How to Use Your Garage Door Emergency Release Cord

When the power goes out, your automatic garage door opener becomes a paperweight. But you don’t have to be trapped. Every opener has a manual release mechanism—that red rope hanging from the trolley.

When to Use It

• Power Outage: To open the door manually.
• Broken Opener: If the motor fails.
• Maintenance: To disconnect the door for testing balance.

WARNING: Only use the release cord when the garage door is CLOSED. If you pull it when the door is open, and the springs are weak or broken, the door could crash down, causing severe injury or damage.

How to Disconnect (Go into Manual Mode)

1. Ensure the Door is Closed.
2. Pull the Red Cord Down and Back: Pull the handle down and towards the motor. You should hear a click as the trolley disconnects from the carriage.
3. Lift the Door: You should now be able to lift the door manually. If it’s too heavy to lift, you may have a broken spring (stop and call a pro).

How to Reconnect (Go back to Automatic)

1. Close the Door: Manually lower the door to the ground.
2. Pull the Cord Toward the Door: Pull the red handle toward the door opening (away from the motor). This resets the spring lever on the trolley.
3. Run the Opener: Press your remote or wall button. The trolley will move along the track and automatically snap back into the carriage with a loud click.
4. Test: The door should now operate automatically.

Cord Broken?

If your emergency release cord has snapped, don’t replace it with a regular rope. Call Ez2Fix for a proper replacement handle and cord to ensure safety.

Related Resources

• Garage Door Won’t Open - Learn when to use the manual release in emergency situations
• Garage Door Balance Test - Use the release cord to perform this important safety test
• Garage Security Tips - Secure your release cord to prevent break-ins
• Garage Door Off Track - Disconnect the opener safely when dealing with track issues

Emergency Services: Opener Repair • Emergency Repair

Service available in: West Caldwell • North Caldwell • Newark • All areas

Ready to schedule? Book your free estimate or call (201) 554-6769.