The limit switch is located on the garage door opener housing. The garage door opener limit switch tells the motor that lifts and lowers the garage door when to stop running. Incorrectly set limit switches may prevent your garage door from closing completely or opening all the way. They can also cause the opener to reverse or pull back up when you attempt to close it, which can seem like a malfunction or that someone else is using a garage door opener remote that is on the same frequency as yours. This is actually caused by a safety mechanism meant to protect people from being hit and having the door close on them. Resetting the limit switch will stop your garage door from behaving erratically. Open the garage door and watch it closely as it opens. When the garage door opens about halfway, or 5 feet, from the ground and stops, the up limit switch needs to be adjusted. Measure the height where the door stops while it is being opened. The measurement is used to reset the up limit switch on your garage door opener.
Close the garage door with the opener and watch it closely as it closes. If the garage door does not close completely, or begins to close and then opens back up again, the down limit switch needs to be adjusted. Measure the distance of the gap from the bottom of the garage door to the driveway or floor if the garage door will not close completely. The measurement will be used to reset the down limit switch. Set the step ladder under the garage door opener in your garage and use it to access the up and down limit switch adjustment screws located on the side of the garage door opener motor housing. Turn the up limit switch screw clockwise by one turn for every 3 inches that you need the garage door to raise up with a flat blade screwdriver. This may move the chain trolley of the garage door opener. If it does, leave a 2-inch to 4-inch distance between the cover protection bolt and the trolley. It's the part of the door mechanism that moves the chain that opens and closes the door. Turn the down limit switch screw counterclockwise one turn per every 3 inches of the garage door gap -- the distance between the bottom of the garage door and the driveway when it does not close all the way -- with a flat blade screwdriver.
Turn the down limit switch screw clockwise one turn with a flat blade screwdriver if the garage door closes and then begins to open back up. The garage door will automatically go in reverse whenever it hits an obstruction, such as the driveway or ground. In this case, the garage door opener detects that it is coming into contact with the driveway or the ground and immediately switches into reverse and raises back up as a safety mechanism. Try to close the garage door. If it still automatically begins to reverse or open back up, turn the down limit switch screw clockwise one turn and test it again. Continue turning the down screw clockwise by one turn and testing it until it no longer automatically opens back up when you close it. Things You Will Need Measuring tape Step ladder Flat blade screwdriver Tip References Sears: Craftsman Garage Door OpenerGenie Door: Garage Door Troubleshooting Guides Photo Credits Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionHow do I adjust the travel and force limits?
Limit adjustment settings regulate the points at which the door will stop when moving up or down. After adjusting the limit settings, check the Safety Reversal System and Test the Protector System. Note: Manual travel and force adjustments are adjusted using a flathead screw driver. To operate the opener, press the door control push bar. Run the opener through a complete travel cycle. Does the door open or close completely? Does the door stay closed and not reverse unintentionally when fully closed? If your door passes both of these tests, no limit adjustments are necessary unless the reversing test fails. Adjustment procedures are outlined below. Run the opener through a complete travel cycle after each adjustment. Step 1: Adjust the UP and DOWN Travel LimitsStep 2: Adjust the ForceStep 3: Test the Safety Reversal System Step 4: Test the Protector System Repeated operation of the opener during adjustment procedures may cause the motor to overheat and shut off.
Simply wait 15 minutes and try again. If anything interferes with the door’s upward travel, it will stop. If anything interferes with the door’s downward travel (including binding or unbalanced doors), it will reverse. Without a properly installed safety reversal system, persons (particularly small children) could be SERIOUSLY INJURED or KILLED by a closing garage door. Incorrect adjustment of garage door travel limits will interfere with proper operation of safety reversal system. After ANY adjustments are made, the safety reversal system MUST be tested. Door MUST reverse on contact with 1-1/2" (3.8 cm) high object (or 2 x 4 laid flat) on floor. To prevent damage to vehicles, be sure fully open door provides adequate clearance. How and when to adjust the limits:Turn the UP limit adjustment screw clockwise. One turn equals 2" (5 cm) of travel. NOTE: To prevent the trolley from hitting the cover protection bolt, keep a minimum distance of 2-4" (5 cm - 10 cm) between the trolley and the bolt.
Adjust the UP (open) force as explained in Adjustment Step 2.Turn the DOWN limit adjustment screw counterclockwise. If door still won't close completely and the trolley bumps into the pulley bracket, try lengthening the door arm (page 18) and decreasing the down limit. If the opener reverses in fully closed position:Turn the DOWN limit adjustment screw clockwise. If the door reverses when closing and there is no visible interference to travel cycle: If the opener lights are flashing, the Safety Reversing Sensors are either not installed, misaligned, or obstructed. Test the door for binding: Pull the emergency release handle. Manually open and close the door. If the door is binding or unbalanced, call for a trained door systems technician. If the door is balanced and not binding, adjust the DOWN (close) force. See Adjustment Step 2. Step 2: Adjust the Force Too much force on garage door will interfere with proper operation of safety reversal system.
NEVER increase force beyond minimum amount required to close garage door. NEVER use force adjustments to compensate for a binding or sticking garage door. If one control (force or travel limits) is adjusted, the other control may also need adjustment.Door MUST reverse on contact with 1-1/2" high (3.8 cm) object (or 2 x 4 laid flat) on floor. How and when to adjust the forces: Test the DOWN (close) force If the door reverses during the down (close) cycle and the opener lights aren't flashing, INCREASE DOWN (close) force by turning the control clockwise. Make small adjustments until the door completes a close cycle. After each adjustment, run the opener through a complete travel cycle. Do not increase the force beyond the minimum amount required to close the door. Test the UP (open) force If the door doesn't open at least 5 feet (1.5 m), INCREASE UP (open) force by turning the control clockwise. Make small adjustments until door opens completely. Readjust the UP limit if necessary.
After each adjustment, run the opener through a complete travel cycle. Step 3: Test the Safety Reversal System Safety reversal system MUST be tested every month.Door MUST reverse on contact with 1-1/2" (3.8 cm) high object (or 2 x 4 laid flat) on the floor Press the remote control push button to close the door. The door will not move more than an inch (2.5 cm), and the garage door opener lights will flash 10 times. The garage door opener will not close from a remote control if the LED in either safety reversing sensor is off (alerting you to the fact that the sensor is misaligned or obstructed). If the garage door opener closes the door when the safety reversing sensor is obstructed (and the sensors are no more than 6 inches [15 cm] above the floor), call for a trained door systems technician. Answers others found helpful How do I program the travel and force limits using black and purple or black and yellow buttons? GDO - Door only travels a little way and then reverses