Garage door opener runs but the door doesn't move
This is almost always a disengaged trolley, stripped drive gear, or broken spring. Repair costs $150 to $400 and takes 45 to 90 minutes. Safe to operate: Lift by hand to test.
Check this first — it may cost you nothing
Pull the red emergency release cord and lift the door by hand. If it lifts smoothly and stays put halfway, the springs are fine and the problem is the opener. If it is very heavy or slams down, a spring is broken — stop and do not use the door.
Why this happens
If the motor runs and nothing happens, the trolley may simply be disconnected from the emergency release cord — that is a free fix. If reconnecting does not help, the drive gear has usually stripped, or a spring has broken and the opener cannot move the weight.
The plastic drive gear is the part that usually goes. It is deliberately the weakest link — it strips so the motor survives. That is why the opener runs at full speed with nothing moving.
Less likely, but possible
- A broken chain or belt, visible along the rail
- A sheared trolley carriage, common on older screw-drive units
What happens if I ignore it?
If a spring is the cause, continuing to run the opener will destroy the drive gear as well. Testing by hand first takes thirty seconds and can save the more expensive repair.
The repair: opener repair
Garage door opener repair costs $150 to $400 depending on the fault, and takes 45 to 90 minutes. A stripped drive gear or a failed logic board is a repair; an opener over 15 years old is usually worth replacing instead.
Read the full opener repair guide →Get a tech dispatched
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