Roborock Error Codes: What Each One Means and How to Fix It

🗓️ Prices checked on October 27, 2026

Written by Thomas · Reviewed by Sarah on 10/27/2026 (prices, links and availability checked) — our editorial pen names

A Roborock stopped in the middle of the room, red light on and a voice alert playing, is almost never a permanent failure. We cross-checked Roborock’s official documentation, several independent troubleshooting guides and a documented repair case to separate what you can fix with a cloth from what signals a part to replace. More fixes for common problems live in our robot vacuum troubleshooting guides.

Every Roborock error code and its one-line fix

Details and model-specific notes in the sections below.

In this guide

• Every code and its one-line fix
• How to read an error code
• Movement, bumper and sensors
• Tangled or failing brushes
• Dustbin, filter and fan
• Battery and charging
• Mopping and VibraRise
• What cross-checking the sources reveals
• When the part is really worn out
• Compatible parts: avoiding a new error
• FAQ
• Our verdict

How to read an error code

The number shows up in the Roborock app, in the cleaning history. According to the official documentation, three habits solve a good share of cases before you even look up the details: put the robot back on a flat, clear surface, clean the sensor or part involved, and restart the cleaning. The codes below cover the core set shared by the whole lineup (1 to 18), plus a few codes specific to newer models with a vertical LiDAR or vibrating mop (21 to 28): a robot without a mopping module will never show error 27 or 28, and that’s not a defect.

Movement, bumper and sensors

The most common group: the robot is stuck, tilted or lost. A wipe or a move almost always does it.

• Error 1, LiDAR turret blocked: remove hair or dust, check that it spins freely, move the robot to a new spot.
• Error 2, bumper stuck: tap it to dislodge debris and check that it springs back.
• Error 3, wheel suspended: the robot is balanced on a threshold or thick rug. Set it down flat.
• Error 4, cliff sensor: wipe the sensors under the robot; a very dark rug can also fool them.
• Error 7, wheel jammed: spin each wheel by hand to find thread wrapped in the wheel well.
• Error 8, robot trapped: clear the space around it (chair legs, cords). If there’s no visible obstacle and it keeps happening, check the firmware.
• Error 15 (S7 and newer) / error 26 (S5 Max, S6), dirty wall sensor: same fault, two numbers depending on the generation. More on that below.
• Error 16, robot tilted: set it on a level surface.
• Errors 21 to 24 (newer models): vertical bumper pressed under low furniture (21), dirty docking sensor (22, 23), badly placed no-go zone in the app (24). Cleaning the sensor or fixing the zone is enough.

Tangled or failing brushes

• Error 5, main brush tangled: remove it, cut the hair at the ends and around the bearings. Roborock support notes that if the error keeps coming back, the problem is often in the bearings, not the visible brush. Pet owners see this one the most: if hair is the daily battle, our guide to the best robot vacuum for pet hair compares anti-tangle brush designs.
• Error 6, side brush tangled: unscrew it, clean under the mount, replace it if it’s bent.
• Error 17, side brush error (not just tangling): clean, then reset (long press on the power button). If the error returns after the reset, several guides treat it as a sign of a failing motor. Contact support with your exact model.

Dustbin, filter and fan

• Error 9, dustbin or filter not detected: reinstall them until they click. The robot detects the filter through a small built-in magnet; a replacement filter without that magnet triggers the error over and over.
• Error 10, filter wet or clogged: let it dry for 24 hours after washing, or tap it to knock out caked-on dust.
• Error 18, fan error: make sure the bin and filter are dry and properly seated, then reset. If it comes back after a reset, it’s usually linked to motor wear rather than dirt.

Battery and charging

• Error 11 (S5/S6 with magnetic tape), magnetic field detected: the robot is starting too close to a barrier strip. Move it.
• Error 12, low battery: put the robot back on the charger. Harmless unless it happens abnormally often.
• Error 13, charging error: clean the contacts on the robot and the dock and check the power cord. It’s the error most often cited as possibly needing a part: an independent repair guide documents a case where cleaning didn’t help because a capacitor in the dock had failed, an electronic fault, not dirt. Our step-by-step guide for a robot vacuum not charging walks through all five causes in order.
• Error 14, battery error: the temperature is too high or too low. Move the robot away from a heat source or a cold draft. If it keeps happening at normal room temperature, the battery is probably aging.

Mopping and VibraRise (newer mopping models)

• Error 27, VibraRise system jammed: remove the mop and its bracket, clean the lifting mechanism.
• Error 28, robot on a carpet: move it onto a hard floor before restarting the mopping run.

What cross-checking the sources reveals

None of the sources we consulted says the following on its own. It only shows up when you put them side by side.

The same fault changes number depending on the generation. A dirty wall sensor is error 26 on older models (S5 Max, S6) and error 15 on the S7 and newer: same fault, same fix, but two different numbers depending on the manual. Someone who searches “error 15” with an old S5 Max, or the other way around, lands on an explanation that doesn’t fit in any generic guide that skips the generation.

Out of about twenty-five codes, only four are consistently linked to a possible hardware failure in the independent guides that go beyond translating the official list: errors 13, 14, 17 and 18, and only if the problem survives a cleaning followed by a reset. None of the other codes is ever tied to a part that needs replacing: they’re maintenance chores, not warning signs. The case documented on iFixit, where a dock failed because of a capacitor despite clean contacts, shows what a “persistent error 13” can mean once basic maintenance is exhausted.

When the part is really worn out

If you’ve cleaned, restarted and the exact same error comes back, especially codes 5, 6, 9, 13 or 17, the wear part is probably to blame. Two kits covering the most-used parts (main brush, side brush, filter):

Compatibility as stated on each listing; prices, ratings and availability checked on Amazon.com on October 27, 2026. Always match the exact model number printed under your robot before you order.

Compatible parts: how do you keep them from triggering a new error?

Put Roborock’s official code list next to the listings of “compatible” parts sold on Amazon and one point stands out that nobody spells out: the replacement part can itself become the cause of the error. The clearest case is error 9. The robot recognizes its filter through a small built-in magnet; a generic filter without one reads as “missing,” and the error keeps coming back even though the filter is in place.

The second trap is the generation. The two kits above don’t fit the same robots: the official brush is for the S7, Q Revo and Q7 families, while the 28-piece kit is for the Saros 10R, Saros 20 and Qrevo CurvX. Even within one lineup, names look alike while the parts aren’t interchangeable: several kits sold for the Saros 10 (without the R), for example, don’t fit the Saros 10R.

What a recurring error 5 costs you: at the price checked on October 27, 2026, a genuine Roborock main brush for an S7 or Q Revo costs $22.99. For a Saros 10R, the 28-piece kit at $29.96 works out to just over $1 per part, brushes, filters, bags and mop pads included, with a spare main brush in the box. Before you conclude the brush motor has failed, a new brush at that price is the cheapest test there is.

FAQ

What should I do if my Roborock keeps showing the same error after cleaning?

Do a system reset (hold the power button until the robot shuts off, then turn it back on). If the exact same error comes back afterward, especially codes 13, 14, 17 or 18, you’re probably looking at a part to replace or a case to open with Roborock support, with your exact model and the error number.

Are Roborock error numbers the same on every model?

The core set (errors 1 to 18) is. A few codes differ by generation: a dirty wall sensor is error 26 on older models (S5 Max, S6) and error 15 on the S7 and newer. Errors 21, 27 and 28 only exist on models that have the component involved.

If my robot won’t charge, is the battery dead?

No. The most common cause is a dirty or slightly oxidized charging contact, on the robot or on the dock. Only if the problem persists after carefully cleaning both contacts does a failed electronic part become likely.

Should I restart the robot before calling support?

Yes. A simple restart, followed if needed by a system reset, fixes a large share of errors that look like hardware problems at first. Roborock support generally asks you to confirm you’ve done both before opening a warranty case.

Can a replacement filter cause error 9?

Yes. The robot detects its filter through a small built-in magnet: a generic filter without one reads as missing, and error 9 keeps coming back with the filter in place. To settle it, put the old filter back, clean and dry; if the error disappears, the replacement filter isn’t being recognized.

Our verdict

The vast majority of Roborock error codes (about 20 out of 25) clear in a minute or two with a cloth and a little attention to the sensors. Only errors 13, 14, 17 and 18 deserve extra attention if they come back after cleaning and a reset: according to our cross-check of the sources, that’s the most reliable sign that a part is wearing out rather than the robot just being dirty. When a brush is the culprit, the fix is cheap: the official Roborock main brush ($22.99) for an S7, Q Revo or Q7, or the 28-piece Saros 10R kit ($29.96), both checked on Amazon.com on October 27, 2026, and your robot is back to full suction in minutes.

Keep your exact model number handy before you order a part or call support.

Method: we did not take apart or repair these robots ourselves. This guide combines Roborock’s official documentation (support.roborock.com and us.roborock.com), several independent troubleshooting guides and a repair case documented on iFixit, all reviewed on August 8, 2026; part prices, availability and compatibility checked on Amazon.com on October 27, 2026. A fact is kept only if at least two independent sources confirm it or the manufacturer documents it explicitly.

Thinking about replacing your robot instead? Our Roborock vs Dreame comparison and our recommended robot vacuums page will help you choose.

Sources (checked August 8, 2026; product listings October 27, 2026)

• Roborock Support, articles by error code, including “What should I do when Error 5 occurs?” (support.roborock.com).
• Independent troubleshooting guides cross-checked, including bestrobotvacuum.io, which sources the official documentation and the S5 Max and S7 MaxV user manuals.
• iFixit, repair guide documenting a capacitor failure in a Roborock S5 charging dock (persistent error 13) (ifixit.com).
• No link: Amazon.com listings for the two recommended parts kits, prices and availability checked October 27, 2026.

Troubleshooting steps can change with firmware updates. If in doubt, check the Roborock app or contact support with your model number.