How to Fix a Garage Door That Is Off Track (and When to Stop and Call)

A garage door that has come off its track is one of the more alarming problems a homeowner can face. The door may hang crooked, scrape, leave a gap at the side or stop partway. The first rule is simple: do not run the opener and do not try to force the door.

A door is off track when one or more rollers have left the metal track that guides them. It can happen after a vehicle bumps the door, when a track is bent or its brackets are loose, when a roller wears out, or after a cable breaks and one side of the door drops. Because a broken cable or spring can be the real cause, the track is not always the root of the problem.

Start by keeping people and pets clear. Do not stand under a door that is partly open. If the door is open, leave it where it is. Stop pressing the remote and wall button, because a motor pulling on a door that is off track can bend panels or damage the opener.

Then look, without touching the springs or cables. Is a cable hanging loose or off its drum? Is the track bent, dented or pulled away from the wall? Is the door visibly crooked, with one side lower than the other? Is a spring broken? If the answer to any of those is yes, stop. This is a case for a service provider, not for a DIY fix.

The one minor case worth a careful look is a door that is fully closed, with a single roller that has just slipped out of a straight, undamaged track, and with no cable or spring problem. Even then, disconnect the opener first with the release cord, use only light hand pressure and never force anything. If the roller does not seat easily, stop.

Even if it goes back in, ask why it came out. A bent track, a loose bracket or a worn roller will let it happen again. Our Off Track Garage Door Repair and Garage Door Track Repair pages explain the usual causes and what to tell the provider.

Call when the door is crooked, partly open, jammed, has a loose cable, has a visible bend in the track or will not move with light pressure. Your call is connected to an independent local service provider, who can explain the options and the price before any work starts.