my sun joe pressure washer is making a weird clicking noise and then stops, is this broken?

— asked by Lisa

The clicking noise is likely the thermal sensor shutting the motor off to protect it from overheating, which is a safety feature, not a sign it's broken.

Here's what you do:

  1. First, turn the switch off and unplug the machine.
  2. Let it sit and cool down for a full 5 minutes. The sensor needs to reset.
  3. While it's cooling, check for simple causes that made it overheat. Is the nozzle partially blocked? Clean it. Is the water inlet filter clogged? Clean that too.
  4. After 5 minutes, plug it back in, turn it on, and try again. It should restart normally.

IF THAT DIDN'T WORK: If the clicking and stopping happens immediately, even when the machine is cool, you might have a different issue. Check that your water supply is fully on and the hose isn't kinked. Running the pump without adequate water flow will cause it to overheat almost instantly. Also, ensure you're not using an extension cord, as a voltage drop can cause overheating.

HEADS UP: Always connect to a cold water supply only. Never connect it to hot water, as this will significantly reduce the pump's life.

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