Pray for Wall E, he's sick

Wall E (aka Roomba) is on the fritz. He just stopped working. Stopped. Stopped in the middle of the room, wont talk his little self, then, he just quits altogether. Kaput! The light is on while he's docked. In fact another light is on as well, and flashing. Everyone once in awhile I hear a voice, saying something, but I'm never in the room so I never really hear it.

I look online. Why is this little light blinking? Why wont he work? Mz Internet says that the little light, when it flashes 5 times means a charging error. A charging error? Try charging directly into the unit (instead of the dock) and see. Nuthin. Well still blinking 5 times like a OCD maniac. Then she says reboot it. Push this and this at the same time and hold for 10 seconds. Ohhhh! Ok! Little flashy light goes out. Charging light in middle still flashing as if it needs more charge.

I charge some more.

In the morning the little OCD light is flashing 5 again. Also from time to time he says something to me. I'm not in the room, again, and miss it. By the way Wall E, it's a womans voice. I'm just sayin.

I call my Sew/Vac lady. She is a genus! She is. There just isn't anything she doesn't know about sewing machines and vacuum cleaners. She can fix them all. Except Wall E.

No, don't fix them.

But why? I love Wall E and he's broke, what do I do?

It's usually a battery issue (thus the 5 flashes) and I can't get a battery for you any cheaper. Call them, they're really good and it could be something simple like rebooting it. (I did that already)

Ok, FINE!

So I do, call the company, who runs me through a series of hoops to try to get the little guy to work. Nada.

No problem mam, your under warranty, I'll send you a new battery and lets see if that works.

Really?! Cool beans!

Battery arrives. I take the whole thing apart, which was very easy but a little scary, put the new battery in. He churps happily! I then plug him in and wait for him to charge up.

I get home and he's still flashing! I reset him and he flashes some more. He's still not working.

I tell Middle my sad tale, the darn thing just will not charge up and work.

Well, says Middle, you might try charging him with the plug in the wall.

#@%##!

Ok, now, plug in wall, plug in Wall E, lets rock and roll.

Charging light stays lit! (it flashes when it's not charged up) I'm all excited. I pick up all the things in the room, set him up in the middle and push the button with my toe. Nothing. I squat down and push again. . . .nothing. . . .reset. . . nope.

I call the company again.

He runs me through another series of tests and button pushing and then tells me I'm gonna have to send him back. Dang. And I get the pleasure of paying for postage. Huh? And I'm told I gotta take the battery out, all the brushes and pretty much everything I can remove before I do. I get my return number and box him up.

He goes out today.

*sigh* I'm gonna miss him