Common Vacuum Cleaner Faults

Fault Diagnosis - Listening For Warning Signs

Upright vacuum cleaners can suffer from damage to the fan blades as dirt and debris passes directly from the floor over the fan. But you can reduce the risk of damage developing with your vacuum cleaner, by taking care not to vacuum over coins or hard objects.

If your vacuum cleaner does show signs of developing a fault, you can find out how to fix it below.

Safety First! Please make sure that you’ve switched off your appliance and disconnected it from the mains before beginning any repair.

No Functions:

No Power:

Check the mains flex cable, plug fuse, wiring, and mains outlet for faults.

Flex Worn:

Make sure the flex cable on the vacuum cleaner is not damaged, if it is, replace it.

Brush Roller Not Working:

Wrong Setting:

Check that the brush is in carpet mode.

Wrong Brush Height:

Change the setting of the brush height.

Hair or Threads Wrapped Around Agitator Brush:

Use a comb to remove hair and lint from the brush, you can also use a sharp knife to cut threads and hairs wrapped around the shaft. If the hair / threads have damaged the brush roll, replace it.

Broken Drive Belt:

Replace the broken drive belt with the correct part, and check for any obstructions.

Poor or No Suction:

Bag Full:

Replace the bag, ideally this should be replaced before it becomes two-thirds full.

Blocked Pipes:

Check all tubes for obstructions, and remove them as necessary.

Clogged Filters:

Check and replace any worn out filters.

Leaky Hose:

Check and replace the hose if it's split or damaged.

Flex Cable Won't Rewind:

Flex Cord Tangled:

Pull out the flex cable all the way and untangle it.

Noisy Operation:

Faulty Drive Belt:

Replace the drive belt as necessary.

Motor Dirty & Fan Broken:

For both these issues, you’ll need to contact a qualified engineer to carry out the repair.

Obstruction:

Check the fan area, tubes and ducts for clogging and clean if necessary.