If you’ve noticed your garage door opener light blinking, it’s trying to communicate with you. Not only does the blinking light let you know that something is wrong, but it also lets you know what is wrong.
Your garage door opener is programmed with self-diagnostic capabilities, which enable you to count the number of flashes so you can identify the problem. The garage door experts at Precision Garage Door Service are here to help you decode the message that your opener is sending so the problem can be fixed.
This guide will give you a breakdown of the Liftmaster and Chamberlain model openers. These brands make up close to 70% of all the garage door openers that are sold in the United States and are diagnosed the same way.
How to Decode Your Opener’s Blinks
The chart below is a quick reference on what your garage door opener’s blinks mean:
| Signal | Error Condition |
|---|---|
| One blink | A safety sensor wire may be open, broken, or disconnected. |
| Two blinks | A sensor wire is either shorted, or the wires could be reversed. |
| Three blinks | The door control or wire is shorted. |
| Four blinks | The safety sensors are misaligned, which breaks the electronic beam, preventing the garage door from closing properly. |
| Five blinks | The motor may be overheated or there may be a revolutions per minute (RPM) sensor failure. |
| Six blinks | The opener has a motor circuit failure. |
Your Garage Door Opener Parts
To get a more accurate idea about where the malfunctioning parts of your garage door system are, take a look at the diagrams below.
Multiple flashes can often indicate an issue with your safety sensor or your safety sensor’s wires.
If your opener’s blinks are related to safety sensor issues, make sure that there are no objects around or in the way of the sensor’s invisible light beam. See our guide to garage door sensors for more details.
Let the Experts at Precision Garage Door Service Repair Your Garage Door Parts
Although your flashing garage door opener will indicate a problem, it can’t fix the issue. Aside from the simple fixes, like realigning your safety sensor or clearing stuff from the path of your sensors, many of these solutions require expert replacement or repair. If your garage door opener light is flashing, it’s time to call for help. Call one of our local Precision Garage Door Service experts or find the expert nearest you.
