Why Does My Roomba Keep Stopping
While using a robotic vacuum cleaner, you may find your Neato or Roomba stopping in the middle of a cleaning cycle. This can be a frustrating experience! You may wonder, “Why does my Roomba keep stopping?”
Most of the time, a Roomba stops because it has run out of battery. Roombas have a battery protection system that stops them from overheating. This can also trigger a stop if the Roomba’s sensors detect that it is stuck or falling down.
In this guide, we’ll explain how to deal with the most common problems that cause a Roomba to stop. We’ll also show you how to reset a Roomba, as well as how to troubleshoot the most common issues that cause a Roomba to stop.
Why Does My Roomba Keep Stopping
Communication—Issues
One possible issue is communication between the robot vacuum and the charging station. For example, if the roomba loses power while cleaning and doesn’t make it back to the charging station, it will stop and return to the charging station automatically.
Faulty Batteries—Power Loss
Another potential cause of your roomba stopping is faulty batteries. If the batteries are low, the vacuum may stop to recharge them before continuing with the cleaning process.
Hardware Failure—Broken Parts
A third possibility is that there is a malfunction with the hardware—such as a broken wheel or motor. In this case, it may stop and return to the charging station for assistance.
Mopping Pad Full—Stuck in Pads
A common issue with the mopping function is that the pad gets full and the robot gets stuck in the pads. This will cause the roomba to stop and return to the charging station for assistance.
Other Issues—Something Wrong
There may be other issues that cause your roomba to stop—like a tangled cord, clogged filter, or other malfunctioning part. In this case, it may stop and return to the charging station for assistance.
Why Does My Roomba Keep Going in Circles
As we’ve mentioned above, the Roomba uses a random cleaning pattern—meaning that it moves in circles, forward and backward, to clean a room.
However, if your roomba has a problem or gets stuck somewhere, it can start going in circles—meaning that it will move back to the same spot over and over again.
If your Roomba is stuck, you should try to solve the problem before concluding that it needs a replacement.
To do this, start by checking for clogging—remove any clogs from the brushes or wheels. Also, ensure that any barriers or obstacles that could be keeping it from moving freely are removed.
If these troubleshooting steps don’t solve the problem, you may need to reset or re-program your Roomba—just make sure to consult the manual for specific instructions for your model.
Why Does Roomba Stop for a Few Seconds?
If you’ve ever watched your Roomba go back and forth across a room while connected to an app, you’ve probably seen it stop for a few seconds—sometimes even in the middle of a room—before continuing its work.
The answer lies in a central question of robotics—can a machine think for itself?
The answer, according to our experts, is yes—sort of. A machine can’t think like a human does, but it can make decisions based on its current state and surroundings.
In the case of the Roomba, those decisions are based on an algorithm programmed into the machine by its manufacturer. The algorithm determines the best way for the Roomba to clean a given space—whether that means cleaning the entire space or just a small portion of it.
The algorithm also dictates when the Roomba should return to its dock to recharge and when it should move to a new area.
How to Prevent Roomba From Stopping
Adjust the Brushes Regularly
One common reason for Roomba stopping is due to clogged brushes. It’s important to keep these clean and adjusted regularly to prevent this from happening.
Keep Your Hallways Clear of Debris
The Roomba’s sensors can have trouble navigating through cluttered areas. It’s important to keep these areas free of debris and clutter to prevent this problem.
Check the Sensors and Motors
The Roomba’s sensors can become blocked with pet hair or debris, causing it to stop frequently or not at all. It’s important to regularly check these sensors and keep them clean.
Perform Regular Maintenance
It’s important to perform regular maintenance on your Roomba to prevent it from malfunctioning. This includes cleaning and replacing parts as needed.
Replace Batteries Regularly
The batteries in your Roomba can become depleted quickly. It’s important to replace them regularly to prevent problems with the vacuum.
How Do You Reset a Roomba?
If your Roomba is having issues and won’t respond to commands—or if it’s driving in circles—you can reset it to clear its memory and reset its system.
If you have a newer Roomba that is simply stuck somewhere and not responding to voice commands, you can use the app to reset the robot via your phone or tablet.
You’ll first want to press the Clean button on your app to stop any cleaning cycles. Then select the Robot icon and select the Reset Robot button.
When prompted, select Yes to confirm that you want to reset your Roomba, and then select Done when the reset is complete.
You can then send your Roomba back to the spot it was stuck in to begin its cleaning cycle again.
Roomba Battery Replacement
Roboroot provides a replacement battery for your Roomba that is compatible with both the 500 and 600 series models.
It comes with a 2.5-hour charging time and boasts a longer runtime—up to 60 minutes in most cases.
Since it’s an aftermarket battery, you’ll need to remove the current one first, but it’s an easy fix.
The replacement battery is a great investment for those who are looking for a longer running time or just want to avoid the headache of a dead battery mid-clean.
Conclusion
We hope this guide was helpful in solving any issues you may have had with your Roomba. Remember that unless you have your Roomba connected to a Wi-Fi network, you will have to press the Clean button for at least 10 seconds to begin the automatic cleaning cycle.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!
