Why Does My Garage Door Bounce When Closing?

Ever had your garage door close, hit the ground, and then bounce right back up? Frustrating, right? The good news is, in most cases, this is not a big problem—it usually means the travel limits on your opener aren’t set correctly.

Think of travel limits as the “memory” of your garage door opener. They tell the motor how far the door should go when opening and closing. If those limits are off, the opener thinks the door has hit an obstacle, so it reverses.

How Older Openers Work

If you have an older opener, you’ll probably notice two little dials or screws on the motor unit—often labeled Up/Down or Open/Close. These control how far the door travels.

To fix the bounce:

• Turn the screw a little at a time (a quarter turn is usually enough).

• Test the door after each adjustment.

• Stop when the door closes snugly without popping back open.

How Newer Openers Work

Modern openers are a bit smarter, but they don’t use dials—they need to be programmed. Depending on the brand (LiftMaster, Genie, Chamberlain, etc.), you’ll press a “Set” or “Program” button and walk through a process where the opener learns exactly where the door should stop.

The steps can vary, so if you don’t have your manual handy, YouTube is your best friend. Just search your opener’s make and model, and you’ll almost always find a video tutorial.

When to Call for Help

If adjusting the limits doesn’t solve the problem, the bounce could be caused by worn-out springs, a misaligned track, or even a bad motor. That’s when it’s time to call in a professional to make sure everything is safe and working properly.

✅ The bottom line: A bouncing garage door is usually nothing more than a limits issue. Older openers can be adjusted with a screwdriver, and newer ones need to be programmed. With a few small tweaks—or a quick YouTube search—you can often get your garage door closing smoothly again.