What to Do When Your Roomba Does Not Return to Its Home Base

What to do when your Roomba does not return to its home base? Continue reading to find out the problem and solutions in this article. 

So, what do you do if your Roomba does not return to its home base? Checking the battery is a start. It could also be that the unit is clogged at the wheels from excess trash, but there is a long list of things to troubleshoot the problem. 

Nine out of ten times, most people find the battery that is the culprit. The battery is the primary energy source, and when it goes out, the entire system will shut down. It can become aggravating that the Roomba would die out so close to the home base, so close but still too far away. 

Troubleshooting, Why The Roomba Will Not Return Home?

You notice the Roomba is going around the room picking up all the debris on the floors throughout the house, then suddenly it stops right before it docks itself at the home base. It is essential not to panic or worry because it may be simple to resolve. There is a chain of events you can check out through troubleshooting techniques to find out what the problem is.

• Check the charger cable to ensure there is nothing cut or damaged.
• Try plugging the charger into the wall outlet to see if the green light comes on. This indicator lets you know the Roomba is getting a sufficient charge.
• Hook up the charger to the home base and double-check the connections to ensure it is appropriately connected.
• Check to ensure no interference at least eight feet from the infrared beam.
• Try putting the home base in an open area to avoid interference.
• Look for any objects interfering with the bumper’s sensors between the vacuum and the docking area.
• Clean the Roomba filter with a dry cloth, and clean the contacts on the home base where the charging occurs.
• Put the Roomba six feet away from the docking area and press the “Dock” button. It should return after these measures are taken.

As you can see, charging the battery may be the primary cause of the Roomba not returning to its proper location. It can also weaken the sensors, making it difficult for the Roomba to find the docking station. You should always check these steps before continuing to locate the problem.

Other Issues That Affect The Roomba’s Performance

Other issues caused by the battery either being weak or not charging will stop the Roomba from docking. If you notice the Roomba is off and not turning on or not responding to any of the commands within the program, try removing the battery and replacing it. Sometimes the battery may shift or was not installed correctly. 

You may notice the lights come on, but the charge is weak. Check your outlets to ensure the proper voltage gets to the charging station. While you have the Roomba in hand, remove the wheels and any dirt or debris from the area, including the charging connections, with a soft dry cloth. 

Put everything back together, let the device charge for about an hour and recheck it. There may be an error message that comes up. Once you have checked the power sources, cleaned off the dirt and debris, and checked the battery, you may have to reset the Roomba to your personal settings. 

Resetting The Roomba

After troubleshooting, and you notice the Roomba comes on but is still unresponsive, it is a must to reset the device. It may be resetting the device is needed from the beginning. It is recommended that you should not charge the battery fully until this process is completed.

Resetting it will confirm the battery is not the issue in this situation. However, the battery should be the first thing you should always check. Here is how you reset your Roomba.

1. Connect the Roomba to the home base.
2. Hold the “Clean” button until the blue text “r5Y” appears.
3. Release the “Clean” button, and the machine will turn off with a beep. The beep sound lets you know the reset is completed. 

FAQ