Robot battery safety: warning signs, what to do, and recalls

What to do when a robot battery overheats, and how to check if your robot vacuum, mower or pool cleaner is recalled.

HomeRobotDataUpdated November 2, 2026

Stop using the robot if the battery smells, changes color, gets very hot, swells or changes shape, leaks, or makes odd noises. If it is safe, move it outside and away from anything that can burn. A metal can with a lid works. If it catches fire, get out, close the door behind you and call 911. Then check if it is recalled. As of November 2, 2026, 8 home-robot recalls are on file in the US and Canada (6 in the US). 6 of the 8 were fire risks.

Heard about the FCC robot vacuum ban? It is not a recall, and it does not affect robots you already own. Is my robot vacuum affected by the FCC ban?

Signs a robot battery is failing
Check if your robot is recalled
Every home-robot recall on file
Prevent a battery fire
Most robot recalls are about charging
What a clean result does not mean
How the makers say to charge it
Storing it, and throwing it away

Signs a robot battery is failing

These come from a fire department safety sheet. They apply to any lithium-ion battery, including the ones in robot vacuums, mowers and pool cleaners.

Stop using the robot if the battery smells, changes color, gets very hot, swells or changes shape, leaks, or makes odd noises.
A swollen or damaged battery should not be used again.
If it is safe, move it outside and away from anything that can burn. A metal can with a lid works.
If it catches fire, get out, close the door behind you and call 911.

Check if your robot is recalled

Our recall check looks up a brand or model number against every US (CPSC) and Canada (Health Canada) recall for home robots. It was last updated November 2, 2026.

8 recalls on file: two for robot vacuums (Canada only), three for robot lawn mowers, three for robotic pool cleaners. None for automatic litter boxes or window-cleaning robots.

Check your robot's model number

Buying a new one? Picks with no recall

If your robot’s battery is failing or your robot is recalled, these picks are a safe place to start: no US or Canada recall names any of them, as of November 2, 2026.

Robot vacuum
Roborock Qrevo CurvX
No recall names it. Our pick in Roborock vs. Roomba.
$950 at Amazon
Litter box
Petlibro Luma Smart Litter Box
No recall names it. Our pick of the Litter-Robot alternatives.
$600 at Amazon
Pool cleaner
Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus
No recall names it. Our pick for an inground pool.
$829 at Amazon

Every home-robot recall on file

Newest first. The model numbers and the official notices are on our recall check page.

Recalled	Product	Type	The problem	What to do	Where
April 9, 2026	Wybot Osprey 700 Max and Wybot S1 pool cleaners	Robotic pool cleaners	The battery can overheat and start a fire.	Stop using it now. Wybot will send you a free WYBOT C2 pool cleaner and a free return label.	US
March 20, 2025	Aiper Seagull Pro pool cleaner	Robotic pool cleaners	The charger (the power adapter) can overheat and start a fire.	Stop using it now. Aiper will send you a free Aiper Scuba S1 and a free return label.	US and Canada
October 18, 2023	Battery in some eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid robot vacuums	Robot vacuums	The battery can overheat while charging or just after, and start a fire.	Stop using it. Check your battery on Anker's website. If it is affected, Anker will send a free battery.	Canada
August 24, 2023	Aiper Elite Pro pool cleaner	Robotic pool cleaners	If the charging cord is plugged in without the adapter, the battery can overheat and start a fire.	Stop using it now. Aiper will send you a free Seagull Pro and a free return label.	US and Canada
March 16, 2023	STIHL iMOW docking station	Robot lawn mowers	Water can short the dock's circuit board and start a fire.	Stop using the dock. STIHL or a STIHL dealer will repair it at your home for free.	US
December 9, 2021	Husqvarna Automower 435X AWD and 535 AWD	Robot lawn mowers	The battery can overheat and start a fire.	Stop using it and install Husqvarna's free software update. Mowers past 1,200 charging cycles also get a free battery.	US and Canada
December 21, 2020	iRobot Clean Base dock for the Roomba i7+	Robot vacuums	If the robot sucks up a lot of liquid, the dock's circuit board can short out.	Stop using the dock. iRobot will send a free power cord with a fuse. Some docks get a free replacement.	Canada
April 25, 2008	LawnBott robot mowers	Robot lawn mowers	The blade keeps spinning when the mower is lifted, and a foot can reach the blade from the side.	Stop using it and contact Kyodo America for a repair.	US and Canada

From the CPSC and Health Canada recall lists, checked November 2, 2026.

Prevent a battery fire

The same fire department sheet gives these rules for charging and storing.

Use only the charger and cable that came with the robot.
Keep the battery out of direct sun and hot cars.
Never put the battery in the trash.

Most robot recalls are about charging

Most of these recalls were not about the part that cleans or cuts. They were about where the power goes in: a charger, a dock or the battery.

The STIHL notice covers only the docking station, which sits outside all season. The Aiper Seagull Pro notice names the power adapter. The Aiper Elite Pro problem showed up when the charging cord was plugged in without the adapter. The iRobot notice in Canada covers the self-emptying dock, not the Roomba.

The oldest one, for LawnBott mowers, is different: the blades kept spinning when the mower was lifted.

What a clean result does not mean

A recall check answers a narrow question. Keep these limits in mind.

It is not a safety rating. Many products with problems were never recalled, and a recall means a company reported a problem and agreed to fix it.
It can lag. The CPSC says its recall list updates weekly, so a recall from this week may not show yet.
It covers the US and Canada only. A recall in Europe or Australia will not appear.
Makers can fix problems without a recall, with a software update or their own service notice. Check the maker's support page too.
Owner reports of harm live in a separate database at SaferProducts.gov. CPSC says it does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of that database.

How the makers say to charge it

The two recalled pool-cleaner brands now publish charging instructions that read like a direct answer to their own notices. Wybot says it does not recommend charging the device outdoors due to the risk of battery catching fire caused by sun exposure, and that the device should be charged indoors, away from sunlight and high-temperature environments. It also tells owners to switch the unit off and check the charging port for water before plugging in, because dampness can cause charging failure or port corrosion.

CPSC's own advice for lithium-ion devices is short, and it is the same advice for every category here: use the charger that came with the device, only use an approved replacement battery pack, follow the manufacturer's instructions for proper charging, and unplug the device when done. Roborock adds a temperature window, capping the robot's working range at 4 to 40 degrees Celsius, or 39 to 104 Fahrenheit.

CPSC's wording on when to charge leaves no room: always be present when charging devices using lithium-ion batteries, and never charge them while sleeping.

Storing it, and throwing it away

A pool robot, a mower and a vacuum all sit unused for months at a time, and a battery left flat over a winter is the one that ages fastest. Aiper's cold-season page gives the most specific routine published by any of these makers: dry the unit with a paper towel or soft cloth, box and store the device in a cool, well-ventilated area, charge it every two months to 40 to 60 percent battery capacity, and never charge it in direct sunlight.

The vacuum makers say the same thing on a longer clock. Roborock's manual says to charge the robot fully before storage, turn it off, choose a cool, dry place, and recharge it at least every three months to avoid battery overdischarge. Ecovacs' Deebot manual says that if the robot will not be used for a long time, fully charge it and power it off for storage, and unplug the docking station.

A lithium-ion battery does not go in the bin. CPSC's instruction is never to throw lithium batteries into the trash or general recycling, and to take them to a local battery recycler or hazardous waste collection center instead. On a recalled battery it goes further, saying not to use the used-battery boxes in retail and home improvement stores either, because recalled lithium-ion batteries present a greater risk of fire. Roborock's manual puts it as leaving waste batteries with a professional recycling organization.

Questions people ask

Has any robot vacuum been recalled?

Not in the US. As of November 2, 2026, the US CPSC lists no robot vacuum recall. Health Canada lists two: Battery in some eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid robot vacuums (2023); iRobot Clean Base dock for the Roomba i7+ (2020).

Has a Litter-Robot ever been recalled?

No. No US (CPSC) or Canada (Health Canada) recall names any automatic litter box, as of November 2, 2026.

Why were both Aiper recalls about charging rather than the robot?

Because that is where the heat was. The Seagull Pro notice names a large current adapter that can overheat, and the Elite Pro notice describes the battery overheating and short circuiting when the charging cord was plugged in without the adapter. In both cases the incidents CPSC lists happened while the machine was charging.

My robot is on the recall list. What do I actually get?

It depends on the notice. Wybot and Aiper offered a free replacement machine with a prepaid return label. STIHL offered a free at-home repair of the docking station by a dealer. Husqvarna pushed a free software update and sent a new battery to owners whose mower had passed its charging-cycle limit. iRobot sent a free fused power cord for the dock.

Is it safe to charge a pool robot or a mower in the garage?

Indoors is what the makers ask for. Wybot recommends charging indoors and away from sunlight and high-temperature environments, and says it does not recommend charging outdoors at all. A garage that bakes in summer is closer to the outdoor case than the indoor one, so pick the coolest spot you have and stay with it while it charges, which is CPSC's standing advice for any lithium-ion device.

How should I store a pool cleaner or mower over the off season?

Aiper's cold-season instructions are the most specific published: dry the unit with a cloth, box it and store it in a cool, well-ventilated area, and top the battery back up to 40 to 60 percent every two months. Do not leave it fully flat for a whole winter, and do not leave it on a charger in direct sun.