How To Fix a Roomba Making a Clicking/Knocking Noise

Follow the “How-To-Fix-It” instructions in this article and video to repair your Roomba

Is your Roomba making a clicking/knocking noise while operating?
Does it randomly stop and tell you to clean the brushes, however they’re already clean?

Tools/items needed:

roomba

This is a common problem with Roombas.  After months of usage, it will start to build dirt, grime, hair, etc. into the gearbox.  The gearbox contains several gears which can’t turn properly when it is full of dirt.

I’ll blame my problem on my dog, because most of the issue inside my gearbox was hair.  This video shows you how to get into the gearbox.  Once you get into this, you’ll have to do some heavy cleaning.  After that is done, put a little grease on the gears and put it all back together again.

This is a pretty easy fix, but I’ve noticed that this will not prevent dirt buildup in the gearbox again.  So, you will have to clean it out again in about 10 – 12 months.  Or whenever you start hearing the clicking / knocking noises again.

Comment below if this has helped your Roomba problems.

+Greg

20 comments

  1. Do you have any more suggestions on how to fix this clicking / error clean brushes, problem?
    Because i just done a very good job of cleaning the gears just like you said, and mine is still doing the exact same thing!
    There was a lot of pet hair in there so i figure that would fix it for sure, but it didn’t.

    Could i have put any of the gears back in the wrong place?I don’t think so? I didn’t mark them because there is only one big gear and one small one, then all the rest are the same, so they should be able to go in any of the remaining spots, correct?
    I also used a spray white lithium grease as the lube, is that ok?

    PLEASE let me know what else it could be.
    Thanks so much!

    1. I removed the bottom cover (4 marked screws including the two for battery cover) and used a flat paint scraper to lift the bottom cover, used a hand vacuum for all surface dirt/dust, then used a METRO DATAVAC ELECTRIC DUSTER Model ED500 to blow any dirt/dust from any place that let in anything that might affect friction. I didn’t disassemble anything other than remove bottom cover.

      I also used hand vacuum, electric duster and baby wipes to clean dust bin and all exterior surfaces. I usually wipe down the rollers with baby wipe, hand vacuum the filter, and use the electric duster to blow air through the filter from the exhaust side after using hand vac to remove dirt from intake side of filter.

      After doing the above, the Roomba was much quieter. I do now hear the clicking, but rarely, not constantly—certainly less than 5% of job time.

      If constant clicking returns, I’ll watch your video.

    2. Omg
      Thank you !!!!!!!
      It was the gears
      All gucked up!
      It was making a horrible sound and I was considering getting a new one

  2. This worked! Thank you so much! However, while trying to get the tiny screws out on my 2nd Roomba, I stripped one out that holds the green plastic table. Any ideas on what to do?

  3. My problem is I bought replacement brushes from a 3rd party. I’ve ordered from this vendor in the past with no problem, but this last order, the brush is clunking. If I put the old brush in, no clunk. Please help.

  4. Thank You My Roomba 880 ” I call him Robbie ” was making a noise. I thought he just picked some thing up No, so back to work he went . Other than filters I have never done anything else. still making noise I changed the filter, back to work, Still complaining. Put him on the table and started taking him apart as you did. Wow what a mess. First an ink pen, then I saw that one of the gray rollers was cut in half . Hair, Dust bunnys , whatever was in there. So I just did every thing you said. The only problem I had was finding a screw driver small enough for the little yellow brush thing . Ordered his new cloths and put him back together. Off to work he went just like new. Thank You ever so much. As a Mom and Grandma I was never very good at fixing things like that . You made it seem really easy and it was.

  5. I followed your instructions on the video – easy to understand – well done! But mine still clunks. I cleaned the gearbox and everything else really good – clean as new. Lubed the gears with the white lyth. Dissassembled several times and reassembled. There seems to be no binding anywhere. Is it normal for the brush container tomove up and down and clunk when you manually pull/push when upside down? Any other ideas? Thanks, Matt…

  6. I did the cleaning like u said and my Roomba is very quiet and doesn’t knock at all!
    The Problem is: it runs about 1 minute then shuts down and again says “error: brushes Need cleaned”
    Pick it, set it down ouch the button takes off and 1 minute later it shuts down again!!
    Help

  7. I did this and stopped the thumping but still shuts off after about a minute and says clean brushes???
    And ideas

  8. I cleaned out everything as per the video, but my gears were perfectly clean – except for some kind of gel from the factory. That was around the gears, and I didn’t disturb it. No pet hair, nothing. Everything millimeter of the roomba is clean, but it still makes that constant clicking sound. Any other ideas?

  9. Thanks for this video.

    My Roomba (nicknamed “Peret”) was making this knocking noise, but in my case the little gears were surprisingly clean. But I could confirm that something was blocking the motor by assembling it again without mounting the little gear that is attached to the motor — noise solved but obviously no brush movement. Upon further inspection, I tried to move the gear assembly with my fingernail and I decided it was too difficult to move, so I understand that after almost a decade the grease was gone, turned into a yellowish goo. Not having replacement grease, I sprayed everything with WD-40 and lo and behold, Peret worked!

  10. This part was left over. The gears don’t seem to be turning the brushes all the way around but it’s cleaning. Thanks

    Picture wouldn’t load

  11. thanks for that! I have taken mine apart and cleaned gears, and it tends to fix it up, but only for a few days or a week, rather than the months or a year you mention…anything I can do about that??

    Also, one of mine still doesn’t want to go, brushes are hard to turn, even by hand. Any ideas?

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