Have you ever had your blade drag across your design? Or the Cricut suddenly doesn't want to work right? This happens occasionally and here are some ways to fix it:
If your blade is dragging, check that your blade housing has not slipped. You may want to take it out and place it back in, just to make sure. While you've got the blade housing out, clear your blade of any stray paper bits by depressing the blade against a non-scratch surface, taking care not to get cut!
If that doesn't work or something else is going on, here are directions to reset your Cricut machine:
1) First, turn your machine on with no cartridge loaded. Then you are going to roll all your gray dials (the two on the left and the one on the right) down to there lowest setting.
2) Then you will want to grasp the green/gold cylinder blade assembly and use it to pull the entire gray carriage car unit (the one with the Cricut bug on it) along its track to the other side of the machine. Back in the cave where the gray carriage car usually sits there is a red button. Press that button and hold it down for about three seconds. Let go and then move the gray carriage car back into place.
3) This next step will sound a bit odd, but many times it can fix your little "bug". You're going to roll all your dials all the way up and all the way down three times-three times for each dial.
4) Then you are going to hit the "Cut" button and turn the machine off. Let the machine sit for a few minutes (15-20), load a cartridge, turn it on, and try a practice cut.
If this does not solve your problem, call Cricut toll free at 1-877-727-4288 7am to 6pm MST Mon-Fri (make sure you are by your machine) and someone there will walk you through some trouble shooting tips and determine if a replacement machine is needed.
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Unless otherwise stated within the post, this is my original work. Please feel free to use as inspiration for your own personal use, but do not use for publication, contest/message board entries, or to sell. If my work inspires a work of your own, please give credit by posting a link to my blog. Thank you! 
Great info!! Thanks for sharing this with everyone! I am going to post a link to this from my blog.
ReplyDeleteTammy
Thank you so much for this information! I have not tried it yet, but my blade has been dragging and I could find not much info about that.
ReplyDeleteYou seriously saved my hide tonight! I wanted to put up some wall art before a guest arrives. I installed the software and suddenly my blade was dragging everywhere. I found your advice through a web search and it worked perfectly. THANK YOU!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh this is great!
ReplyDeleteGreat Tip.. Thanks so much..
ReplyDeleteThis is great info, but unfortunately it didn't work for me. I then contacted Cricut only to be told I need to provide them with a proof of purchase from the "informercial vendor" that my daughter purchased it from. I have only used my Cricut probably 10 to 15 times in the year plus that I have had it. I was told by Cricut that if it's past that time frame, there's really nothing they can do. So I sit with a machine that is not been used much at all that's a paper weight! Not happy with them right now. Does anyone else have any tricks to try?
ReplyDeleteI have a Cricut that I've used maybe 10 times in the time that I've owned. It would not update the firmware. I called ProvoCraft but nothing worked that was suggested. Initially I was told there was nothing they could do. Needless to say I was not happy hearing "there was nothing they could do" when the machine has been used so little. In the end they are going to replace.
ReplyDeleteHi All,
ReplyDeleteAs a person that bought a Circut Cake machine last year from e-bay and within a month it would not work. got intouch with ProvoCraft and they replaced it with a new on just before Christmas 2010.
Tryed to do a New year cake with my new one and it said that I had to download new updates which I did and now the LCD part is just blank.
Yet again got on to Provocraft an d was told that since it was bought in the USA and was shipped to my home address in the UK they would not covered it.
Can any one help me as it it has never been used.
Thnkyou
Brendan
Been there, done that! I've emailed Provocraft many times and keep getting these same directions. The size dial wouldn't change off 3", I followed the directions, it didn't fix the problem. I turned my Cricut Expression on a week later and it worked...now it's stuck on 1" and the size will not change. I've emailed again and called NUMEROUS times, only to be on hold for up to 10 minutes and never getting through to talk to anyone. I have had my machine for just over a year and it's been used no more than 10 times. It's very frustrating when you want to do any crafting and the machine doesn't work. I hope my next phone call gets through to someone who can help repair this computer glitch in the machine.
ReplyDeletedoes anyone ever get a reply from provo craft or get thro to customer service? a 20 minute wait on the phone and still no answer, tried to update firmware for ccr on a crv001 now all i have is 2 rows of keys lit up, 6 small bars on top and a partial light on cut button reset doesn't work. any help would be great
DeleteI have a completely different problem. My machine just won't come on - any suggestions other than getting a new machine?
ReplyDeleteReplace the power cord would be my guess.
DeleteI would like to know what I'm even doing as far as making the letter sizes different? every time It changes on me don't know what I'm doing wrong...it was bought for me this past Christmas & would love to work w/Vinyl can anyone give me pointers on that please?>
ReplyDeleteVery frustrated, just bought a Cricut Expression on Ebay that they claim was only used about 10 times. However, the only thing it does is power on. Any suggestions. I just tried resetting it.
ReplyDeleteThere is a youtube video you might try with a guy who refurbishes these when they don't work, and a website link to the same information if you know a handman.
DeleteHey, this worked!!! Unfortunately for me, I found and tried this AFTER I purchased a new expression. Yes, I kept the faux-faulty machine, I've had it for 5 or so years and it had been so good, I couldn't throw it away...so now I have two expressions, keeping them both.
ReplyDeleteLike anonymous says, my machine just will not come on. Has anyone determined what will help?
ReplyDeleteIf the machine doesn't power on, you probaby need a new power cord.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the "wait 15-20 minutes" part is about. An electrical or chip reset would be immediate. I don't know of any computer or electrical issue where waiting 15-20 minutes is helpful.
ReplyDeleteIn any case, mine is working, I don'ts see drag, but letters are "squished" so that a cursive "l" intersects itself and won't come off the mat cleanly, the "o" is also squished, for example. I've not seen anyone else having this issue. Thoughts?
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Deletei have had my mini cricut for about 6 months and now it is jumping while cutting. so the cuts are not coming out like they should. anyone else have this problem and know how to fix it. i have been trying to find out if you can reset the mini cricut. does anyone know. i have a cricut expression that i got for xmas but don't like it as much as my mini
ReplyDeleteI have a Cricut mini. It will not respond to the software SCAL on my computer. I've rebooted the computer and I've reset the machine probably 5 times for the past 3 days and it still will not respond. Any time I've had the issue in the past the reset has always worked but it's not working now. I don't know what to do :-(
ReplyDeleteCricut sued SCAL and they are no longer compatible. So if you updated your software or have a later version of the cricut then they will not work together anymore.
DeleteActually SCAL did help me and they did send me the update. I was able to get it working. Turned out to be my USB cable and USB port. Once I changed those two things my Cricket started working.
DeleteI have the Cricut imagine and have barely used it (just got it out of the box a few weeks ago). When I turn it on it wont continue to the main screen. It is making a weird noise liek its trying to roll paper through. I tried this tip, but didn't work. Although I'm not sure I know where the grey dials are... any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteI just got my Cricut cake off ebay, only to find the size dial is not working. However I found some info to use it through Cricut Craft room via my computer and it works a treat. Not only do I have access to the cake cartridges, I can use any of the cartridges that are used for the other machines. One happy bunny .....
ReplyDeleteI have a stuck cartridge. Anyone know how to dislodge it so I can get back to my projects? I inherited the Expression and love it. Over an hour on the phone through the course of the day and I didn't get to speak to anyone (three separate calls).
ReplyDeleteWhen I turn my cricut expression on, half of the lights turn on but it rhythmically clicks. I tried the trouble shooting advice but it didn't help. Now what? Help!
ReplyDeletehmmmm is it just me or the cricut a piece of poo
ReplyDelete