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Gate troubleshooting

Start with what the gate is doing. Each guide walks the causes in order of likelihood, tells you what is safe to check yourself, and where the line is.

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Pick your symptom

What is the gate doing?

These are the five faults we get called about most. Roughly a third of them turn out to be something the owner can fix in ten minutes, and we would rather you knew that than paid us to find out.

The gate will not open

Power, remotes, receivers, limit switches and obstructions, worked through in the order a technician would check them.

9 causes, most common firstRead the guide

The gate will not close

Almost always a safety sensor. Photo eye alignment, dirty lenses, loop detectors and what the reversing behaviour tells you.

Usually a photo eyeRead the guide

It clicks but will not move

A distinctive symptom with a short list of causes: capacitor, stripped gear, seized mechanism or a motor drawing current with nowhere to go.

Often a capacitorRead the guide

The gate is stuck open

The one that is a security problem rather than an inconvenience. How to secure the property and what to check while you wait.

Security riskRead the guide

Error and blink codes

A full reference for LiftMaster LA400, LA412 and LA500 blink patterns, including the LA lockout, RPM reversal and Code 70 sensor faults, with what each one actually means.

Full code reference tableRead the reference

None of this is helping

If the gate is open and the property is exposed, stop troubleshooting and call. We dispatch around the clock.

Call (877) 316-6052

One thing not to do

Do not disable or bypass a safety sensor to force a gate to close. Automatic gates are heavy, powered, and cause serious crushing injuries every year, which is exactly why UL 325 requires two independent means of entrapment protection. If the sensor is stopping the gate, the answer is to fix the sensor. Here is what the standards require.

By operator

Know the brand on the unit?

Each brand page covers the faults specific to that manufacturer's models, which is usually faster than working from the symptom alone.

Common questions

Before you start

Is it safe to troubleshoot the gate myself?
The checks in these guides are the safe ones: looking at sensors, checking power, clearing the track. Do not put hands near hinge points or the drive mechanism while power is connected, and do not bypass a safety sensor to make a gate move. That sensor exists because automatic gates have killed people.
How do I release the gate manually?
Nearly every operator has a manual release, usually a key-operated lever or a pull handle on the housing. Cut power first. The exact location varies by model, so check the sticker on the unit or call us and we will talk you through it.
My gate worked yesterday and not today. What changed?
In order of likelihood: a tripped breaker or blown fuse, a dead battery in a solar system, a photo eye knocked out of alignment, or storm damage to wiring. All four are cheap fixes if that is what it turns out to be.
Should I just replace the whole system?
Rarely, and not before somebody has actually diagnosed it. A dead control board or a seized roller looks identical to a dead operator from the driveway.

Tried everything and it still will not move?

Describe what you have already checked. It saves the technician a step and it usually saves you money.

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Get your gate moving again

Tell us what the gate is doing and a factory-trained technician will call you back with a straight answer on cost and timing.

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What is the gate doing?