A few customers have brought their Dyson DC50 to us not picking up.
Typically, when a Dyson doesn’t pick up and has no suction, it is blocked. Dysons make a loud hissing sound when there is a blockage in the system somewhere. The DC50 is the same in this regard.
Dyson publish a simple guide that covers checking your filter, checking the wand isn’t blocked, etc. You can find that on Dyson’s website here if you need it (opens in a new window).
However, what we are going to show you in this article is the place a DC50 typically blocks up that Dyson don’t tell you.
You may very well conclude that what you are about to read constitutes a design fault; we couldn’t possibly comment.
I am going to assume that you have read Dyson’s guide linked above and having tried what is detailed in there, your machine is still blocked and hissing.
The most likely culprit is a blockage in the cyclone. Here is what to do:
Remove the cyclone from the machine using this button.
Having done that, empty the bin by pressing the same button again over the bin.
Then leave the bin flap open for the next step!
Next, locate the little silver clip circled below.
Depress that clip to remove the outer perspex drum.
You now have this.
Now look on the side vent, and you will no doubt find it is blocked solid.
Here is one we did today that was blocked, observe the debris clogging the vent circled below.
Fish all that debris out of that hole, then look at the bottom of the cyclone and you will see the central cylinder is divided into two, make sure both those are clear as well.
Now you can reassemble your machine – which is simply a reverse procedure of what you did above.
When you switch it back on, the hissing will have gone and the machine will pick up once more.
If you found the article here on Dyson Medic helpful, why not tell others using the social media buttons below. You can also leave a comment if you like.
Thanks so much! Had pretty much every other thing taken apart, apart from this 🙂
Thank you. Spot on – went to the dyson website no joy. Couldn’t work out where the blockage was – fixed in 30secs. Easy when you know how !!!
Thank you so much – this was very helpful – got us running again.
Excellent, thank you. Dyson site: useless.
Your site is helpful, simple relevant info and gave me the info I wanted without reading through reams of jargon, with pics too, whioch I like!
Thank you!!
Thank you. Problem sorted!
Thank you! We had assembled and reassembled many times and were completely flummoxed and waiting to call Dyson when they open tomorrow. Fixed in seconds 🙂
Fantastic! Thought I had tried everything – had followed all the guidance in manual and on Dyson website, tried to ring them, (gave up after waiting 45 minutes), even bought another cleaner (don’t know how many homes have a spare vacuum cleaner!).
Your solution just brilliant – thanks so much.
Many many thanks…. You have achieved the impossible and made me look clever.
thanks, that was so easy !!!
A very useful guide. Also helped me solve the problem of air and dust leaking from the top of the canister.
Absolute star – many thanks for this. Beggars belief why dyson do not tell you about this in their instructions, as to me it seems a basic thing to do without compromising the guarantee.
excellent – I was despairing of my recent acquisition which seemed so full of promise. I have had everything else to bits without success so this has been fantastic. Thank you
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Wonderful problem fixed
Excellent, very, very helpful. I thought the wand didn’t work and was ready to return to the shop tomorrow. Your tip was so Helpful
. Thanks
Brilliant!! Thanks. Why on earth Dyson don’t put this in the manual beats me.
Thank you so much for clear advice and helpful pictures, there was a big clump of dog hair and fluff blocking the hoover, am so grateful to you!!!
Thanks for the useful guide. I had already done this but the suction is still not as good as new. Every where seems to be clear now apart from possibly the canister. Is it possible to dismantle the cyclone assembly?
Have you replaced your filter? The filter is very small on those. Dyson’s idea of rinsing them under the tap is not terribly effective. Washing machine or replacement is the best way in my opinion.
The one in the top of the canister? Yes, new and a new post motor filter too.
The thing is, as with DC24’s, you are never going to get that much suction from such a small machine. A DC14 will still blow its socks off. Also, the DC50’s suffer from brushrolls that break up, and new ones are in short supply last I looked. A worn brushroll wont help it either.
Excellent – thank you.
Absolutely brilliant. Pulled the whole blooming thing apart and it’s something as simple as that. Great at least I know for next time. Poor design – my vac is only a month old and already blocked solid!!
Thank you for your help. The photos are excellent instead of stupid cartoons.
Thank you so much! Yours was happily the second site I happened upon when my two-month old DC50 began to hiss. Found a couple of culpable kernels of popcorn in the side vent. Thank you for making the relatively quick fix public!
Thank you SO much. I had tried all of Dyson’s suggestions to no avail. You were spot on. I could not believe the stuff jammed into that tube. Thanks again!!
Excellent. Rebuilt our DC50 and still no luck. Tried this trick and fixed in two minutes. As efficient as when we first bought it
Only had a new DC50 for three months and it just wasn’t picking anything up at all. Checked all the tubes, etc, and they were clear. So glad I found this page as I was about to give up. The linked photo shows how clogged the bin filter was!
Thanks for the tip; it really works.
Thank-you ever so much we tried everything with our DC50 and was going to give up trying until i read this website. Took all the bin filter apart as illustrated on here and it was clogged up. Useful information thanks for this..
Awesome guide. Had a previous dyson model and was could not get suction. What did I do? Bought another one. Lost suction, took whole thing apart, went to Dyson site. It’s been sitting for 3 months, stumbled upon your guide and fixed it in 3 minutes. It was clogged full of hair. Thank you thank you!
Thank you cleared filters , checked for blockage as suggested in manual. Still no joy. Was about to take back to Curry’s 20 miles away. Fixed in 3 minutes after reading your guide.
Brilliant we just solved the problem with ours, it was well clogged with hair.
thanks. took the bloody thing to bits no blockage, did as you advised fixed in no time. ps don’t eat yellow snow..
Brilliant information, cyclone filter was completely blocked up, sorted within a few minutes, thank you 🙂
thanks so much. this totally fixed my problem with the hissing and lack of suction.
I love my dyson, so I’m glad it now sings perfectly again.
I wouldn’t have another one of these if they gave me one for life! Poor performance and virtually needs taking apart to clear every few uses. Poor construction, poor suction and advert for Dyson that’s for sure. If I could send it back I would.
Thanks so much! Being a working mom, the only time I have to fix my vacuum is when everyone else is asleep and it’s too late to call the Dyson support line! And to exchange it would be a big hassle, especially when I don’t know what the problem is and it would likely happen again. Both my husband and I have been through the Dyson web support instructions and we both have taken the whole thing completely apart two times each. We were just about to give up on it when I found your site. Thanks so much! This was exactly the area that was clogged with–you guessed it–Cheerios! From now on I’ll step on them and crush them up a bit first! 🙂
Brilliant…was just about to give up, completely took my Dyson apart..nothing but dust, followed your instructions & found half of my parrot’s supper blocking the vent as well as a ball of dog fur! Thanks for the instructions.
My Dyson 50 does not have a button to release the canisters outer shell.. but was able to check the Dyson sight and found the intake near the roller bar was block by a peanut shell. it working fine now.
Wow! THANKYOU that’s brilliant. Well clogged and been trying to work out how to remove the bin for cleaning for ages. No instructions in the silly dyson illustrations !!
Thank you so much!!!!!!!. Would have had to wait a week for a Dyson engineer to visit. As it was the customer service tried to help and I virtually pulled my machine apart whilst on the phone, yet they didn’t come up with this simple solution……very weird and so obvious. The vent was full of a clump of dog hair and now removed my machine is working brilliantly again
Thanks a Ton worked like a charm, you saved me 70$. I could fix it my self with your help !
Wonder why Dyson doesn’t put this trouble shooting in their website , guess this is how they care for their local brethren’s.
Thanks had checked everwhere else except this. Problem solved.
Thank You so much! I tried everything in the manual, which is useless. I tried what you said done in less than a minute. They should put that on the manual that comes with machine, everything to troubleshoot, except that, crazy.
Thank you – I am relieved and angry in equal measure now, though. I have spent far too long taking my Dyson DC50 to pieces, waiting for filters to dry….. and that’s all it took to fix the suction problem? Beggars belief, but nonetheless very grateful for your advice.
Thank you! I did not want to have to tell my husband the $500 plus vacuum cleaner we bought 4 months ago wasnt working! Of course, the culprit was GSD hair!! Works like new!
Thank you so much! that was an amazingly quick fix that I hadn’t thought of! It now works PERFECT!!!
Thank you so much for the tip. Dyson should be on the naughty step for not revealing this.
Great I couldn’t believe it the tip about the dyson 50 the vent being blocked was great I had already booked an appointment with dyson but had to cancel after I read your website great
Thank you
Sheila Bird
Great idea did the trick with mine it was blocked and I couldn’t understand why and then I saw you tube great
Thank you
Sheila Bird
That fixed it brilliantly,I’d tried everything up to then,thank you.