the floor and bounces. Use the limit dials or the electronic programming buttons on your model to re-teach the open and close positions, then run three full cycles to verify repeatable travel. For button-based models, follow the Chamberlain procedure for travel and force adjustments.
Step 5: Verify Force Settings The Right Way
Force is not a speed control. It defines how much push the motor will allow before it gives up and reverses. Set it only after the door is balanced and the limits are right. Most units have separate “up” and “down” force. Start low, test, and bump in small turns until the door moves smoothly without stalling. Finish with a reversal test using a flat 2×4 under the door; the door must touch and reverse cleanly.
Step 6: Test Remotes, Keypad, And Interference
Weak batteries, stuck keys, or new RF noise can break the closing routine. Swap in fresh cells, re-seat the keypad cover, and test at a short distance. If range dropped after a new LED bulb, try a garage-door-rated bulb that doesn’t emit interference. Reprogram a lost remote to rule out code issues.
Step 7: Inspect Wiring And Polarity
Photo-eye wire typically lands on two low-voltage screws. Swapped conductors or a loose staple crush can blank an LED and block closing. Trace each run from the head to the motor, looking for nicks near the track. Keep the white wire on the common terminal across both sensors and the colored wire on the signal terminal for each eye.
Step 8: Look For Blink Codes
When an opener refuses to auto-close, the light on the head often blinks a pattern. Two flashes can mean sensor trouble; four or more can point to travel or force. Check the label under the cover or your manual for your model’s flash chart. Fix the listed cause, then power-cycle the opener to clear the code.
Step 9: Edge Cases That Trip Auto-Close
Some cases look like bad sensors but start with the space itself. A high-gloss epoxy floor can reflect the beam and confuse older receivers; aim the eyes slightly inward to stop the mirror effect. Bright winter sun at a low angle can wash a receiver; add a small visor or shield. In cold snaps, thickened grease on the rail slows the trolley and the opener reads a false obstruction; wipe excess and use a light garage-door lubricant. Warped wood panels can drag on an uneven slab near the last inch; add a thin threshold or adjust the stop so the seal meets cleanly without rebound.
Safety First: Prove The Reversal Works
Once your door closes again, confirm the safety reversal. Lay a flat 2×4 under the center of the door and press close from the wall control. The door must contact the board and reverse to the open position. Run three cycles. If it doesn’t reverse, stop and call a qualified technician. This check keeps the system in line with the federal safety standard for residential openers.
Timer-To-Close And Smart Features
Set Or Reset The Delay
Some openers include a timer-to-close that finishes the close after a set delay. If the door stays open past the delay, reprogram the timer and confirm the safety beam is solid. The timer will never close on a blocked beam, by design.
Vacation Lock And Alerts
Smart wall controls often bundle a vacation lock. It’s handy when you travel, yet it confuses families when someone sets it by accident. Toggle the lock and watch the indicator light. In app-connected models, check the app’s alerts for “safety sensor blocked” messages that prevent auto-close.
Power Loss, Backup, And Resets
After an outage, the opener may boot with default settings or a half-learned travel path. Unplug for 30 seconds, plug back in, and run a full open and close from the wall control. Backup battery models need a healthy battery to close consistently; replace packs that chirp or show a low icon.
Mechanical Checks That Affect Auto-Close
Confirm Door Balance
Pull the red release and lift the door by hand to waist height. A balanced door stays put with minimal effort. If it slams shut or rockets up, the springs need service. An unbalanced door makes the motor over-work and can trigger reversals even with perfect sensors.
Track, Rollers, And Weather Seals
Dents, tight rollers, and swollen bottom seals add drag. Inspect the tracks for rub marks, clear debris, and replace cracked nylon rollers. Lube hinges and steel rollers with light garage-door lubricant. If the bottom seal has frozen to the floor in winter, break it free and dry the area so the beam and force tests stay consistent.
Bracket And Arm Geometry
The curved arm should meet the door bracket near perpendicular when the door is halfway down. If the arm angle is extreme, the opener fights itself near the floor and may reverse. Move the door bracket to the recommended height and hole, then re-teach travel.
| Opener Type | Where You Adjust | What It’s Called |
|---|---|---|
| Older chain/belt units | Two plastic limit screws on the head | Up/Down Limit; Up/Down Force |
| Newer smart units | Learn/Program buttons and prompts | Set Open/Close Travel; Force Learn |
| Wall control with lock | LOCK button or menu | Vacation Lock; Remote Lockout |
When To Call A Technician
Stop and bring in a pro if the door binds, the springs look broken, cables hang loose, the opener hums without moving, or the door fails the 2×4 test after you set limits and force. Torsion springs store a lot of energy; incorrect work can injure people and damage the door. A technician can also measure balance, replace worn rollers, and update old sensors to current parts.
Quick Reference Checklist
Fast Wins You Can Try Today
- Clean and align photo eyes until both LEDs stay solid.
- Remove bins, bikes, and tools from the beam path.
- Toggle the wall control lock; retest the remote.
- Re-teach travel limits; test reversal on a flat 2×4.
- Swap remote batteries; try a garage-door-safe LED bulb.
- Check for blink codes and match the fix to the pattern.
Good Habits That Prevent The Next Stall
- Wipe sensor lenses and check alignment monthly.
- Run the 2×4 reversal test every month.
- Lubricate hinges and steel rollers twice a year.
- Keep the bottom seal clean and the floor dry.
- Review timer-to-close and lock settings after power outages.
Once these basics are in order, auto-close becomes set-and-forget again. If a new problem appears, return to the safety beam, limits, and lock settings first. Those three checkpoints solve the majority of “garage door won’t close automatically” complaints with simple, at-home fixes.