Garage door stuck halfway
A door that stops mid-travel has hit resistance the opener won't push through, or it has lost the support holding it up. The safest assumption is that it's carrying weight badly, so leave it where it is and don't try to force it either way. The usual causes are a snapped cable, a derailed roller or an obstruction in the track, and the repair lands between $195 and $340.
Check these first
Two minutes, no tools, and sometimes it's the whole answer.
- Look for an obstruction in the vertical track at the height where it stopped.
- Check whether one side has dropped lower than the other, which means a cable.
- Look at the springs for a gap in the coil.
- Check whether the opener is straining, clicking or silent. Silence usually means the opener hit its force limit and stopped, which is it doing its job.
What not to do while you wait
- Don't stand or reach under it, and don't drive a car under it.
- Don't keep pressing the button. Whatever is stopping the door will be damaged further by pushing against it.
- Don't pull the release cord while the door is stuck part-way up. Disconnecting it can let the door drop if the springs or cables have failed.
What it usually turns out to be
- Snapped lift cable One side drops and jams the door in the track at an angle.
- Derailed roller A roller out of the channel wedges the door where it stands.
- Obstruction in the track Storage, a bike, a stored item leaning on the track. Common and easy to miss.
- Opener force limit reached The opener stops rather than forcing the door through resistance. That's the safety feature working, and it means something else is wrong.
- Broken spring The door becomes too heavy for the opener part-way through the lift.
What it costs
$195 to $310 for off-track and cable work. If a spring has broken, that's $225 to $340. The diagnostic visit is $39 and it comes off that in full when you go ahead the same visit. Full detail on the off-track garage door repair page, and every other range we charge is on the cost page.
Where we cover
Newark, Fremont, Union City, Hayward, with Hayward limited to 94545 and 94544 in the south of the city. Call before noon and Newark, Fremont and Union City are same-day appointments. The areas we cover, in detail.
Questions we get asked
Should I pull the emergency release to get it down?
Not while it's stuck part-way up. If a cable or spring has failed, disconnecting the opener removes the last thing holding the door and it can drop. Leave it and call.
How fast can you get to me?
Newark, Fremont and Union City are same-day appointments if you call before noon. Tell us a car is trapped and we'll book you first.
Other things doors do
- Garage door won't close Almost always the safety sensors.
- Garage door won't open If it feels heavy, it's the spring.
- Garage door spring broke The bang was the spring letting go.
- Opener runs but the door doesn't move The trolley or the drive gear.
- Garage door opener is completely dead Power first, then the logic board.
Leave the door where it is and call
(510) 509-9998. If a car is shut inside, say so first and we'll book you ahead of the queue.
Newark · Fremont · Union City · Hayward