On the covered Genie screw-drive garage door opener, Red LED flashes twice, pauses and repeats, and green LED is OFF means genie's service table, as Sears PartsDirect publishes it, lists this code as: safety reversing sensors are disconnected or defective.
Differential
Likely causes of “Genie screw-drive garage door opener showing … and green LED is OFF”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The safety reversing sensors are disconnected or defective (two flashes)
What separates it The red LED flashes twice and no light shows on a sensor
How to confirm Check the sensor wires
- 2
A sensor wire that has come loose
What separates it The wire has pulled off its terminal
How to confirm Reconnect it
- 3
A damaged wire
What separates it The insulation is cut
How to confirm Replace the wire
- 4
Defective sensors
What separates it Wires are fine
How to confirm Replace the sensors
- 5
A wire cut by a staple or a mower
What separates it The wire is cut along its run
How to confirm Repair the wire
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether the red LED shows two flashes with the green LED off, which is the disconnected sensor pattern
- Whether either sensor shows an indicator light
- Where the wire runs and whether it looks cut, stapled or chewed
- The opener's model number, from the label on the motor housing
Try in this order
0 of 8 completedCorrect only the documented fault domain
ReversibleReconnect the safety reversing sensor wires. Replace the wire if damaged. If the wires are okay, replace the safety reversing sensors. Parts named: safety reversing sensor wires, Safety reversing sensors.
Reconnect the safety reversing sensor wires
ReversibleCheck the two terminals on the opener and the two on each sensor, and reconnect any wire that has pulled loose.
Follow the wire along its run
ReversibleLook along the wire for a cut from a staple, a mower, a door edge or a pest, and replace the wire if it is damaged.
Check the sensor lights
ReversibleWith the wires secure, both sensors should show a light when the opener has power.
Replace the sensors if the wires are fine
ReversibleThe table says that if the wires are okay, the safety reversing sensors themselves are replaced.
Test the door
ReversibleClose the door several times and check that it does not reverse without cause.
Call a technician if it persists
ReversibleA garage door technician can test the wire and the opener's terminals.
Run a hand along the whole wire
ReversibleFeel along the wire from the opener to each sensor for a break, a staple or a flattened spot. A fault that cannot be seen is often found by touch.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- The code on this page
- Red LED, two flashes, sensors disconnected or defective.
- Parts involved
- The sensor wires and the safety reversing sensors.
- Source
- Sears PartsDirect's table for Genie screw-drive openers.
- Why a wire is the usual suspect
- The sensor wires run along the wall and the floor of the garage, where they are exposed to staples, tools, lawn equipment and pets. A wire that is cut or pulled loose is far more common than a failed sensor, which is why the wire is checked first.
- Tell-tale lights
- Each sensor has an indicator light. If neither light shows, the wire or the opener's terminal is at fault. If one shows and the other does not, the dark sensor or its wire is the problem, which narrows the search.
- Wiring faults are the usual cause
- The sensor wires run along the wall and the floor, where staples, mowers and pests damage them. A wire that is cut or pulled loose at a terminal is far more common than a failed sensor, so inspect the whole run, including the places where it passes the door track.
- Testing with a spare wire
- If you are not sure that the wire is good, connect a short spare length of bell wire between the opener and one sensor. If the sensor lights, the long wire is at fault and you can replace it, which is cheaper than new sensors.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the wires are sound and the pattern stays, replace the safety reversing sensors as a pair
- !Do not splice in a wire that is too thin, since it can drop the sensor's voltage
- !Keep clear of the doorway while you test the door
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
What does Red LED flashes twice, pauses and repeats, and green LED is OFF mean on a Genie screw-drive garage door opener?+
Genie's service table, as Sears PartsDirect publishes it, lists this code as: safety reversing sensors are disconnected or defective.
What does two red flashes mean when the sensors are disconnected?+
The safety reversing sensors are disconnected or defective.
What is the first fix?+
Reconnect the wires.
Is a cut wire common?+
Yes.
Do I replace the sensors?+
If the wires are fine.
Can I bypass them?+
No.
What if only one sensor light is on?+
The dark sensor or its wire is the problem, so check that side first.
Can I extend the wire?+
You can splice in a new length with proper connectors, but a replacement wire of the right gauge is better.
How long may the sensor wire be?+
Runs of a few meters are normal, and a longer run needs the correct gauge, so check the manual.
Can a pest chew the wire?+
Yes, mice and rats are known to do it, and the damage can be hidden inside the insulation.