Garage door slams shut or closes too fast
This is almost always a spring has lost tension, or a cable has failed. Repair costs $220 to $580 and takes 60 to 90 minutes. Safe to operate: No.
Check this first — it may cost you nothing
Do not test this by standing near it. Look at the spring above the opening for a visible gap, and at both cables for slack or fraying.
Why this happens
A controlled door descends at a steady speed because the springs carry its weight. When it drops fast or slams, the counterbalance is failing — the springs are no longer holding what they should, and the only thing between the door and the floor is the opener.
A door that slams has lost its counterbalance — the spring no longer holds the weight, so gravity wins the last few feet.
Less likely, but possible
- One of two springs broken, so the remaining one carries a doubled load
- A cable slipping on the drum, letting one side drop
- Someone having adjusted the spring tension incorrectly
What happens if I ignore it?
A door that slams is a door that can fall. It is also destroying the opener, which was never designed to arrest a falling door, and each cycle risks the second spring going too.
The repair: spring repair
Garage door torsion spring replacement costs $220 to $580 for a pair, including parts and labor, and takes 60 to 90 minutes. A broken spring makes the door unsafe to operate — the opener cannot lift the weight without it.
Read the full spring repair guide →Get a tech dispatched
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