A garage door that reverses is usually doing what its safety system is built to do. Common causes are a down travel limit set too far, a door that binds or is out of balance, a blocked or misaligned sensor, or force set too low. Check for obstructions and sensors first, and call a technician if the door feels heavy.
Why the door goes back up
An opener reverses when it senses resistance or a blocked beam. Chamberlain's support pages say that if anything interferes with the door's downward travel, including binding or unbalanced doors, it will reverse. So a reversing door can be a safety system working, or a setting that is off.
If the door reverses as soon as it touches the floor, Chamberlain lists the usual cause as down travel set too far. A faulty logic board is also possible but rare.
Match what you see to the likely cause
| What the door does | Likely cause | Who fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Reverses the moment it touches the floor | Down travel set too far | Owner, in small steps per the manual, or a technician |
| Reverses after a short distance, opener lights flash and beeps | Something in the path, or a misaligned sensor | Owner: clear the path, clean and align the sensors |
| Reverses or stops partway, and the door feels heavy or lopsided | Binding or an unbalanced door | Technician |
Based on Chamberlain Group support guidance for LiftMaster and Chamberlain openers. Other brands differ, so check your manual.
Five checks that are safe to try
Clear the path
Look for anything on the floor or in the track. Chamberlain describes a closing door that hits an object as reversing, with a beep and five light flashes.
Clean and check the sensors
Wipe both lenses. A misaligned safety sensor is the first thing Chamberlain tells owners to check when a door will not close. See garage door sensors blinking.
Test the door by hand
Pull the red release handle, and move the door slowly by hand. It should move smoothly and stay where you leave it. If it is heavy, drops or rises, stop: that is a spring or cable problem for a technician.
Look at the down travel
If the door reverses at the floor, the down travel may need to be shortened. The method differs by model, so follow your owner's manual and change it a little at a time.
Run the safety test again
After any change, lay a 2x4 flat under the door and close it. The door must reverse when it touches the board.
Why you should not turn the force up
Chamberlain warns that too much force interferes with the safety reversal system, and says never to use force adjustments to compensate for a binding or sticking door. If a door only closes with more force, there is a mechanical problem.
Chamberlain also says the safety reversal system must be tested after any adjustment, using a 1-1/2 inch high object or a 2x4 laid flat. Read garage door safety tests for the full routine.
When the reversing is a sign of a bigger problem
A door that is out of balance puts strain on the opener, and a broken or weak spring is a common reason. A door that is off its track can also trip the reversal. See garage door spring repair and opener repair. If the door has a bent track, stop using it and call.
Call us for the door that will not stay down
Emil Garage Doors repairs doors and openers in Southern California, for example in Santa Paula and Jurupa Valley, and our city pages also cover Merced. Call (213) 340-4232 or use the estimate form. We check balance, travel, force and sensors, and test the reverse before we leave. Our 12-point safety inspection is $89.
Questions people ask
Why does my garage door reverse as soon as it hits the floor?
Most often the down travel limit is set too far, so the opener thinks the door hit an obstruction. Chamberlain lists a faulty logic board as a rare cause. Adjust travel in small steps per your manual, then retest.
Why does my garage door go up and down on its own?
An opener reverses when it senses a blocked sensor beam or resistance in the door's path. Check the sensors, clear the track and look for a binding door before you suspect the opener.
Should I increase the force setting if the door reverses?
Only a little, and only if the door reverses while closing with no flashing lights. Chamberlain says never to use force to compensate for a binding door, and to retest the safety reversal after any change.
What does it mean when the opener beeps and flashes five times?
On Chamberlain and LiftMaster openers, that pattern means the door hit an object and reversed. Clear the path and check the sensors.
Read next
Sources
- Chamberlain Group support: Garage door reverses after touching the floor (reverses after eight inches)
- Chamberlain Group support: Fix your garage door's closing issues
- Chamberlain Group support: How to adjust the limit or travel on an opener with manual adjustment screws
- Chamberlain Group support: How to adjust the force on an opener with manual adjustment screws
- Chamberlain Group support: How do I test the Safety Reversal System