Vitamix Blade Not Turning? Here’s What To Do

Blenders are an excellent addition to any kitchen. They allow you to make smoothies, soups, sauces, and more without having to stand at the stove or cook on your range.

There are many different types of blenders on the market with various features that let them perform better for certain tasks.

One popular type is a Vitamix blender which comes in both traditional models as well as high-end supermodels that can process raw vegetables into creamy soup in seconds!

But what happens when your blades don’t turn?

This article will explore some common reasons why this might happen on a Vitamix blender and offer troubleshooting tips so you can get things working again.

Vitamix Blade Not Turning- 20 Reasons And Fixes

1. The Circuit Breaker

The first reason why your blender blade might not be spinning is that the circuit breaker has been engaged. 

The circuit breaker is a safety feature that turns off all power to the appliance if something goes wrong. 

Most modern blenders have this feature built-in for added protection. 

If you are sure there isn’t anything stuck in one of your blades, then it may be time to check out the circuit breaker. 

On Vitamix models, this is located anywhere on the backside of the motor base where there are two or more switches depending on which model you have. 

The switch labeled START/STOP should be pressed inward to reset it and allow you to operate your blender again. 

There should also be an OFF switch nearby if needed, which will not only turn the blender off completely but also reset the circuit breaker.

2.  A Large Chunk of Food

If you have a lot of food that has gotten stuck in your blades, then this might also prevent them from turning properly. 

In order to fix this problem, simply try taking out any chunks of food by hand and pressing SPIN several times. 

If the blade still doesn’t spin even when there is nothing inside or when cleared of large pieces, then it may be time to take things apart and clean the individual components.

3.  Broken Blade Assembly / Bearing Replacements

One potential cause for a broken blade assembly is an accumulation of sediment over time which can cause the bearings to go bad. 

If you have sediment, then it’s time to remove the blade assembly and wash it by hand with soapy water. 

Make sure to rinse off all soap residue before putting it back together, otherwise, you might get bubbles forming in your next batch of batter!

4.  Broken Housing / Motor Base

If there isn’t any evidence that there is something blocking the blades or little pieces of food, then this means that either your bearings are too worn or that your motor itself has gone out. 

I’ve used my Vitamix for years without any issues but recently started noticing a strange humming noise when running which can be an indication that it needs replacing. 

Luckily they’re readily available online at Amazon, eBay, etc. 

The main thing is to make sure you get the right type of replacement so that it fits your model of the blender.

5.  Incorrect Assembly

Another possible issue is if the blade assembly isn’t properly attached. 

If your blades aren’t turning because they are loose, then this might be due to a faulty installation or even just an incorrect one in general. 

Make sure that you check all screws on both the motor base and the blade assembly before trying anything else.

6.  Bristled Or Damaged Drive Coupling

The drive coupling is another part that can wear down over time which prevents the blade from spinning. 

Simply remove any remaining food pieces with a hand tool or place your palm behind the blade while running in order to make it will spin in all positions. 

If you notice little bits of the drive coupling breaking off, then this will likely need to be replaced.

7.  Damaged Motor Shaft

In some cases, your motor shaft might become bent or damaged which can prevent it from spinning. 

In order to check if this is the case, try taking a flat head screwdriver and gently adjusting the blades yourself while powering on the machine. 

This should allow you to manually turn them in if needed in the event that they are not broken altogether.

8.  Incorrect Speed Setting/Assembly Attached To Base And Not Spinning

If your blender blade doesn’t turn even with anything inside of it or after checking for any obstacles, then this could be because something is incorrectly set up on the base. 

If your SPIN setting is attached to the base and not spinning, then you will have to inspect it by removing any food pieces with a hand tool or manually rotating the blade until it starts moving again.

9.  Blender Cover On The Base And Not Spinning

If your blender cover is on but not turning, then this simply means that either the sealing ring or gasket needs to be replaced or that there might be something blocking the airtight seal from happening. 

Make sure both of these components are in good shape and also make sure there aren’t lumps of food stuck around where they meet up with each other before trying anything else.

10.  Motor Lock With Blender Stopped Permanently Blinking “ON”

If your blades don’t turn after removing any trapped food or while manually turning them with a flat head screwdriver, then the culprit might be the motor lock switch. 

If this is stuck in the ON position and not blinking to indicate that it’s ready for action, then you will need to remove and clean the microswitch underneath it. 

This can be done by obtaining a new one to replace it with or simply cleaning off what is keeping the contacts apart until you regain functionality once again. 

Note: The motor shaft has been removed for clarity of explanation purposes only! Always make sure to reattach this before trying anything else!

11. Wrong Order Of Ingredients Or Too Little Liquid

One thing to remember is that the blades won’t turn if there isn’t enough liquid in the container or if you haven’t followed an order of ingredients. 

You should start with your dry goods first, then liquids, and finally soft foods at the end for best results. 

If any pieces are too big (ex: not blending rice), blend them down before placing anything else into the blender. 

If needed, use a hand tool or wide spoon to push ingredients down near the blade assembly while it’s running.

12.  Motor Lock Switch Not Resetting

If your motor lock switch is stuck then it won’t be able to reset itself making the blades not turn. 

You can check this by pressing and releasing the center button multiple times until the “on” indicator starts blinking again. 

If you’re trying to use your Vitamix after this has happened, then you will need to unplug the appliance for 30 seconds in order for it to reset back into place.

13.  Base Or Appliance Is Too Hot

Be sure that no parts of your appliance are hot before placing anything inside of it. 

Anything with a high viscosity will likely burn out the motor if used while hot which might give off an odor or leave scorched pieces of food on the base afterward. 

In order to fix this, you can wipe off excess food pieces with a damp cloth and then add some hot water and detergent into the container before powering it back on.

14. Overfilling Container Capacity

Do not overfill your blender container beyond the maximum fill line because this will prevent your blades from being able to reach their full speed potential, leading them to spin inefficiently or not at all. 

If needed, use a wet rag or spoon to push items down toward the blade assembly while blended for best results when cooking certain foods such as “hot soup” dishes that expand in size prior to cooling off once cooked through after blending.

15. No Blades Attached Work Bowl

In some cases, you might find that the work bowl for your blender isn’t attached properly to the main housing unit. 

If this happens, make sure to attach it firmly in place making sure it is lined up with the rubber gasket ring. 

If not, then use a hand tool or flat head screwdriver to push each piece into place until you hear a clicking sound indicating that everything has locked into place.

16.  Blade Assembly Is Locked Up

If your blender blades are running but not moving in any direction, then this might be because they’re locked up. 

This can happen when the motor is overpowered by certain ingredients such as raw dough or thick sauces so you will need to unplug it for 30 seconds to allow it to reset back into place. 

If the blades still don’t move after doing this, then check out reason #17 below!

17.  Blender Blades Turn But Work Bowl Doesn’t Move Around

A sure sign that the work bowl has become stuck with nothing spinning is if you hear loud grinding noises coming from your blender even though the blades are rotating around. 

At this point, you will need to unplug your Vitamix and then allow it to reset back into place by unplugging the power cord for about 30 seconds.

18.  Motor Burnout

If there is still no sound coming from your blender motor but you can feel some vibrations when turning it on, then this can be a sign of an impending motor burnout so you will need to unplug it immediately before doing anything else! 

Once this happens, use a screwdriver or flat head tool to remove the screws that are located underneath the rubber feet of your appliance and pop off the plastic housing cover. 

Next, use pliers to remove any pieces of metal that may have come loose during this process and inspect them for possible evidence of overheating or burning out if applicable

19.  Speck Of Debris Is Stuck In Blade Assembly

If you have tried everything above but the blades still aren’t turning, then this might be because something has gotten lodged into your Vitamix blade assembly. 

If this is the case, then try to use a toothpick or similar tool to remove any debris that may be stuck preventing it from rotating properly.

20.  Blender Might Be Power Cycling (Repeating The On Cycle)

If there appears to be nothing wrong with your blender except the fact that the blades are not turning at all, then this can sometimes indicate an issue where your appliance is power cycling which means it will automatically turn on and off repeatedly until you manually cancel out of this process by pressing down on either speed knob located on top of your motor base. 

If this is the case, then simply unplug your Vitamix and allow it to cool off for 30 minutes before turning it back on!

Read: Sharpening Vitamix Blades

Vitamix Blade Not Turning – Wrap Up

All of these cases of Vitamix blades not turning can be frustrating, to say the least, but hopefully one of them will solve the problem for you. 

If none do, then it will likely mean that your motor itself has gone out which isn’t all too uncommon these days due to advancements in technology. 

Just remember that if this is the case, then there are plenty of replacement motors available online at places like Amazon where you can easily find an exact fit in order to get yourself up and running in no time at all!

Thanks again for reading my article about why your Vitamix blender’s blades aren’t spinning! 

I hope that my comment was helpful! Please feel free to leave any feedback or questions below in the comments section! Thanks again and good luck!

• Click here if you need a blender blade for your Vitamix blender!
• Click here if you need a new motor and/or coupling and gasket for your Vitamix blender!

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