Resetting Your Dominator Garage Door Motor

Here in the greater Mangawhai area powercuts occur all the time, and when a major powercut in June 2024 left 60,000+ properties affected in Northland, our phones were absolutely inundated by homeowners in the greater Rodney, Auckland area enquiring as to how they can get their garage door back up and running.

To get your garage door operational again, you will need to disengage and then re-engage your garage door to the motor.

This is often all you will need to do after a powercut. You can do it yourself and it is only a 10 minute job. We're asked (and called out to properties all over greater Warkworth, Mangawhai and Hibiscus Coast) everyday on how to do this. To save you some time and money we've written this quick and easy guide on how to disengage and re-engage your garage door to the motor.

Disengaging and Re-Engaging your Sectional Garage Door

This applies to all garage doors with a Dominator Secure, Smart, Select or SmartPro Motor.

1. Safety first!

Ensure the garage door is fully closed.

2. Locate garage door's manual release handle

This is usually a red cord hanging from the garage track. It is attached to the release lever.

3. Disengage the garage door by pulling the manual release handle

• Firmly but slowly pull the red cord down and slightly towards the front of the garage (towards the door). This action disengages the trolley from the attachment point to the motor rail.
• A slight click sound or a feeling of the lever moving into a different position will confirm the disengagement
• DO NOT pull or the cord too hard or fast as this can damage the mechanism

4. Operate the door manually

• Once disengaged, the door can be moved manually. Gently lift the door by hand to ensure it moves freely.
• `If the door does not move freely, check for obstructions or binding in the tracks.
• DO NOT use the red release cord to open the door manually! This is only for manual release (not operation) and can cause both damage to the mechanism and injury if the mechanism breaks

5. You are now ready to re-engage the garage door

• Ensure the door is either fully open or closed.
• Pull the red cord down and away from the door, towards the garage motor. This will move the lever back into the engaged position.
• Alternatively, you can also manually push the trolley back against the attachment point until it clicks into place.
• Restore power to the motor if necessary and use the remote or wall switch to open or close the door
• Let the entire cycle of either open or close run to completion

6. Test the door

Once the power is restored and the motor is engaged, use the motor’s transmitter to open and close the door several times to ensure it is functioning correctly.

7. Perform a safety check

After re-engaging, visually inspect the alignment of the door and listen for any unusual noises during operation

Is anything amiss?

If you're stuck or still having issues, we're here to help. You can contact us below:

09 422 2299
sales@dominatorrodney.co.nz