How to Troubleshoot iRobot Roomba j7+ not Self-Emptying
Symptoms
Not all symptoms may occur at the same time. In fact, I’m not sure if the symptoms were coming from the same source. However, the same method might help to troubleshoot regardless.
- Roomba stops making audible announcements, beeping, and etc.
- Roomba stops emptying after docking.
- Roomba’s ‘Empty Bin’ prompt is missing from the app, even though the robot is docked.
- Roomba will not empty its bin after the button press (blue light), even though the robot is docked.
Solutions
I tried various methods, but one that did solve the problem all in all was factory reset and redownloading the cloud-saved map. That being said, I still do recommend cleaning and checking both the Roomba and the base:
- Cleaning the Roomba’s sensors around the front bumper. (worked once, then had same issue again)
- Cleaning Roomba’s and Base’s debris evacuation port. (another redditor suggestion)
- Installing a new Dirt Disposal Bag, if the current one is nearly full (another redditor suggestion)
- Factory reset the Roomba by removing the robot and re-adding it. (Recommend)
Here are some other methods I had used before. I had a success before, but with the latest firmware, none of them consistently worked.
- Reboot the Roomba by pressing the button for 9 seconds.
- Reboot the Roomba from the app.
- Manually prompting to empty the bin by pressing the button twice.
- Reconnecting the Roomba to Wi-Fi.
Afterthoughts
I am listing myriad of symptoms in case someone is troubleshooting a related problem. Much like I have said about other smart products, I believe the problem stems from its lack of proper reboot and reset. There is a reason why the bane of all ITs fundamentally boils down to ‘Have you tried turning it off and on again’, because practically most problems can be resolved once it’s rebooted. If that doesn’t solve the problem, resetting the device often does.
Roomba currently lacks the ability to reset and restore fully. Unlike most smartphones, where you can easily make a backup and restore to once the latest OS is fully reinstalled, there is no clear indication what will ‘wipe-upgrade-restore’ the device. When I ran factory reset on mine, the app only offered to backup the map, and only the map. Settings, favorites, and schedules were gone. I had to set it up again. The only silver lining would be that factory reset does force the robot to update to the latest firmware, which, for reasons beyond me, the app does not let you do manually.
After the cumbersome reset was done, Roomba still freaked out when it redownloaded the map from the cloud. The favorites on the app were unlinked from the actual map data, so I had to manually delete them. Also, Roomba could not start a job at all to navigate from the base to any of the rooms; manually starting the Roomba from another location fixed it. Braava was no exception. I had done factory reset without a pad attached, and the app would not show the option to retrieve the map afterward. Once I reattached a pad, any pad, only then the option appeared.
As many redditors have suggested, I also believe the problem stems from the software, most likely the recent firmware update. I didn’t realize the same thing was happening with Braava, only to realize it was not making any sounds whatsoever: no beeping, no talking, nothing. Once factory reset is done, both robots didn’t have any issues making auditory alerts.
Above it all, I have said this on the Roomba subreddit before, there are so many things the app actually needs to support. For example, if Roomba finishes a job in one room, Braava should be able to start mopping the room, not wait until the Roomba’s queue is cleared. If Roomba finished cleaning, but Braava is still busy doing other tasks, it should be able to queue next job for Braava. Solving it with the new combo unit is a solution, but this is a basic “smart” features we are talking about.
Update April 5, 2024: Had another encounter with this issue on both Braava and Roomba, factory reset solved the problem.