I got a new Roomba for the first floor and let it run for a few weeks to get used to the house.
I moved things around the house to see how well the navigation systems worked.
I was in the middle of one of my tests when the Roomba stopped and told me it had found an error, specifically Error 15.
The error made me want to know what it meant, so I went online immediately. People online who had Roombas longer than I also had the same problem, so I looked into what they had done to fix it.
I also called Roomba’s tech support to see if they could give me tips on fixing the problem.
After putting together what I found online and what the techs at iRobot told me, I made this guide to help you if you ever run into Error 15.
Error 15 means that your Roomba has run into problems that make it hard to talk to the home base or the app. When this happens, try pressing the Clean button on the robot to fix the problem.
I’ll talk about more ways to fix this problem later in this article, such as turning the robot off and on again, reconnecting it to your Wi-Fi, and more.
What does Error 15 mean on my Roomba?
Because iRobot puts all errors into error codes that help troubleshooters figure out what’s wrong, it’s much easier to figure out what Error 15 is.
iRobot says that getting an Error 15 message usually means that the Roomba can’t talk to you. This could be a problem with the internal parts, with how the Roomba is set up, or with your Wi-Fi network.
Why am I getting Error 15 on my Roomba?
Since Error 15 points to a problem with communication, it is easier to figure out what went wrong.
The error could be caused by problems with the Roomba’s internal parts being unable to talk to the home base or your phone.
It can also happen if there are a lot of obstacles, metal things, or thick walls between the Roomba and its home base.
This problem can also happen if your Wi-Fi router has trouble staying connected to the Roomba, and you usually use your phone to control the robot.
Restart the Cleaner
Some Roombas will ask you to start the cleaning process when this error happens. If you turn the cleaner back on, the Roomba will try to talk to its home base again and try to fix the connection.
Press the Roomba’s CLEAN button to start the cleaning process again.
It will take the robot a few seconds to figure out where it is and return to its cleaning routine. If everything goes well and the robot finishes its cleaning cycle, you know what to do the next time you see this error.
Check your Wi-Fi
Restarting the cleaner didn’t fix the problem because the Wi-Fi network you were using had problems while the Roomba was doing its routine.
Type 192.168.1.1 into your browser’s address bar to find the router’s admin tool.
You can log in to the tool with the default username and password, which you can find on the bottom of your router or in the manual for your router.
Check to see if the QoS service is running, and if it is, shut it down. Make sure your firewall isn’t stopping your Roomba from connecting to your Wi-Fi.
Reconnect the Roomba to your Wi-Fi
Error 15 can be caused by problems with Wi-Fi, so some users said they could fix it by connecting it to their Wi-Fi again.
To do this, you must first disconnect the Roomba from your Wi-Fi and reconnect it.
To disconnect your Roomba (S, I, or 900 series) from your Wi-Fi, do the following:
- Press and hold the Home, Clean, and Spot Clean buttons simultaneously.
- Wait for the light around the Clean button to start spinning, then release the buttons.
- The Roomba will restart and finish the reset by itself.
For 800 and 600 series Roombas:
- Press and hold the Home, Clean, and Spot Clean buttons simultaneously.
- When the Roomba beeps, release the buttons.
After this soft reset, your Roomba gets off your Wi-Fi network, and you need to connect it again.
To connect the Roomba to your Wi-Fi:
- Open the iRobot Home app.
- Turn on Bluetooth on your phone.
- Place the Roomba and home base in a level area with no large obstacles.
- Set a name for the Roomba.
- The app will display the name of your Wi-Fi network to let your Roomba connect.
- Enter your Wi-Fi password when the app prompts you.
- Press and hold the Home and Spot Clean buttons while the Roomba is on its home base until you hear a beep. Some models have a blinking Wi-Fi signal, while others have a blue ring.
- Tap I pressed the buttons in the Home app and then tap Continue.
After you do this, let the Roomba learn how your house is set up, and then check to see if Error 15 happens again.
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Reboot the Roomba
You can try rebooting the Roomba if the issue persists.
It’s pretty easy to do, with you needing to input a simple button combination.
To reboot an s Series Roomba:
- Press the Clean button and hold it down for at least 20 seconds.
- The white ring of light around the bin’s lid will move in a clockwise direction.
- Wait a few minutes, and the Roomba will start up again.
- When the white light goes out, the process is done.
To reboot an i Series Roomba:
- Press the Clean button and hold it down for at least 20 seconds.
- The white light ring around the button will move around in a clockwise direction.
- Wait a few minutes, and the Roomba will start up again.
- When the white light goes out, the process is done.
To reboot a 700, 800, or 900 Series Roomba:
- Press and hold the ” Clean ” button for about 10 seconds.
- When you let go of the button, you will hear a beep.
- Then the Roomba will start to restart.
After rebooting the Roomba, set it to clean the house and see if the error persists.
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Reset the Roomba
You can hard reset the Roomba back to factory defaults if all else fails.
This means that all custom settings, including scheduling, home layout maps, and Wi-Fi settings, will be wiped from the robot.
To hard reset the Roomba:
- Make sure the Roomba is connected to the iRobot Home app.
- In the iRobot Home app, go to Settings.
- Choose “Factory Reset” and say “Yes” when asked.
- The Roomba will now start the process of returning to factory settings. Give the process time to finish.
After the process is done, you’ll have to set up the Roomba again, connect it to Wi-Fi if you want to, and let it learn the house’s layout again.
Contact Support
If you have any problems with the troubleshooting steps or need more help fixing Error 15, you can contact iRobot.
They can help you with more advanced ways to fix problems that are just right for you.
They will also be able to tell you more clearly if you need to bring the Roomba in for repairs or get a new one.
Final Thoughts
After you’ve tried to reset your Roomba, make sure that all of its buttons work. Take notes on what the clean button does and ensure it works. If that doesn’t work, try dusting off the Roomba and cleaning its electrical contacts and filters.
Also, try charging the Roomba to see if it can find its way back to its home base. If the Roomba doesn’t charge, try putting the battery back in or getting a new one.
FAQs
What does the red light mean on Roomba?
If the red light blinks, the Roomba doesn’t have enough power to finish a cleaning cycle.
If the Roomba has a solid red light, it has made a mistake.
Press the Clean button to find out more.
The bin must be emptied if the light on an s Series Roomba is red and moving toward the back.
If the same thing happens with an m Series, the Roomba is filling the tank right now.
Should I run my Roomba every day?
The best way to answer this question is to think about what your home is like.
If only two people live in the house, you can run the Roomba once or twice a week. You should run the Roomba daily if you have kids and a pet.
Will Roomba work in the dark?
Roombas use infrared and radio waves to see what’s happening around them, so they don’t need light to do their jobs.
They can work at night.
Can you use the app to send Roomba home?
You can send the Roomba home while cleaning using the app on your phone.
The Send Home option will appear if you tap Clean in the app.
You can start sending the Roomba back to its home base by pressing this button.
