Why do I have to keep the button held down to get my garage door to close?

expert EXPERT June 04, 2007

Most times, the problem you described is caused by a misalignment of the safety sensors.

There is a sensor mounted near the floor on either side of the door, these sensors have electronic "eyes" that have to "see" each other or the door control stops the garage door from closing. The idea is to prevent the door from closing on something or someone who may be in the way. When you continuously hold down the close button in the garage you are over-riding this system.

Each sensor has an LED on it, if one LED is off or faint or flickering the sensors are out of alignment. The mount bracket might have loosened or bent, or maybe the nuts holding it have loosened. Either way, fix the mount or tighten the nuts so the sensors are aligned and both LEDs are bright.

If neither sensor has an LED lit, you may have damaged wiring to the sensors. Often this happens if the wires were mounted with a standard stapler and the wire is pinched. The wire eventually breaks internally and the sensors stop working.

Your Manage my Home profile shows your opener as a model 139.53989. On this model, the overhead lights should flash 10 times if you try to close the door and there is a sensor problem. This model may also have a Lock Feature that could stop the remotes from working. If the feature is on there should be a flashing light on the wall control, but normally this feature will not cause a problem with closing from the wall switch as you mentioned.

If everything checks out, it is possible there is a problem with the control in the opener itself, but normally a problem here will not allow the door to open normally or allow you to over-ride the controls to close it.