A garage door comes off track when its rollers pop out of the vertical or horizontal track, usually after a car bumps it, a cable breaks or worn rollers give way. The door sits crooked and can shift or fall. We secure it, release the tension if a cable is involved, straighten or replace bent track, reset the rollers and balance the door.
What you get
- Door secured first, so it cannot shift or drop while we work
- Rollers reset, and cracked rollers and bent hinges replaced
- Track straightened, plumbed and re-bolted, or bent sections replaced
- Cables, drums and springs checked, since a broken cable is a common cause
- Door balanced, opener force and safety reverse tested before we leave
What an off-track door looks like
One corner of the door hangs lower than the other, a gap opens at the bottom on one side, rollers sit outside the track, or the track itself is bowed or kinked. Sometimes the door is jammed partway up and will not move either way.
Stay clear of it. An off-track door can shift or fall without warning. Do not run the opener, do not push or pull the door to free it, and keep people, pets and cars out from under it. Never touch the springs, cables, drums or bottom brackets, which are still under tension. If you can reach the outlet safely, unplug the opener so nobody presses a remote.
The off track or crooked page explains what you are seeing.
What knocks a door off its track
- A car. Backing out before the door is fully up, or nosing into it, bends the bottom section and shoves the track out of line. Alley garages in Normal Heights and the narrow driveways to detached garages in Kensington leave little room for error.
- A broken cable. One side drops, the door twists, and the rollers on the high side are pulled out of the track.
- Worn rollers. Cracked wheels and bent stems wobble until one jumps the track.
- Loose track brackets. Years of vibration loosen the bolts that hold the vertical track to the jamb, and the tracks spread apart.
- A door forced while binding. The opener keeps pushing a door that has already caught on something.
Need an off-track door fixed today?
Call or text with your address, single or double door, and what the door is doing. The price is firm before the truck leaves the yard.
What we do on an off-track call
- Clamp the door and, if it is jammed, support it so it cannot fall.
- If a cable is broken or slack, unwind the springs to take the tension off before anything else moves.
- Open or straighten the track where the rollers came out and guide each roller back in.
- Replace rollers with cracked wheels or bent stems, and any hinge that is torn or bent.
- Plumb the vertical tracks, set them the same distance from the door on both sides, and tighten every track bracket.
- Rewind the springs if we unwound them, balance the door and test the opener.
A kinked or creased track section gets replaced, not bent back, because the crease stays a weak point where the next roller can slip out.
Straighten the track or replace it
Track can often be straightened, but not always. Here is how we decide.
- Straighten and plumb when the track has been pushed out of line, the brackets are loose, or the steel is gently bowed with no sharp bend.
- Replace the section when the track has a crease, a kink, a split or a flattened edge, or when it has been bent back once already.
- Replace the rollers too if they are the old steel or unsealed plastic kind. With the door already apart, a set of nylon ball-bearing rollers makes the next derailment less likely; see rollers and hinges.
We show you the damaged piece and explain which applies before we replace anything.
When a section is damaged too
If a car hit the door, the bottom section usually takes the dent. A shallow dent can usually stay as long as the door runs straight and seals. A section that is creased across its width, split at a hinge line or bent so the rollers cannot run true should be replaced. Our guide to a garage door hit by a car covers the first steps after an impact.
Sections are ordered to match the make, model, color and panel design of your door, so we measure and quote before ordering. In the meantime we can usually get the door running safely so the garage closes. See panel and section replacement for how that works.
Off-Track Door Repair: common questions
Can I put my garage door back on the track myself?
We advise against it. A door off its track is partly hanging on the cables and springs, and moving it can shift the weight suddenly or let it fall. If one cable is broken, the other is still under spring tension. Leave the door where it is, unplug the opener, keep people clear, and have a technician reset it.
Do you check the cables and springs when you fix an off-track door?
Yes, every time. A broken or slack lift cable is one of the most common reasons a door twists out of its track, and a cable that jumped its drum can be kinked or crushed. If a cable is involved, we unwind the springs before moving the door, replace the damaged cable, check the drums, then rewind and balance the door before we leave.
What parts get replaced when a garage door comes off its track?
Usually the rollers that came out, since their wheels crack and their stems bend, plus any hinge that tore or bent. A track section with a crease or kink is replaced, while track that was only pushed out of line is straightened and re-bolted. If a cable broke, both cables are replaced. A creased bottom section is measured and quoted separately, because sections are ordered to match the door.
How long does off-track garage door repair take?
A door with a few rollers out and a track that only needs straightening is often back in service in about an hour. If a cable broke, the springs have to be unwound and the cables replaced, and a creased track section has to be swapped, so expect longer. You get the full price before we start.
Will my garage door need a new panel after a car hit it?
Not always. A shallow dent in the bottom section can stay if the door still runs straight and seals. A section creased across its width, split at a hinge or bent so the rollers bind should be replaced. Sections are ordered to match your door, so we measure first and quote before ordering anything.
The FAQ page has more answers. Not sure which part failed? Send a photo and we will name it.
Where we do this
We cover all of San Diego County, same day in most cases. Some of the places we work:
Related guides
- Garage Door Won't Open or Close? A Safe Checklist: Garage door stuck? Safe checks in order: power, wall control lock, remote battery, sensor lights and release cord, plus which symptom needs which repair.
- Repair or Replace Your Garage Door? How to Decide: When a sectional garage door is worth repairing and when it needs replacing: springs, cables, dented sections, rot, rust and typical San Diego costs.
- Garage Door Hit by a Car? What to Do and What Can Be Fixed: Backed into your garage door? Unplug the opener, leave the door where it is and take photos. What usually bends, repair or new door, and insurance basics.
Ready to get the door moving again?
One call or text gets you a straight answer and a firm price before the truck rolls. Mon to Sat 7am to 7pm.