Burning Smell - Carbon

The most likely cause of a smell of burning, such as an accrid burnt carbon smell, is a worn out motor. A good indication of this is the post motor filter, the lower of the two filters, being blackened and having an accrid smell. To inspect/replace the motor please follow the detailed instructions below.

PLEASE NOTE: If your are in anyway unsure of any of the steps listed below. Please consult a qualified electrician and always remove the plug from the socket before commencing work.


1. Lay your Dyson onto it's back and, using a two pence piece, turn each of the three soleplate fasteners a quarter of a turn in an anti-clockwise direction.

2. Remove the soleplate by twisting either side of the centre plastic screw.

3. Grasp the brush roll in the centre and carefully pull it away from the cleaner head.

4. Carefully rotate the brush roll to 'unwind' it from the belt. You must take great care doing this as the edges are very sharp where the belt passes through the brush holder. It is sometimes beneficial to first remove the black plastic end cap from the brush roll.

5. Lay the Dyson onto it's right side and prise off the glamour cap (Hub cap) from the wheel.

6. Then remove the circlip holding the wheel onto the axle.

7. After removing the wheel, use a Torx T15 screwdriver to remove the three screws holding the clutch cover in place. When removing the clutch cover be careful not to break the rubber soleplate seal (Blue arrows).

8. Very carefully pull the rubber soleplate seal from the groove in the clutch cover.

9. Remove the clutch cover from the cleaner head.

10. Using a flat bladed screwdriver, carefully remove the belt from the motor shaft.

11. To remove the cleaner head from the main body it is necessary to lay the Dyson onto it's left side and rotate the cleaner head downwards so that the notch in the cleaner head (red arrow) lines up with the peg on the main body (blue arrow).

12. Remove the cleaner head by gently pulling the sides apart.

13. Using a Torx T15 screwdriver, remove the eight screws holding the lower motor cover in place.

14. Pull the lower motor cover away from the main body and take note of the position of the motor and the layout of the wires in the main body.

15. As you withdraw the motor take note of the position of the motor plate.

16. After withdrawing the motor. Take note of the correct connection of the wires, brown to black (live) and blue to white (neutral). Then remove the motor plate and the rubber fancase seal (fitted to the bottom of the motor) from the old motor ready to be fitted to the new motor.

17. When the motor is fully out of the main cleaner body examine the motor for wear or damage. Pay particular attention to the commutator (The copper segments where the carbon brushes contact the motor - red arrow). If the commutator is blackened and heavily scored the motor must be replaced. Also pay attention to the bearings on the motor. The armature shaft should turn easily with the fingers with very little resistance other than the resistance of the carbon brushes touching the commutator ring. If the bearings are stiff or make a grinding noise the motor must be replaced.

Reassembly is a simple reversal of the steps listed above.