Dyson Vacuum No Suction

Dyson vacuums are some of the most popular models on the market. Still, these vacuum models can suffer from a loss of suction, making it impossible to clean the floors in your home. So, why would this happen?

If you discover that your Dyson vacuum has no suction, the first parts to troubleshoot are the vacuum bag or bin and its filters. These parts will affect the vacuum’s airflow when saturated with dirt and reduce suction as a result. Another possibility is a suction leak from tears or holes in the hose or wand. Lastly, a faulty motor could fail to produce suction in the first place.

As you can see, the reasons for lack of suction range from easy-to-fix problems to more complex issues. So let’s take a closer look at each one and what you can do to resolve the problem.

Related: Dyson Vacuum Troubleshooting Guide

Caution!

When troubleshooting or repairing your Dyson vacuum, always remember to disconnect it from its power source first. That means taking the plug out from the wall socket or removing the battery pack if you’re using a cordless model. Doing this will remove the risk of electrocution and reduce your overall injury risk, especially when working with moving parts.

Related: Why Is Dyson Vacuum Not Holding A Charge?

Full Bin

The first and most common reason why your Dyson vacuum has no suction is that the bin is full. 

It’s important to understand that your vacuum’s continuous airflow also passes through the bin. So, as that part of the machine becomes increasingly full, the airflow will also reduce along with it.

When a bin is full, no air will be able to pass through, and your vacuum will have no suction at all.

How to fix:

Fixing this is very straightforward. All you have to do is to empty the bin/canister, depending on which one your Dyson model has. Once that’s done, you can also take the chance to clean the inside the bin from any leftover dirt or debris that might have fallen out.

To prevent this from happening again, be sure to empty the bin regularly. Not only will that maximize airflow, but it’ll also prevent bad smells from coming out the exhaust.

Dirty Filters

All Dyson vacuum models have at least one filter inside of them. The filter is designed to remove all particles from the air, even microscopic dust particles. Unfortunately, because these filters are so effective at what they do, they can become saturated with dirt and debris very quickly.

When that happens, the airflow through those filters becomes reduced. The more the filters get dirty, the less air will flow. As a result, the vacuum gradually loses more and more of its suction until there is none at all.

Related: Dyson V10 Not Working After Cleaning The Filter

How to fix:

Thankfully, Dyson vacuum filters are straightforward to clean. Many of them can simply be washed with cold water in your kitchen sink. In addition, clean filters will restore optimal airflow in your Dyson vacuum, which will lead to better suction.

Suppose your vacuum filters are far too soiled to clean. If that’s the case, you can replace them entirely, as those filters are pretty affordable.

Blockage or Buildup

Another common reason why your Dyson vacuum has no suction is that there’s a blockage or build up somewhere in the machine.

Remember: vacuums require smooth airflow to enjoy maximum suction. So, anything that affects the airflow will reduce suction.

Most of the time, the blockage is caused by a buildup of dust and debris over time. However, the same can also happen if you accidentally vacuum more oversized items like socks or pieces of cloth. Sucking up fabrics could cause an instant blockage that completely removes suction.

How to fix:

To fix this, you will need to take the vacuum apart and inspect each airway. The parts that you must inspect closely include:

• The hose.
• The wand.
• The turbine head, which houses the brush bar.
• The inlets, which connect each piece to one another.

Using a flashlight would come in handy when inspecting these parts. That will enable you to see and remove any more significant blockages you might discover in those vacuum parts.

With all blockages cleared, you can then clean each part with a brush to remove any dust or debris that’s stuck inside.

Suction Leak

When a Dyson vacuum is in good working order, all of its airflow will be contained inside the hose, wand, and other parts. Therefore, the only part of the vacuum that has exposed airflow is the end of the wand or the brush bar, i.e. which dirt from the floor is sucked into the vacuum. 

That way, all of the suction is concentrated on one point, allowing you to clean effectively.

If you find that there is little or no suction, there is likely a suction leak somewhere in your vacuum. That could be in the form of tears or holes on the hose or wand.

Suction leaks can also happen if parts of the vacuum aren’t appropriately sealed around inlets. For example, where the turbine head connects to the wand or where the wand connects to the hose. These parts must form a tight seal to prevent suction leaks from happening.

Whenever there are holes, tears, or loose connections, air will enter the vacuum from places it should not. As a result, there will be no suction where it’s needed, which is at the floor to pick up dirt.

How to fix:

The key to fixing this problem is to find the source of the air leak. Firstly, run the vacuum as usual and listen for any whistling or suction sounds coming from the hose or wand. Those sounds will point you to holes and tears if there are any present.

Holes and tears cannot be repaired, so you will have to replace the affected part. Thankfully, spare parts can be bought from Dyson or third-party sellers.

• Once you’ve ruled out tears and holes, you can then check that all of the sealed parts of the vacuum are indeed closed tightly.
• That includes all the inlets, as well as the cyclone part if your Dyson model has one.

Brush Bar

Another common reason for a Dyson vacuum to have no suction power is a brush bar that isn’t working correctly. Of course, this isn’t a suction problem per se. However, when a brush bar doesn’t turn, it will affect the vacuum’s ability to pick dirt up off the floor.

Related: Top 3 Reasons Why Dyson Brush Bar Isn’t Spinning

Here, the problem is typically because the brush bar has become entangled with too much dirt. 

The worst kind is long strands, such as hair, as they wrap around the brush bar and prevent it from turning.

How to fix:

• Firstly, remove the turbine head and turn it over. You can begin by removing whatever dirt and debris possible from the brush bar. 
• When it comes to long strands wrapped around the bar, the quickest solution is to cut through the buildup and pull it out slowly. Be careful, though! When cutting through the dirt, be sure not to cut the bristles on the brush bar.

Doing that should be enough to clean the brush bar. For a more thorough clean, remove the soleplate and take the brush bar out completely. That will give you greater access to do a more detailed clean.

Motor Problems

Assuming you’ve ruled out all of the other possibilities above, then the last possible reason for lack of suction is a motor problem. Besides having no suction, you might notice a burning smell or popping sounds whenever you try to use the vacuum.

How to fix:

When it comes to vacuum motor problems, a repair is not likely. Instead, the more straightforward solution would be to replace the motor entirely.

Dyson vacuums come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and corded or cordless models. So, the most important thing to do here is to identify the type of motor you will purchase.

For example:

• Replacing the motor on a cordless model typically means buying a new main body assembly that already has the motor installed inside.
• However, for corded canister and upright models, you can buy a motor by itself to replace the one in your unit.

That process will involve unthreading screws and removing the vacuum’s cover to gain access to the motor. Once there, you’ll need to lift the old motor out and put the new one in, replacing the electrical connectors the same way as before.