I have the blue Hoover pet cyclonic vacuum. It worked fine for a few months, but now when I push the foot lever to lower the handle when I vacuum, the brushes stop spinning on any carpet level setting. Once the vacuum is locked into an upright position, they spin perfectly.
Why is this happening and how can I fix this?
When the vacuum is in the upright position, the agitator should not rotate. When the handle is lowered the agitator should be engaged, however, some models offer a manual agitator shut off feature. Make sure if your model has this feature, it is not turned on.
Next ensure that when you lower the handle, the attachment hose is not becoming dislodged. On some vacuums if the hose is removed, the lower portion of the vacuum disengages.
If one of the belts becomes worn or stretched, the agitator may spin fine until it comes under load. Once the agitator meets resistance, the belt slips, and the agitator stops spinning. Consult the user manual on how to check and replace belts in your particular model.
Image source: Pet Cyclonic Bagless Upright Owners Manual.
Don't think its a belt or hose, if it rotates at all your belt is fine. The problem is most likely the switch inside where the brush head connects to the body. When you move your vac from the upright position its supposed to click the brush head on. This is most likely broken.
