My garage door is misaligned. How can I fix it?

If your garage door is misaligned, meaning sensors are not facing each other, tracks are out of plumb, or door is crooked, you can fix it by adjusting sensors, tracks, and balance. First, determine type of misalignment: if door starts to close then reverses and opener lights flash, sensors misaligned. To fix sensors, clean lenses, loosen bracket wing nuts, and point sensors directly at each other at same height 4 to 6 inches off floor, watching for steady green LED on receiving sensor and steady yellow on sending sensor, then tighten brackets. If door is crooked or off track, disconnect opener via red emergency release cord and clamp door with locking pliers on tracks to prevent falling. Inspect vertical tracks for looseness or bending from car impact; loosen mounting bolts, tap tracks with rubber mallet until plumb and parallel using level, ensuring half inch gap from door edge, then retighten. Check cables on drums above door for equal tension; if one slack, it causes misalignment and requires professional to reseat cable by releasing spring tension with winding bars, costing 150 to 300 dollars. Check rollers for wear and replace if binding. Lubricate rollers with silicone. Manually lift door halfway to test balance; it should stay level without drifting. Reconnect opener by running it until trolley clicks onto carriage, and test automatic operation. Professional realignment costs 100 to 250 dollars. Keep gutters clean to prevent water damage rusting tracks.