Robot vacuum says “Error 16: Place Roomba on a flat surface then press CLEAN to restart” and may tilt or rock.
Safety Warning
This repair may involve working with high voltage components or water connections. Always unplug the appliance before removing any panels.
If you are not confident in your ability to perform this repair safely, we strongly recommend contacting a professional technician.
Possible Causes
How to Fix / Troubleshooting
Safety first: Ensure the robot is on the floor, not on furniture or stairs.
Steps to resolve:
- Move to flat surface: Place the robot on a hard, level floor away from thresholds and thick rugs.
- Check wheels and caster: Ensure the front caster and side wheels are fully seated and not riding on debris or cords.
- Soft reset: Perform a soft reset via the CLEAN button sequence.
- Test again: Start a cleaning cycle and observe whether the robot rocks or lifts a wheel.
When to replace parts: If Error 16 occurs on perfectly flat surfaces, the internal tilt/IMU sensor may be faulty and require board-level repair.
Repair Difficulty
Required Part
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