Repairing a leaning retaining wall can indicate a major underlying issue, so it's better to address it immediately before it comes crashing down altogether. A retaining wall is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it also serves to hold back the land from encroaching upon your living spaces. If your retaining wall is broken up, cracked, crumbling, leaning outward, and or, falling down, then it's not doing its job and requires immediate repair.