Dyson Trigger Not Working? How I Fixed My Digital Slim for Free

This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets and everyday tools from my home in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan.

Quick take

My trigger-style Dyson Digital Slim started to stay on after I let go of the trigger, then refused to start at all. After about five years of use, it was out of warranty. The fix cost nothing: reseating the battery slowly and putting a little grease on the trigger’s moving parts. The problem has not come back once.

The trigger of a Dyson Digital Slim — The trigger on my Dyson Digital Slim

What I tested

Dyson Digital Slim (trigger type), used for around five years
Symptoms: stays on after releasing the trigger; sometimes will not start no matter how often you pull it
Silicone grease (KURE Silicone Grease Mate, which I link in the video description)

What I found

The switch mechanism is very simple. Pulling the trigger pushes a small rod forward, and the rod presses a bump on the battery. That is all that turns it on.
If the rod sticks, or the rod and battery don’t line up, you get exactly these symptoms.
Sliding the battery in slowly, rather than snapping it in, can be enough to fix it.
In my case, years of use had worn the plastic and made the trigger a little loose. A small amount of grease on the parts that seemed to catch, inside the handle and on the battery’s bump, made it smooth again after a few pulls.

Dyson Digital Slim with the battery removed — With the battery out, you can see the part that moves with the trigger

The part of a Dyson battery that the trigger rod presses — The bump on the battery that the rod pushes

Who it’s for

Try this: owners of a trigger-style Dyson that won’t start or won’t stop
Try this: anyone out of warranty looking at a repair bill or a new vacuum
Contact Dyson instead: if you are still under warranty, or not comfortable doing this yourself

Watch the video

【壊れたと思ったら…】ダイソン掃除機のトリガーが効かない原因はこれだった！【Dyson 修理動画】

The video is in Japanese. YouTube’s auto-translated captions can help you follow along.

Limitations

This worked on one vacuum with one cause. A different fault will need a different fix. Do this at your own risk. If your vacuum is under warranty, ask Dyson first.

Products

KURE Silicone Grease Mate, 180 ml: on Amazon Japan

Dyson V8 Slim Fluffy Extra (if you decide to replace it; this Japanese model may differ from those sold elsewhere): on Amazon Japan

The Amazon Japan links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.

More reviews in English