I love buying and trying out a variety of home appliances and devices. And if it’s anything that can help ease day-to-day life and chores, I’m all for it.
When it comes to shopping for new home appliances, especially ones that are not at all cheap, I like to make sure I do enough research beforehand. I always make it a point to read plenty of resources to make sure what I’m getting is what I need and it’s what’s best for my needs.
But, even with plenty of research and no matter how sure I was with my new purchase, all appliances and devices can come with issues. And when the time comes I run into some operational issues with an appliance, some troubleshooting knowledge comes in very handy.
If you have a Shark robot vacuum and would like to know how to troubleshoot some common issues, I’ve got you covered right here!
Shark Robot Vacuum Troubleshooting
Shark robot vacuums are undeniably one of the best robot vacuum brands in the market right now. Many favor them over other brands due to how they perform and the trust the brand has built thanks to loyal customers.
Though considered one of the best in the business, they’re not free from hiccups. If you have a Shark robot vacuum to help you around the house, you know they can sometimes encounter issues.
We have below some of the more common Shark robot vacuum issues and how you can troubleshoot them yourself!
Shark robot not turning on
It goes without saying that your Shark robot vacuum has to be turned on to be able to do its job which is to clean and keep dirt off of your floor.
A robot vacuum defeats its purpose when it’s unable to turn on and isn’t working properly. A robot vacuum not turning on can be due to many reasons:
- The battery is running low on power.
- The battery is completely drained.
- The battery needs to be replaced.
To determine which fix is right for you, it’s best to narrow down possible causes and pinpoint exactly what causes the issue.
First, you want to check if your unit is charging. If not, that’s where your problem lies. We have more troubleshooting ideas for charging issues coming up, so hold tight.
If your unit isn’t charging, even hours after it’s been plugged in, the issue may be lying on the battery itself. You might have drained it completely. If this is the issue for you, you might want to consider replacing the battery altogether. Lucky for you, there are tons of replacement batteries for Shark robot vacuums available here.
Shark robot not charging
So you’ve determined that your battery still works properly and isn’t completely drained yet. But still, you find your Shark robot vacuum isn’t charging.
Shark robot vacuums are designed to charge whenever they’re docked, so when they don’t don’t, it’d definitely be a head-scratcher.
There are many reasons why a Shark robot vacuum is not charging:
- Faulty power outlet
- Faulty charger
- There is obstruction on the charging contacts
The first thing you want to do is ensure the robot vacuum is fully docked to the charging station. For one, there might be obstruction between the robot vacuum and the charging contact points. Even if it’s just a small debris or piece of dust lodged in there, it can cause charging issues.
You’d want to make sure nothing is blocking the charging dock. It would be best to routinely check this and regularly clean the charging dock and the contact points on the robot vacuum itself.
If you’ve done this but are still experiencing charging issues, check on the power source. Make sure the charging dock is plugged in. If you’re using a power strip instead, make sure the power switch is turned on.
Faulty and completely drained batteries cannot charge. If you’ve had your Shark robot vacuum for some time now and have been noticing battery issues growing increasingly common, it might be time to replace your battery with a new one.
If all else fails and your robot vacuum still isn’t charging and you’re sure the problem doesn’t lie on the battery either, the issue might be on the charger. You can also replace your faulty charger.
Shark robot not picking up dirt
Many households turn to robot vacuums to keep their homes clean by collecting debris. So when a unit is unable to pick up dirt and debris, it’s basically pointless to own one, but it does happen.
This can be due to many reasons:
- Faulty vacuum motor
- Dirty or jammed brushes
- Dirty filters
- Full dust bin
One common reason why your Shark vacuum may not be picking up dirt and debris is because it has a faulty vacuum motor that affects its suction power. You want to check this by checking whether the brushes are turning when the vacuum is on and operating.
Your unit not picking up dirt may also be due to jammed or dirty brushes. First, you want to check on the cleaning brushes, both the main brush and the side brushes. Because they pick up dirt, hair, and other debris, it’s easy for them to get stuck there, preventing them from turning.
You’d want to clean them and regularly do so as they can get stuck with time and can affect cleaning performance.
Another reason why it might not be picking up dirt like it usually does is because of dirty filters or a full dust bin.
You’d want to take out the dust filter and clean or replace them completely. There might be a lot of small particles lodged there so make sure to regularly do this as well.
If there isn’t anything jammed on any of the cleaning brushes and they’re still not turning, you might need to consider purchasing a motor replacement.
How to empty Shark robot vacuum cleaner?
- Take the dust container out of the robot vacuum. Don’t tilt the dust bin sideways to prevent any dust or dirt from falling out.
- Open the top cover of the dust container.
- Empty everything out to a trash can.
- Clean and dust off the bin with a brush or cloth.
Shark robot has abnormal movement
A Shark robot vacuum cleaner is a smart home cleaning appliance that moves and cleans without much human intervention. So what happens when your unit starts moving abnormally?
Your Shark robot vacuum might move irregularly due a number of reasons:
- Dirty wheels
- Obstructions on sensors
- Worn-out wheels
The first thing you want to check on are the wheels on your robotic vacuum unit. If there is build-up dirt on them, this might be causing the issue. Turn the unit over and check. If there is dirt on them, clean them out.
Another thing that might be causing the issue is there might be obstructions on the robot’s sensors, including the cliff sensors. Check on the sensors and make sure there isn’t any dirt on them by using a dry cloth to wipe them down.
Worn-out wheels on your Shark robot vac will cause it to move erratically. If neither of the two reasons apply to your situation, check on the wheel and if they look worn-out from constant use, consider getting some replacement.
Shark robot not connecting to Wi-Fi
One other common issue Shark robot vacuum owners deal with are Wi-Fi issues.
If you’re having Wi-Fi connectivity issues, try any of the remedies below:
- Ensure you’re inputting the correct Wi-Fi password.
- Make sure your robot vacuum is within the Wi-Fi’s range.
- If all else fails, hard restart your Wi-Fi router. To do this, unplug your router and wait for about 10 seconds before plugging it back in.
Shark robot brushes stop spinning or are not spinning properly
The brushes on robot vacs pick up a lot of hair off of the floor. And with time, the brushes on them can collect a huge build up of hair. This can cause the brushes to malfunction and not spin properly.
You’d want to make sure to regularly check on the brushes and remove any traces of build-up hair and debris.
Conclusion
Shark robot vacuums are one of the best in the business right now. They have the Shark Ion Robot Vacuum, Shark AI Robot Vacuum, and Shark IQ Robot Vacuum among many others. But though this is the case, they are not free from malfunctions and issues along the way.
If you have a Shark robot vacuum to help you around the house, it’s best to equip yourself with troubleshooting knowledge when it comes down to it.
Some more common issues Shark robot vacuums encounter include:
- Shark robot not turning on,
- Shark robot not charging,
- Shark robot not picking up dirt,
- Shark robot not moving properly,
- Shark robot not connecting to Wi-Fi, and
- Shark robot not spinning properly.
Shark robot malfunctions can be caused by a whole lot of different reasons. Being able to pinpoint the cause of the hiccup you’re experiencing is key to resolving them.
If you find yourself dealing with issues and problems with operating your Shark robot vacuum, you’re more than welcome to go back to this article to help yourself out! Happy Shark troubleshooting!
