It runs for a few seconds and cuts off.

Is the blue light flashing after the 20 seconds?

I have read many other articles about the same topic, but your article convinced me! I hope you continue to have high quality articles like this to share with veryone!
temple run 3

Make sure the filters are not causing a restriction in airflow.

1st make sure battery is fully charged.
Next, wash the filter, just follow the instructions in the manual.
If the filter is clogged the motor will try to run but then cut out to protect the motor from damage.

After two years the batteries are probably no longer holding a charge and need to be replaced.

If you have a 400 series Roomba, try removing the battery, then holding down the power button for ten seconds, then recharging the unit before you run it again.

If you have a 500 series Roomba, don't take out the battery-- just press and hold the "spot" and "dock" buttons for about fifteen seconds. The Roomba will play a tune, and you can then charge it and try running it again later.

This is not really expert advise but I have a vaccuum with hepa filters and if the filters get dirty My vaccuum acts like your what you are describing.

If both batteries are behaving the same way then this is probably a charger problem. When you insert the battery pack into the charger does the 'charging' light blink for 30 minutes (fast charge) then go steady? I noticed that one of my batteries was causing the light to come on steady immediately I inserted it into the charger. When I tried to use the battery pack I got the same problem everyone else is seeing, i.e. vacuum cleaner shuts off in less than a minute, so I conclude that when the charging light is on steady then the battery is not being charged.

If the charging light does not blink when you insert the battery (i.e. comes on steady or not at all), try removing the battery and re-inserting it into the charger.

Try a conditioning cycle on your battery packs. To do this:
* Insert the battery pack into the charger
* Before the charging light lights press the 'condition' button located just above the charging light.
* The 'conditioning' light should blink. This is a light which does not normally illuminate, and it is located below the condition button and above the charging light. The charger fan will run quieter in this mode.
* Leave the battery pack in the charger for 24 hours while this cycle is taking place.

I'm not a service technician so perhaps someone else might like to post other solutions or corrections to this one.

Hi,

How old is the unit? It looks like the battery needs to be replaced.

Same thing happened to me, I called the company, and they told me to remove the battery, press the on button for 5 seconds, which clears the system, replace the battery and do a long charge 12 hours. I'm in the process of doing that now.