Garage door off its track

A door that has come off its track usually looks crooked or uneven, and it jams when it tries to move. You may hear grinding or scraping, or the door may stop partway up. Often one roller has slipped out of the track on one side. A door in this state can be unstable.

Why it happens

• A worn roller, a bent track or loose hardware.
• A hit from a car or a falling object. Vertical tracks can bend from a side impact.
• A horizontal track that has shifted because the house settled or the track was not mounted well.
• Track screws that work loose after many years, letting a roller slip out.
• Something blocking the track, such as a toy, debris or ice.

What to do now

• Stop using the door and the opener. Forcing the door can cause more damage or injury.
• Keep people, pets and cars away from the door. An off-track door can fall without warning.
• Don't try to push or pry the door back into the track. The door is heavy. Some online guides call this a do-it-yourself job, but it is safer left to a technician.
• Don't touch the springs, the cables or the brackets at the bottom corners of the door. Those brackets are connected to the springs and are under extreme tension. Only a trained technician should adjust them.
• From a few steps back, you can look for a bent track or an object in it. Tell the provider what you see.
• If your car is stuck inside, or the door is stuck open, say so when you call.

What the repair involves

A technician checks the tracks, rollers, cables and door sections for damage. A track with a slight bend can sometimes be straightened. One that is badly damaged is usually replaced. Loose track screws are tightened, and worn rollers are replaced. The technician then sets the door back in its track and tests that it moves smoothly.

An impact can damage more than the track, so the technician looks over the rest of the door too.

What happens when you call

1. You call the number on this page. A short automated assistant asks two or three questions, such as what's wrong and your ZIP code, so we can find the right provider.
2. We connect your call to an independent garage door provider who serves your area.
3. You talk with the provider directly about the problem, timing and price before any work starts.

Main Street Garage Door Repair doesn't charge you for the referral. The provider sets their own prices and does the work. Calls are recorded for quality and billing.