Dyson Vacuum Won't Turn On: What You Can Do to Troubleshoot & Fix It
With that said, we understand how terrible it can feel when your Dyson vacuum won’t turn on all of a sudden.
But don’t fret!
“My Dyson vacuum won’t turn on” is a pretty common problem and we have received plenty of emails about it. Fortunately, after some investigating, we found that it’s possible to diagnose and — in certain cases — even fix the vacuum yourself.
You can find out more in this maintenance guide.
My Dyson Stopped Working: The Many Reasons
There are many explanations as to why the vacuum may refuse to work when you push the power button. The following are just a few of the potential issues. Inspect your vacuum carefully to try and determine if your vacuum suffers from any of these problems.
Corded Dyson Vacuums
Broken or Loose Power Cord
This scenario is applicable to corded Dyson vacuums like the Dyson Ball Animal 2.
Inspect the power cord. Make sure that the cord doesn’t have any tears, rips, or breakage. A damaged power cord is a very serious electrical safety hazard. It can electrocute you or start a house fire. So, deal with it immediately by replacing the cord.
If the cord is whole and there is no visible damage, check the plug. Ensure that the prongs aren’t bent or damaged.
Don’t see any problem with either the cord itself or the plug?
Plug the power cord back into the outlet again and check for looseness. A loose power cord won’t supply power to your vacuum, which may explain why your Dyson Animal stopped working.
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Blown Fuse
Inside of each Dyson vacuum is a 13A fuse. When a dangerous electrical current passes through the vacuum, the fuse will blow to protect the electronics and the motor.
Obviously, once the fuse is blown, even the best Dyson vacuum won’t work. Because the motor is out of commission, this is one of the few explanations for the “Dyson vacuum on off switch not working” fault. No matter how many times you click the button, it won’t work with a blown fuse.
The fuse issue is very rare and often only occurs when the motor is damaged. Unfortunately, if the fuse blows, you will have to send the vacuum to Dyson for manual inspection. Fuse replacement will require you to crack open the vacuum, which is not recommended since it will void your warranty.
Overheated Motor
Although it is rather simple, “Dyson overheated won’t turn on” is a key phrase that pops up a lot in our inbox.
If you were vacuuming and the vacuum suddenly stopped, touch the outer casing of the motor to check if it’s hot or not. Overheating can cause the motor to automatically shut down. It does this to protect itself from damage.
This is completely normal. Your vacuum is fine.
Fixing this is simple enough: let the vacuum cool down and it should be right as rain thereafter. It should take about 30 minutes to cool and reset. No fancy tech-whiz processes needed.
Cordless Dyson Vacuums
Battery Doesn’t Have a Charge
A cordless vacuum runs on a battery inside of the machine. If the battery doesn’t have a charge, the Dyson vacuum not turning on is to be expected.
So, plug the vacuum and recharge the battery using the wall charger. Wait for an hour or two and turn the vacuum on again to see if it works.
Damaged Battery
Check the battery to see if it is damaged (cracked, dented, etc.). Just like a damaged power cord, a damaged battery is a severe safety hazard. Almost all Dyson vacuums use a battery technology called Lithium-ion.
Lithium reacts violently when it is exposed to air. It can produce a spark and even explode. So, if the battery casing is damaged, you may have a literal ticking time bomb in your house. Immediately stop using the vacuum and store it somewhere it cannot be a risk (an outdoor shed, for example).
If possible, remove the battery from the vacuum. Take a picture of the damaged battery as evidence. Then, discard the battery.
The picture will be valuable when you talk with Dyson’s customer service for a battery replacement. Dyson vacuum battery issues are very prevalent and, according to our sources, the company’s customer service is often helpful when it comes to resolving claims.
Depending on whether your vacuum is still under warranty or not, you will usually be sent a new battery free of charge. If your model doesn’t have an easily replaceable battery, they will tell you to drop off your broken vacuum at their nearest servicing point.
There are two ways this can play out after that. If the battery can be quickly replaced, a technician will do it for you. If not, there have been reports of Dyson giving you a new vacuum altogether in exchange for your old one.
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Universal Problems
The following problems may affect both corded and cordless Dysons.
Clogged Airway
When something clogs up the airway of the Dyson, the motor will have to work harder to compensate. Over time, it will overheat and the motor will cut off altogether. This is a very common problem that causes the “Dyson vacuum not working” error.
For the vacuum to work again, you will have to clear the obstruction.
Flashing Troubleshooting Light on the Dyson: What Is It?
Dyson stick vacuums have a troubleshooting light on the handle. Watching it can tell you exactly what’s wrong with your vacuum.
Flashing Blue Light
When the light flashes blue, there are a few explanations. The first is that the battery level is empty and you have to plug in the vacuum. When you plug the vacuum in, the light will turn from flashing blue to an amber color.
However, if you plug in the vacuum and the light either continues to flash blue or doesn’t light at all, there’s a problem. Bring the Dyson to a service center for a technician to check it out.
Solid Blue Light
If the light is a solid blue color, press the MAX button on the vacuum. After that, it should flash several times. Count the number of flashes to know what’s wrong with the vacuum.
Seven continuous flashes mean the vacuum is too cold. Eight flashes mean that it is overheating.
In both cases, you should place the vacuum somewhere with a decent room temperature for it to either warm up or cool down. After that, it should work normally again.
If there are eleven flashes, the vacuum is clogged. There is a special segment on how to deal with clogs down below. You can use it to clear up the obstruction and get your vacuum back to working order.
Flashing Red Light
This is the worst case scenario. When the light flashes red, something is critically wrong inside of the vacuum. You will not be able to fix this level of problem yourself. Instead, make a call to Dyson’s customer service, explain the problem and all of the symptoms, and they will tell you how to proceed.
Nonetheless, at this point, it’s almost a given that you will have to bring the Dyson to a service center.
How to Replace a Dyson Vacuum’s Battery
If the battery of a cordless is broken, the “Dyson vacuum no power” problem will manifest.
Now, Dyson has two cordless designs that you have to take note of.
The first design is the one that has a screw-in battery. This means you will have to remove a few screws to take the battery out and replace it.
The second design has a click-in battery. This type of vacuum is specifically designed for quick battery replacement. You can simply “click” on the exposed battery pack and swap it in a few seconds.
We’ll go through how to replace the battery on both types.
Screw-in Battery
The way that the battery is situated and screwed in place is the same from the Dyson V6 to the Dyson V11 (Torque Drive). If you have either of these models and the Dyson won’t turn on due to battery issues, take the following steps.
First, if the vacuum is still connected to the wall charger, unplug it.
Release the dust cup from the vacuum by pressing on the red lever on the outside of the cup twice. Do not press the trigger inside of the handle.
Once the dust cup is off, check the bottom of the vacuum, near the front. You will see a small screw there holding the battery in place. Use a Phillips #2 screwdriver to remove it.
Before the battery pack can be removed, you will have to remove another screw. It is located on the backside of the handle. It is very easy to find. It should be right at the center.
When both screws are removed, the battery should now be able to come out. Just grip the battery pack (at the bottom of the handle) and pull it down.
Take your replacement battery and reverse the process. Simple as that!
In case you’re wondering where you can get a replacement battery, you can find it here on Dyson’s front page.
A Dyson screw-in battery
Click-in Battery
The vacuum models with click-in battery are the Dyson V11 Outsize and the Dyson V15 Detect. Both models come with an extra battery pack inside the box.
All you have to do is press in on the battery pack, which will come loose immediately. Then, take the extra battery pack and put it back into the vacuum.
A Dyson click-in battery
How to Clear Blockages from Dyson Vacuums
Suction Hose & Wand
The first area to check would be the suction hose. It is where most clogs will manifest.
Remove the hose from the vacuum. Find the attachment release lever on the vacuum. If you don’t know where it is, you can refer to the vacuum’s user manual.
Visually inspect the inside of the hose for any visible clog. If you see it, you can use a small rod-shaped object or similar implements to clear it out. Make sure to do it gently so that you don’t accidentally damage the hose.
Next, check the suction wand. You can look into the wand the same way you did with the hose to check for clogs.
Hose Inlet
The suction hose connects to the vacuum through the hose inlet. This is also a part that is vulnerable to clogging.
You don’t need to do much for this part. Just look into the inlet and see if there’s anything in the way. Clear out the obstruction if you see something in there.
Cleaning Head
Check the cleaning head for pet hair clumps or large debris. They could be lodged somewhere around the brush roll.
This kind of clog is extra dangerous. Not only does it impede the airflow and can cause the motor to overheat, it can even snap the roller belt.
You can use a razor blade to cut the pet hair and make it easier to deal with. For stuck debris, you can pick them out using a pair of tweezers.
If they’re stuck solid, you can remove the brush from the vacuum for easier cleaning.
At the bottom of the cleaning head, you will see a few fasteners that anchor the bottom plate to the cleaning head. You can simply swivel the fasteners to unlock them.
When the bottom plate is off, the brush will be completely exposed. Pull and rotate the end cap away from the brush roll. Doing this will release the brush roll from the cleaning head.
Put the brush roll under running water and gently scrub all of the debris and pet hair from the bristles. Allow the brush roll to dry for at least 24 hours before putting it back in.
You must not use the brush roll while it’s wet under any circumstance! Be absolutely certain that it’s totally dry before putting it back into the vacuum.
Reverse the process for reinstallation.
My Dyson Vacuum Continuously Turns On and Off
While you’re vacuuming, if you notice the Dyson turns itself off continuously, cease using the vacuum. This is especially dangerous if you’re using a corded Dyson vacuum.
One possible explanation for this is that the power cord is damaged and does not provide stable power to the motor. If you continue using it, the power cord can eventually burn and cause a fire.
Pull the plug on the vacuum and inspect the wiring carefully.
However, even if you don’t find any problem with the power cord, we recommend that you send the vacuum off to a service provider. They will give the vacuum a thorough inspection and ensure that there’s nothing wrong with it.
➜ RELATED: Shark Vacuum No Suction: How To Troubleshoot & Fix Your Vacuum Cleaner
Conclusion
A Dyson vacuum typically has very good reliability and durability, but it’s not infallible. So, like we said, don't be too worried when your Dyson vacuum won’t turn on.
We hope this guide has given you the information that you were looking for.
If you want to check out our other guides, we have similar maintenance guides like our “Shark vacuum won’t turn on” Check them out if you’re interested!
