Common Garage Door Issues

If your garage door is noisy, stuck, uneven, or not working the way it should, this page can help you understand what may be going on, what you can safely check first, and when it is time to call for service.

Homeowners in Las Vegas, Henderson, and North Las Vegas often notice the same warning signs before a garage door fails completely.

Examples of Common Garage Door Problems

Cable Off Drum / Off-Track Door

Broken Garage Door Spring

Off-Track Door with Cables Off Drums

Dented Garage Door Panel

Worn Gear and Sprocket Kit and Twisted Chain

Worn Gear and Sprocket Kit (Close-Up)

Center Bearing Plate Pulling from Wall

Cracked Garage Door Sections

Garage Door Damaged by Vehicle Impact

Off-Track Garage Door with Tangled Cable

Broken Garage Door Spring Repair | Empire Garage Door Las Vegas

Off-Track and Crumpled Garage Door

Garage Door Won’t Open

Symptom: The garage door does not open when you use the wall control or remote.

Likely cause: This may be caused by a broken spring, opener problem, power issue, dead remote battery, or a locked door.

Safe first check: First, look for a broken spring, a visible gap in the spring, or any loose or hanging cables. Then make sure the opener has power, check whether the wall control works, make sure the manual lock is not engaged, and replace the remote battery if needed.

When to call for service: If the opener runs but the door does not move, the door feels heavy, or you see a broken spring or loose or hanging cable, stop using it and schedule service.

Garage Door Won’t Close Properly

Symptom: The door will not close all the way, or it starts down and then goes back up.

Likely cause: A blocked sensor, sensor misalignment, an obstruction in the opening, opener setting issues, or damaged door sections may be preventing proper closing.

Safe first check: Look for anything in the door’s path, make sure the photo eye sensors are clean and facing each other, and inspect the door sections for cracks, sagging, or bowing.

When to call for service: If the door still will not close properly, or the sections look weak or bowed, do not force the door closed. A service visit can help prevent major damage.

Remote or Keypad Stopped Working

Symptom: The remote or keypad does not open or close the door.

Likely cause: Dead batteries, lost programming, or opener receiver issues are common causes.

Safe first check: Replace the battery in the remote, then test the wall button or wall control separately to help narrow down whether the problem is with the remote, keypad, or opener.

When to call for service: If the wall control works but the remote or keypad still does not, the opener may need troubleshooting or reprogramming.

Garage Door Is Noisy

Symptom: The door squeaks, grinds, bangs, or makes more noise than usual.

Likely cause: Worn rollers, dry hinges, aging springs, loose hardware, or opener vibration can all create noise.

Safe first check: Listen for where the noise is coming from and inspect for obvious loose hardware. A silicone-based garage door lubricant may help with normal dry-metal noise.

When to call for service: If the noise is sudden, loud, grinding, or does not improve, a professional inspection is a smart next step.

Garage Door Opens Crooked or Jerks

Symptom: The door shakes, moves unevenly, or pulls to one side.

Likely cause: This may be caused by worn rollers, shifted track, loose hardware, uneven spring tension, or cable problems.

Safe first check: Do not run the opener. From a safe distance, look for uneven movement, gaps near the track, and any slack, loose, or unwound cables.

When to call for service: If the door looks unbalanced, jerky, or has slack cables, stop using it until it has been inspected.

Garage Door Came Off Track

Symptom: The door looks out of place, rollers are not sitting correctly, or cables appear off the drum.

Likely cause: Impact, worn rollers, bent track, loose hardware, cable problems, or using the door with a broken part can cause this.

Safe first check: Do not run the opener. Keep people away from the door and inspect visually only for cables off the drum, slack or loose cables, and rollers that are not sitting correctly in the track.

When to call for service: This should be treated as a service call right away because an off-track door can become unsafe quickly.

Garage Door Panels, Rollers, or Hardware Look Damaged

Symptom: You notice dented panels, rust, worn rollers, loose hinges, or other visible damage.

Likely cause: Age, impact, wear, weather, or lack of maintenance can all contribute.

Safe first check: Look for cracked rollers, bent hinges, rust spots, sagging sections, frayed cables, or damaged panels.

When to call for service: If any moving part looks worn or damaged, it is best to have it inspected before the issue worsens.