Garage door

Why is my garage door opener causing the door to reverse when I try to close it?

My garage door opener is causing the door to reverse when I try to close it. The light on the opener blinks 10 tens and the LED light on the opener blinks 4 times when this happens. The weird thing is that usually the first couple of times I push the opener button (wall switch or remote) the door reverses, but the fourth or fifth time or so the door closes without reversing. Sometimes (but not all of the time) I can hold down the wall switch button to force the door to close. The door reversing sensors are aligned properly and I've reprogrammed the remote too, but nothing works. The model number is 139.53930D. Any ideas?

The sensors may appear aligned but the problem is still somewhere in the safety sensor circuit. Both the flashing overhead light and the blinking LED light are codes for a problem with that system and it is the only one you can over-ride by holding down the button continuously.

The LED code indicates an intermittent sensor signal, so a loose or flexing sensor mount might be pulling the sensors out of line when the door moves. Or, a problem with the wiring to the sensors, such as a partial break or pinch, may intermittently lose connection when the door moves. Either of those could account for the door working or over-riding sometimes and not on other occasions. Other potential problems might be sunlight or another light hitting a sensor directly as the door lifts so the sensors lose "sight" of each other. It might also be an internal short inside a sensor.

If rechecking the sensor mounts and alignment and eliminating any light interference does not resolve the issue, then it can be difficult to determine the exact problem. It takes some expertise, since the sensors are wired directly in and you would have to cut and splice wires to test them further. It could also be expensive, since it may not be possible to confirm some problems without replacement components to test and you may not be able to return those electrical components even if they turn out to be okay. So you may want to consult a professional at that stage.

If you do want to test further, disconnect the sensors at the door and reconnect them directly to the overhead opener. Hold the sensors so the "eyes" are directly together. That eliminates any potential alignment or wiring issues, so if the system starts to work normally, either the wires to the sensors have a problem or the sensors are not seeing each other all the time. If there is no improvement in how the door operates then the problem is in the sensors themselves and they will need to be replaced. If the problem still persists with new sensors, and all the wiring and alignment possibilities bypassed, then the logic board itself has a fault in the controls for the safety systems and it will need to be replaced. Your owner's manual and the links below have addition information and tests that might help further.

The safety sensors are a very important feature needed to assure the door closes safely, so again, if you have any reservations or remaining concerns you may want to consult a professional to be sure the opener is returned to safe operating condition.