6 Steps To Fix “Roomba Error 2” In Seconds (2023 How-To)

What do brooms, tile scrubbers, and feather dusters have in common?

They have brushes! With bristles of different materials and uses, of course.

Amazingly, your Roomba works the same way. With all of these tools combined.

Never gave these brushes a second thought?

Then, all of a sudden Error 2 appears. And you panic.

Look no further. Some little tweaks and fixes would do the trick.

So what should we do to fix Error 2 in a Roomba?

Read on to find out:

Why your Roomba displays Error 2.
6 easy steps to fix Roomba Error 2 in seconds.
How often you should replace your Roomba’s brushes.
How your pet’s fuzzy fur can be responsible for Error 2.
And much, much more.

Why does my Roomba display error 2?

Your Roomba displays “Error 2” because your brushes can’t turn properly. There could be too much dirt and dust gathering on the brushes. Or its gears have hardened. Its software may have slowed down. And the battery is about to run out.

6 steps to fix “Roomba error 2”

#1: Clean the Roomba’s brushes

Think of an artist. They need clean brushes to operate, right?.

Just like an artist, your Roomba works poorly with dirty brushes.

It travels all over your messy floors. And into the dusty nooks and crannies. Under your sofa to behind your bookshelf.

All that dirt, pet hair, and carpet fibers – it builds up on your brushes over time.

Thus, these materials can jam your brushes. Preventing them from turning properly. Then, Error 2 would appear.

Time to give your brushes some scrubbin’

A Roomba may have 2 to 4 side brushes. This depends on the model you have.

All models have brush rollers too. The older ones have bristles. Specifically in Roomba 400, 500, 600, and 700 series. The newer models have rubber ones. Found in Roomba 800, 900, i Series, and S series.

Be sure to find this out before starting. Also, turn off the device.

Brushes should be cleaned once a week. Twice if you have pets.

To clean these brushes, you’ll need a:

Microfiber cloth.
Standard screwdriver.
Towel or a bigger cloth.
Roomba brush cleaning tool.

You may also use:

A small coin, if you don’t have a screwdriver.
Alcohol wipes, if you don’t have a microfiber cloth.
A can of compressed air, if you want to reach smaller corners of your Roomba.

Now, you’re ready to clean the side brushes.

Step 1: Turn your Roomba upside-down. Put it on a towel or any big cloth. This makes it easy to clean up the dust that would fall off.

Step 2: Use a screwdriver or small coin. Loosen the screws of the side brushes.

Step 3: Take out the side brushes. Use the microfiber cloth or alcohol wipes to clean. You can also lightly tap the brushes on a surface. So the dust and hair fall off.

Warning: Never use water to clean the brushes.

Step 4: Look for the yellow caps. These are on both ends of the brushes. Remove these caps. You’ll see some fibers and hair caught in them. Use your hands to pull these clumps out. Put back the caps when done.

Step 5: The brush compartments can get dirty too. Use the microfiber cloth to wipe them.

Step 6: Put back the brushes. Be sure to tighten the screws.

Don’t forget to clean the brush roller!

Step 1: Flip the Roomba. Look for two yellow tabs. Push them to open the brush guard.

Step 2: Remove the bristle brush and the flexible beater brush from the cleaning head.

Step 3: Take out the yellow brush bearings. Clean around them using cloth or alcohol wipes. Hair and fibers can get stuck there too.

Step 4: Clean the bristle brush. Use the Roomba cleaning tool.

Step 5: After cleaning, put all the parts back into their place.

Step 6: Close the brush guards. Make sure they snap. That means they’re secured.

Once it’s all cleaned, let your Roomba clean. This should kick-start the movement of your brushes again.

You might also like: 27 Roomba Tips And Tricks To Keep Your House Clean

#2: Put some oil on the brushes’ gears

Old, rusty bicycles can’t roll on the road. All that exposure to the elements hardens the gears. These are what keep the wheels spinning.

The gears on your Roomba go round and round too. All through your home.

Their mechanism allows the brushes to turn. Picking up all that pesky hair and fur.

But what if…

No matter how hard you get these gears turning using your hands, they still won’t spin?

These gears may have worn out over time. Due to constant friction. Thus, it needs some help to run smoothly again.

Easy-peasy, gears getting greasy

Have a screwdriver and some lubricant ready. Turn off your device before doing these steps.

Lubricating your Roomba’s gears should get it moving.

Step 1: Turn the Roomba on its back. Remove the side brush by loosening the screws. Also, take off the bottom panel by unscrewing.

Step 2: The gears are found in the blue motor housing. You’ll see the housing with the side brush motor. Beside them are two regular screws. And a slit head screw. Take the engine out. Loosen its two bolts to do this.

Step 3: Take out the slit head screw. Slowly do this as it comes with a plastic part. This part keeps the motor in its chamber.

Step 4: Open the motor housing. You’ll see a snap-latch. Be careful not to damage it. One part of the housing has gears and a motor. The other section has a metal axle and a big gear.

Step 5: Put some lubricant on the gears. You can turn the gears in the housing. To see if they can turn properly. Don’t attempt to take the gears out.

Step 6: After lubricating and testing, put back all the parts. Tightly close the screws. Turn the device back on. Error 2 should be solved.

#3: Replace the Roomba’s brushes

“I’d like to inform you of my resignation from this position. My official final day on the job will be…starting now.” – Your Roomba’s brushes.

If only your Roomba’s brushes could talk to you.

Then, they could move on to greener pastures. Living a stress-free life in a cozy house by the beach.

But then again, you never gave it a second thought.

Your Roomba toils for hours, every day, seven days a week. Keeping your home spotless.

All this work and time passing can definitely age your Roomba. Even wear it out.

Luckily, you can let go of your old brushes. And get some new ones to take over their place.

Out with the old, in with the new

Roomba brushes should be replaced every 6 to 12 months. This applies to the Roomba 600, 700, 400 Discovery, and 500 Series.

Before diving in, turn off your Roomba.

Also, be sure to have:

A screwdriver.
A Roomba replacement side brush assembly.

Now, you’re ready to start. Here’s how you do it:

To replace your Roomba’s side brush:

Loosen the side brush screw with your screwdriver.
Remove the side brush.
Loosen the four screws of the bottom cover.
Remove the bottom cover.
Take out the screws of the side brush module.
Remove the side brush module.
Get the new side brush module from the assembly. Put it in its place.
Tighten the two screws of the side brush module.
Remove the side brush. Then, put back the bottom cover and its screws.
Put back the side brush. Screw it back in.

Turn your Roomba back on. And begin its cleaning process. With a new side brush, Error 2 should be just a funny memory.

#4: Restart or reset the Roomba

Imagine walking to your bathroom. In the middle of the night. Half asleep.

From the corner of your eye. Something scurrying on the floor.

“Aw, hell nah!” Nope, not today, you six-legged demon with wings.

So what happened there? A little nasty bug stopped you in your tracks?

Well, your Roomba rage-quits cleaning when there’s a bug too.

A software bug, to be exact. And it does mess up its functions and abilities.

Because it works every day, software bugs can’t be avoided. These can cause the Roomba to find errors that aren’t even there.

As you clutch your chest and gasp for breath. Until that cockroach skittles away. Your Roomba needs to recuperate from that ordeal, too.

“Wait. Help me pull myself together.” – Your Roomba

Restarting your Roomba may be the best fix. Collecting so much dust and data can get into its head – literally.

To do this, it depends on the model you own.

For the I Series and S Series Roomba:

Press the Clean button. Hold it for 20 seconds.
Wait for the white light around the button to spin clockwise.
Release the button.
Wait for the Roomba’s white light to turn off. This only takes a few minutes.

For the 700, 800, and 900 Series Roomba:

Press the Clean button. Hold it for 10 seconds.
Release when it beeps.
Wait for your Roomba to reboot.

“Maybe I need to lie down. And just sleep the trouble off.” – Your Roomba

Poor Roomba. It probably needs a hard factory reset. Just to take the load off.

A reset deletes all custom settings, maps, and schedules. Take note of all your data before doing this. Also, make sure your Roomba is connected to the iRobot Home app.

To reset:

Open the iRobot Home app.
Go to Settings.
Choose Factory Reset.
Confirm the prompt that will appear.
Wait for it to finish resetting.

If this fails, open the app again. Disable the Edge Clean Mode. This mode tells your Roomba to focus on the outer edges of a room. You can find this in Cleaning Preferences.

Then, check if Error 2 continues to persist.

#5: Charge the battery

“I’ve got errands to run. And a progress report to finish. I need to cook dinner. And oh no, my Roomba isn’t working!”

You’re rushing to get things done. Your mind’s all over the place.

Suddenly, a call. From your friend. Whom you haven’t seen in 2 years.

“Hey, how are you?”

That’s when you exploded. “Stop wasting my time, Karen! Can’t you see I’m busy?” Then, violently ending the call.

The rage dies down. So it sinks in.

You forgot to eat breakfast today. You’re just hangry!

How about your Roomba? Have you asked if it has eaten today?

While you operate on coffee and toast. Your Roomba needs its electrical power.

Maybe its battery needs to be checked. Without enough power, your Roomba may not work and move at its best.

“My friend, I can get hangry too!” – Your Roomba

Is there a flashing red light on your Roomba? It’s telling you the battery is running out.

A solid red light means the battery is completely drained.

Your Roomba’s battery can work for up to two hours.

Note: Your Roomba’s Home Base should always be plugged in. That way it is always ready for charging.

Two ways to charge your Roomba are:

Using the Home Base.
Using only a power supply.

Every time your Roomba finishes cleaning, it returns to the Home Base. It also goes there when its battery is low.

You can also charge your Roomba by plugging it into a wall socket.

An amber red pulse light means it’s charging. A solid green light means it’s full.

There’s also a 16-hour refresh charge. This is when the Roomba has been away from the Home Base for a long time. The Roomba starts this by itself. This refreshes the battery. And also extends the battery life.

Warning: Don’t wait for days before charging your Roomba. Not only does it damage the battery. But it also harms the device’s lifespan.

Learn more: Why is my Roomba not charging?