A cable is off the drum. The tension is still in the spring
The spring is still wound and one side of the door is now carrying itself. This gets worse with every cycle.
What is probably happening
- The cable has jumped its drum, usually because the door hit something on the way down or one spring lost tension and the cable went slack for a moment.
- The cable has frayed and snapped. DASMA: frayed or worn cables are in danger of breaking and can cause injury.
- The door will hang crooked or jam. Running it will bend the top panel and can throw the other cable too.
Do this in the next five minutes
- Unplug the opener.
- Look at both top corners of the door. Photograph the drum with the loose cable and the drum that is still wound.
- Look at the spring. A gap in the coil means the spring is the real cause.
- Leave the door where it is, even if it is partly up. Keep everyone out of the opening.
- Call a door company and describe what you see.
Do not
- Do not rewind the cable onto the drum yourself. The drum is locked to a wound torsion spring. DASMA: due to the dangers of high spring tension, these cables should be replaced only by a trained technician.
- Do not pull the release cord. The door is unbalanced.
- Do not try to level the door by lifting the low side.
Who to call
A garage door technician, same day
Rewinding a cable means unwinding and rewinding the spring. That is the single most dangerous task on a garage door and belongs to a trained technician.
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What it should cost
$100 to $400
Cable repair range. Add $150 to $350 per spring plus labor if a spring caused it
Source: Angi, garage door repair cost, updated August 2026. View source
National published range, not a quote for your job. The full cost table for this trade is on the garage doors page.
Ask this contractor, on the phone, before anyone comes out
Tap each one as you ask it.
- Why did the cable come off? If it is a spring, does the quote cover both springs?
- Are you replacing both cables? They are the same age.
- What is the total including the call fee?
End the call if
- A cable rewound without anyone explaining why it came off. It will come off again.
- A full rebuild quoted for a jumped cable with no other damage. Angi lists the rebuilding package as a common scam.