Why My Shark Robot Vacuum Won’t Turn On? Check Out the Reason and the Solution!

Are you wondering “Why my Shark robot vacuum won’t turn on” and you don’t know what to do? Then this is the right place for you. We offer you looking for a simple step-by-step guide to fix it.

Let’s dive into the details!

Quick Answer 

When your Shark robot vacuum won’t turn on, the power switch is the first thing you must check. You will find it on the side of the robot vacuum cleaner. Inspect if the power switch is on. The “-” on the power switch must be pressed down.

If the power switch is on, then one of these is the problem:

1. Tripped power outlet.
2. Faulty charging station.
3. Worn-out battery.
4. Clogged component.
5. Software issue.

I will walk you through each one of them in detail.

Hopefully, by the end of this guide, your Shark robot vacuum will be back to cleaning your house.

Solutions To Fix Shark Robot Vacuum Won’t Turn On Problem

I have compiled nine easy solutions with the exact steps to fix your Shark robot vacuum not turning on the problem.

Let’s look at each one of them in detail.

1. Make Sure Your Robot Vacuum Charging Base Is Fine

Your robot vacuum might not turn on if it has a low battery.

Three things are responsible for low-charge:

1. Charging station.
2. Power outlet.
3. Battery.

Let’s start with the charging station.

If the charging station is not working, the robot vacuum cleaner won’t charge.

Steps To Check If The Charging Base Is Working

1. Inspect if the green light on the charging base is glowing. It indicates that the charging base is working.
2. Make sure the charging base cord is plugged securely into the power outlet.

If you do not see any light, the problem is with the charging station. The charging base or its cord might be broken.

But before declaring the charging base as the culprit, ensure the power outlet is functioning.

2. Check The Wall Outlet Or Сircuit Breaker

Robot vacuum cleaners take up a high amount of energy. There is a possibility that the circuit breaker/fuse is tripped. Here is how to check the power outlet.

Steps To Inspect The Wall Outlet

1. Try charging another electronic device with the wall outlet.
2. If it charges, the power outlet is working, and the charging station is faulty.
3. You can also use an outlet tester to check the efficiency of your power outlet.
4. Instead of using a power strip, connect the charging base directly to a wall outlet.
5. If the wall socket is not working, plug the charging base into a different outlet.
6. If the green light on the charging station turns on, it means the base is working. Keep your robot vacuum cleaner on charge.

Ensure the circuit breaker of your socket is on. Sometimes we overlook the basics that cause the problem.

If the wall socket was not the issue, then let’s look at other components.

3. Clean The Charging Contacts Of Your Robot Vacuum

Robot vacuum cleaners charge by docking themselves on the charging station. The charging contacts connect, and the power flows from the base to the robot.

With use, dust clogs up the charging contact surface on the robot vacuum and the base. These charging contacts need to be clean for the energy to flow between them.

Steps To Clean The Charging Contacts

1. Locate the charging contacts on the front of the base.
2. Find the robot charging contacts right behind the front bumper.
3. Clean them both with a dry microfiber cloth.

If one of the robot vacuum components is clogged, the Shark robot vacuum won’t turn on. They need to be cleaned for the robot vacuum cleaner to work.

4. Clean Robot Vacuum Components And Sensors

Over time, dust and debris clog the robot cleaner components and sensors. It is vital to clean them regularly for the vacuum to function efficiently.

Steps To Clean The Shark Robot Vacuum Components And Sensors 

1. Remove the front bumper and clean the infrared lights inside it.
2. Clean the cliff sensors and charging contacts behind the front bumper with a dry microfiber cloth.
3. Inspect if there is anything stuck in the front caster or drive wheels.
4. Empty the dustbin, clean it with a damp cloth, and let it dry for some time.
5. Remove the filter, hold it over the trash can, and tap lightly to remove dust particles.
6. Cut the hair around the main brush roller, and remove the dust and debris with a cloth or fine brush.
7. Remove the side brushes, and clean them.
8. Pull out the battery and clean the battery compartment with a dry cloth.

Even now, if your robot vacuum won’t turn on, then keep reading to explore other solutions.

5. Wiggle The Robot Vacuum To Turn It On

Sometimes the Shark robot vacuum has trouble docking correctly on the charging station.

Steps To Dock The Robot Vacuum Manually On The Charging Base

1. Place the robot vacuum on the charging base.
2. Keep a distance of 0.5cm between the vacuum and the charging base.
3. Wiggle it back and forth until you see a blue charging light on the robot.

Blinking blue light indicates that the robot vacuum is charging.

Do you know how sometimes remote control toys stop working? When you move them around manually, they start working again. It is because their gears must be stuck.

Similarly, try to move your robot vacuum manually. It might be your lucky day, and your robot will start working.

6. Reset Your Robot Vacuum

Shark robot vacuums undergo software issues or are out of storage memory from time to time. You need to reset your robot vacuum to resolve this issue.

Two Ways To Reset Your Shark Robot Vacuum

1. Manually using the power switch
2. Using the ‘Shark Clean’ app

I have written a detailed guide on “How to reset Shark ION robot vacuum”. You can check it out if you want help resetting your vacuum.

7. Check For Updates

If your Shark vacuum won’t turn on, an update might be just what it needs to fix the problem. This is because the latest software update tackles the bugs of the previous versions.

Shark robot vacuums have Wi-Fi connectivity. You can control them using the smartphone app. Earlier, software updates were not possible in robot vacuums. But now you can update the robot cleaner using the Shark Clean app. Here’s how to do it.

Steps To Update Shark Robot Vacuum

1. Launch the Shark Clean app.
2. Make sure your robot is connected to the app. Both, the mobile and the robot vacuum must be connected to the same wi-fi network.
3. Go to “Settings”.
4. Select “About (robot name)”.
5. Click on “Update”.

If your Shark vacuum still won’t turn on, the problem is with the main component, which is the battery. Let’s look into it.

8. Reinstall The Battery

While cleaning, if the robot vacuum bumps into an object or the wall, its battery might get misplaced. It needs to be fit back into its correct place.

Steps To Reinstall The Battery

1. Locate the battery compartment behind the charging contacts.
2. Remove the cover.
3. Pull out the battery and detach the cable from the vacuum.
4. While you are at it, clean the battery compartment with a dry microfiber cloth.
5. Wait for a few minutes before attaching the cable again.
6. Place the battery back into its compartment. 
7. Put the cover back on.

If the battery is worn-out, replacing it with a new battery is the last resort.

9. Replace The Robot Vacuum’s Battery

Shark battery lasts for about two years. After that, you need to replace it. A worn-out battery will have low to no efficiency.

Steps To Replace The Battery

1. Buy a new battery that is compatible with the robot vacuum model.
2. Remove the current battery.
3. Install the new battery.
4. Connect the robot vacuum to the battery charger and let it charge for a few hours.

Hopefully, your robot vacuum will be up and about after this. 

If your vacuum cleaner still won’t charge, contact Shark Support and relay your problem to them. I am sure they will be able to help you out.

FAQs

Conclusion

If your Shark robot won’t turn on, inspect the charging station and wall outlet. If they are working fine, clean the charging contacts and other components. As a last resort, replace the battery. If nothing works, contact Shark support.

I hope this guide helped solve your, “Why my Shark robot vacuum won’t turn on?” issue.

What was the problem with your Shark robot vacuum, and which step helped you fix it? Please comment below.