Karcher makes some nice, reliable tools. I’ve shared some guides about their other tools in the past too, namely the Karcher carpet cleaner. But today, the focus is on their vacuum cleaner.
I’ll be talking about Karcher vacuum cleaner problems specifically while highlighting which ones are the most common and troubleshooting each of them. Just keep reading to learn more!
Troubleshooting 5 Common Karcher Vacuum Cleaner Problems
- Dust Coming Out During Use
The issue usually has to do with the suction hose. This hose is what the Karcher vacuum cleaner sucks dirt and other waste through. If the hose is loose, that means there’s space for things to leak out.
I’ve noticed that it’s a super easy mistake to make. So, just ensure that you aren’t doing that too. Always attach the hose carefully and properly during each use, as I’m doing in the photo below.
Sometimes, there’s a loose edge or the hose just doesn’t lock down tight enough. This leaves room for air to come out. When air comes out, that also means there’s room for dirt to come out.
But, it may not be a user-ended error. Sometimes, it’s just the hose that’s directly to blame. I’m referring to times when the suction hose starts developing other kinds of leaks.
These can be tiny holes all across the hose that form after a long time of use. Coming into contact with rough terrains can cause this. These holes are more than enough for dirt to seep out during use.
Whenever you notice damage that’s allowing dirt and debris to leak out, I recommend getting a new hose. Even if you seal the hole in your old hose, it isn’t reliable in my opinion.
- Vacuum Turns Itself Off
I got a complaint from a user who had their Karcher vacuum cleaner turn itself off whenever they tried to use it. When I got down to doing some research on it, I found that it’s not that rare.
Letting the dirt receptacle on the tool completely fill out results in this happening. Now, you might be wondering what the dirt receptacle has to do with the entire vacuum turning itself off.
Some Karcher vacuum cleaners have a mechanism that tells them when their bin is too full. This sensor prevents the device from powering on when that happens.
This is to ensure that the machine doesn’t suck in further dirt after it’s full. So, never let the dirt receptacle on your Karcher vacuum fill up, and always keep it mostly empty like mine in this picture:
A lot of people leave junk inside their vacuum, intending to clean it either. I can’t stress enough that you should never do this, because that leads to very dirty build-ups and creates complications.
Just clean out the dirt receptacle on your Karcher vacuum cleaner now and then. Once you empty the bin, your tool should be functioning without random shutdowns.
- Karcher Vacuum Cleaner Not Turning On
Speaking of the tool turning itself off, what should you do if it doesn’t turn on at all?
There are usually only two big reasons for the vacuum cleaner not turning on entirely. These have to do with the power switch on the tool, and the power cord that it has.
If something happens to either of these two (which you can see in the image down here), your Karcher vacuum cleaner will not turn on. But, what can you do about it?
Well, in case there’s something wrong with the power switch, you’ll have to inspect it internally. It could be something like debris blocking the switch from pressing or an old spring that doesn’t work.
Those types of things are simple to fix. But, if there’s something wrong with the power cord, there’s not much to do about that. There aren’t any repairs or troubleshooting tips to work around the issue.
All you can do is purchase a new power cord and use that with the tool. That way, the flow of power will resume like normal, and your Karcher carpet cleaner will turn on again.
- Wet Cartridge Filter
Water is terrible for vacuum cleaners. That’s because it can get on the filters. This ruins the filter’s functionality and may lead to complications.
The severest of these complications has to do with the motor. More often than not, the motor that provides power to the whole tool is next to the filter.
If the filter gets wet, that water can wriggle its way to the motor. This immediately causes a short and stops the cleaner from working. You can inspect this the same way I’m doing in this photo:
Remove the top cover of the vacuum cleaner and take a look at the filter underneath it. If it gets wet, you’ll be able to tell quite easily as it’s notable.
In case you ever suck up some water, immediately stop using the vacuum and do this. Then, remove the filter from the vacuum and set the component aside to dry for at least a day before using it.
- Dirty Filters Are Bad Too
While not as dangerous, dirty filters are much more common than wet filters. The filters contact so much dirt and debris that it’s impossible for them to not get dirty.
All you can do about it is clean them. I have a filter for a Karcher vacuum cleaner below that has a clearly dirty covering, which you can tell from the picture underneath.
In case your filter looks anything like this, clean it out and remove anything that may be restricting its use. As for the cleaning part, washing filters is the best way to get them as good as new.
Before I wrap this up, I just want to bring attention to my words from earlier again about how dangerous wet filters are.
So, after washing them, make sure to give filters enough time to dry before inserting them back into the Karcher vacuum cleaner.
