Roomba moving in circles
DIRECT ANSWER
COMMON CAUSES · RANKED
Stuck or dirty bumper sensor MOST COMMON
Debris lodged behind the bumper makes the robot believe it is hitting something constantly, so it backs and turns without end. Older models pair this with a nine-beep error.
Debris around one drive wheel
Hair around an axle slows one side. With one wheel dragging, the robot arcs into circles instead of tracking straight.
Dirty cliff sensors
One blocked sensor makes the robot shy away from a phantom edge on that side, turning it in loops.
Failing drive wheel module UNCOMMON
A worn motor or encoder keeps the circling going after every sensor is clean. The fix is a replacement module for your series.
HOW TO FIX IT
Tap the bumper loose
Tap it briskly 15–20 times, alternating left and right, then blow compressed air into the gap between bumper and body with the robot on its back.
Clean both drive wheels
Cut away hair at the axles and spin each wheel by hand — resistance should feel identical left and right.
Wipe the cliff sensors
A dry microfiber cloth across every window on the underside.
Reboot and retest in open floor
Hold CLEAN until the tone, then start a run in the middle of a clear room and watch the first minutes.
Still circling? Swap the wheel module
Persistent circling after a full cleaning points to a worn drive wheel module — match the part to your series below.
COMPATIBLE PARTS
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Drive wheel module — 600 series
Left and right modules differ; check which side grinds or stalls before ordering.
Check price on Amazon ↗Front caster wheel
Pop the caster out monthly and pull hair off the axle; a seized caster causes circling and error 1.
Check price on Amazon ↗Sources
Verification
Last verified: 2026-07-05 · How we verify a fault code
Corrections
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