You press the button, the opener hums or clicks, maybe the door lifts a few inches, and then nothing. Nine times out of ten, the opener is telling you the door is too heavy or stuck, and the motor has given up to protect itself.
That matters, because the most common cause is a broken spring, and running the opener again and again can strip its gears. Take five minutes to work through the checks below before you press that button again.
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The 6 most common causes
| Cause | How to spot it | DIY or pro? |
|---|---|---|
| Broken spring | Loud bang earlier; gap in the spring above the door; door very heavy by hand | Pro |
| Door manually locked | Slide lock or T-handle on the inside of the door is engaged | DIY |
| Frozen or stuck bottom seal | Cold morning; rubber seal stuck to the floor | DIY (carefully) |
| Stripped drive gear | Motor runs and hums but the chain or belt doesn’t move | Pro, or skilled DIY |
| Failed start capacitor | Loud hum, no movement at all, even with the door disconnected | Pro |
| Track or roller problem | Door crooked, binding or off track | Pro |
Five-minute check (in this order)
- Look at the springs. Stand inside and look at the metal bar above the door. A broken torsion spring shows a clear gap in the coils. If you see one, stop here and read our guide to a broken garage door spring. Don’t use the opener again.
- Check the manual lock. Many doors have a sliding bolt or a twist handle on the inside. If it’s engaged, the opener is fighting a locked door. Unlock it and try once more.
- Check the bottom seal in cold weather. On a freezing morning, the rubber seal can freeze to the concrete. Gently free it with a plastic putty knife or warm (not boiling) water, then dry the floor. Never chip at it with metal.
- Test the door by hand. Pull the red emergency release cord with the door fully closed, then lift the door by hand. A healthy door lifts smoothly with light effort and stays put when you let go halfway. If it’s very heavy, crashes down, or binds, the problem is the door, not the opener. Call a technician. See how to use the release cord safely.
- If the door moves easily by hand, the problem is in the opener. Reconnect the door, press the button, and watch the opener rail. If the motor hums but the chain or belt doesn’t move, the drive gear is likely stripped. If there’s a loud hum and nothing turns at all, it’s often the start capacitor.
Safety first
If at any point you see a broken spring, a frayed cable, or the door is crooked, stop and leave it for a technician. Those parts are under heavy tension and can cause serious injury. The release cord should only be pulled with the door fully closed: on a door with a broken spring, pulling it with the door open can send the door crashing down.
Can the opener be repaired?
Often, yes. A stripped gear kit or a new capacitor is a common, low-cost repair on chain- and belt-drive openers. It makes less sense when:
- The opener is 12 to 15 years old or more
- It was made before 1993 and has no safety sensors at the bottom of the tracks (these older units don’t meet today’s federal safety standard and should be replaced)
- The logic board has failed and parts are discontinued
- You’ve moved to a heavier insulated door and the motor is undersized
If it’s time for a new one, our garage door openers guide compares the types and what they cost.
What it costs
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Opener repair (gear, capacitor, board) | $100 – $350 |
| New opener, installed | $215 – $800 |
| Torsion spring replacement | $180 – $350 |
| Service call or trip fee | $50 – $150 |
Compare all repair prices with our garage door price estimator. If your door itself is old and needs repair after repair, see whether repairing or replacing makes more sense.
Get your opener fixed
Enter your ZIP code to get matched with trusted local garage door pros. It takes about two minutes.
Free, with no obligation to hire.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my garage door opener hum but not open?
Usually because the door is too heavy (a broken spring), locked, or frozen to the floor. If the door moves freely by hand, the opener’s gear or capacitor is the likely culprit.
Why does my door open a few inches and stop?
The opener senses too much resistance and stops to protect itself. Check the springs first.
Can I just increase the opener’s force setting?
No. Turning up the force hides the real problem and can defeat the auto-reverse safety feature.
How long do garage door openers last?
Most last 10 to 15 years with normal use.
My opener clicks but nothing happens. Same problem?
A click without a hum often points to a relay or logic board fault, or a lock mode on the wall button. Check our remote and wall button guide.