How can I repair the cord rewind on my canister vacuum cleaner?

Remove the canister hood by rotating it to the full-open position and sliding the hinges toward the front (hose end) of the vacuum cleaner. You will now see two screws beneath where the hinges slid into the motor housing; remove these screws. There are two more screws hidden under the cord rewind bar. To remove the bar, insert a large flat-blade screwdriver under the bar, on the right rear of the bar (the side opposite the power cord) and pry upward. This will require some force and you will hear a sickening snap when the plastic hook releases. There are three or four more plastic hook releases to unsnap then remove the bar (note the position of the spring under the bar). Remove the two remaining screws and then the motor housing cover to reveal the motor and the power cord rewind mechanism. Chances are, the power cord has tangled on the reel or a portion of the cord has jumped the reel and become caught. Undo the tangle, test the rewind mechanism by pressing the gear-stop lever. Replace the cover and the two screws. Position the bar and the spring in their original position and press straight downward; the hooks should snap back into place. Reassemble the vacuum cleaner and bask in the knowledge that you've just saved yourself about $100 in repair costs.

Dave
August 2009

I'd also like to know how to get the rewind mechanism. If I open the main canister lid I see two screws holding down the cover that houses the hepa filter and is above the rewind mechanism. I also see two rivets in the two small holes on the bottom of the canister towards the back. I've removed the screws but can't remove the housing. I don't know if the rivets need to be drilled out to be able to remove that housing piece. TIA (Thanks in advance)

Chris
December 2006