My garage door would not close properly, but opened with no problem. I suspected a problem with the sensor at the door bottom and called Overhead Garage Door Company of San Jose to send out a technician to check it out. The tech arrived and spent 5 minutes testing door operation and then pulled out a grease pack and proceeded to grease the screw drive. When this didn't solve the problem, the tech solemnly announced that my drive motor was bad. I pointed out that the door will open every time, all the time. It only fails to shut and it has gravity helping it on the way down. I also pointed out the sensors at the bottom corners of the door frame and asked if there could be a problem there. The tech insisted that the motor drive unit was bad and recommended I buy a new garage door opener. He seemed surprised when I told him I'd buy a new one and install it myself. I paid the $29 service call with my debit card to be rid of him.
On a hunch, I ran new wire from the sensors to the drive motor and this fixed the problem. Apparently, the insulation in the wire leading to the sensors was shorting out, triggering the motor to stop. Total cost for the wire was about $11.
It was clear that the technician they sent out only knew how to install openers, and had little or no diagnostic capability. They make money installing new systems, so if you want yours fixed, you better call someone else. A quick peek on the internet seems to suggest that my experience was in no way unique.
Apparently, this local company is affiliated with a corporate entity know as Garage Door Service Co. Based in San Diego.
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