Kenmore 116.39612990, 116.39512, 116.38812790, 116.38912891, 116.38613 Owner's Manual

Owner's Manual

Vacuum Cleaner

Model 116.38512

116.38613

116.38812

116.38912

116.39512

116.39612

116.39712

CAUTION:

Read and follow all
safety and operating

instructions before first
use of this product.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 U.S.A.

www.sears.com

Part No. COIZAMA3_UO{D-437_827 Printed in tlSA.

Before Using Your New Vacuum ....... 2

Kenmore Vacuum Cleaner Warranty , ,o 2

Important Safety Instructions ......... 3

Parts and Features .................... 4

Assembly Instructions ............... 5-6

Operating instructions ............... 6

Pile Height Selection and Setting ........ 7

Carpet/Bare Floor Selector ........... 7

Releasing the Handle ............... 8

ON/OFF Switch ........ 8

Attachments ................ 8-10

Attachment Use Chart ............ 10

Vacuuming Tips ............... 11

Please read this guide. It will help you assemble and operate your new Kenmore vacuum in

the safest and most effective way.

For more information about vacuum cleaner care and operation, call your nearest Sears store°
You will need the complete model and serial numbers when requesting information. Your vacu-

um's model and serial numbers are located on the Model and Serial Number Plate.

Performance Features ............. 1t .12

Vacuum Cleaner Care ................. 13

Vacuum Storage .......................... 13

Cleaning Exterior and Attachments ..... 13

Dust Bag Changing ................... 14

Fitter Changing ................... I5

Belt Changing and Agitator Cleaning ° 16-18

Clog Removal ..................... 19

Light Bulb Changing ................. 20

Agitator Servicing ............. 21

Agitator Assembly ............. 21

Troubleshooting ............... 22

Requesting Assistance Or Service . 23

Use the space be!ow to record the model number and serial number of your new Kenmore
vacuum.

Model No...........

Serial No,

Date of Purchase

Keep this book and your sales check (receipt) in a safe place for future reference..

This warranty is for one year from the date of purchase, and includes only private household
vacuum cleaner use. During the warranty year, when this vacuum cleaner is operated and
maintained according to the owner's manual instructions, Sears will repair any defects in

material or workmanship free of charge.

This warranty excludes vacuum bags, belts, light bulbs, and filters, which are expendable parts

and become worn during normal use.

For warranty service, return this vacuum cleaner to the nearest Sears Service Center in

the United States.

This warranty applies only while this product is in use in the United States. This warranty gives

you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state°

Sears, Roebuck and Co,, D/817 WA, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

2

n

WARNING

Your safety is important to us. To reduce the risk of fire, electrical shock, injury
to persons or damage when using your vacuum cleaner, follow basic safety pre.

cautions including the following:

Read this manual before assembling or

using your vacuum cleaner_
Use your cleaner only as described in

this manual Use only with Sears recom-
mended attachments.

To reduce the risk of electrical shock -

Do not use outdoors or on wet surfaces,

Disconnect electrical supply before any

servicing or cleaning.. Failure to do so
could result in electrical shock or person-

al injury.
Always turn cleaner off before unplug-

ging.
Do not unplug by pulling on cord. To

unptug, grasp the plug, not the cord.
Do not use with damaged cord or plug. If

cleaner is not working as it should, has
been dropped, damaged, left outdoors, or

dropped into water, return it to a Sears
Service Center.

Do not pull or carry by cord, use cord as
a handle, close door on cord, or pull cord

around sharp edges or corners° Do not
run cleaner over cord. Keep cord away

from heated surfaces.
Do not leave cleaner when plugged in.

Unplug from outlet when not in use and
before servicing°

Do not allow to be used as a toy. Close
attention is necessary when used by or

near children.

Do not handle plug or cleaner withwet
hands,

Do not put any objects into openings, one unable to operate it properly.

Do not use with any opening blocked;
keep free of dust, lint, hair and anything

that may reduce air flow.

Keep hair, loose clothing, fingers, and all
parts of body away from openings and
moving parts.

Do not use cleaner without dust bag
and/or filters in place°

Always change the dust bag after vacu-
uming carpet cleaners or freshener, pow-

ders and fine dust. These products clog
the bag, reduce airflow and can cause
the bag to burst. Failure to change bag
could cause permanent damage to the

cleaner,
Do not use the cleaner to pick up sharp

hard objects, small toys, pins, paper, etc.

They may damage the cleaner or dust

bag.
Do not pick up anything that is burning

or smoking, such as cigarettes, matches,
or hot ashes.

Do not use cleaner to pick up flammable

or combustible liquids (gasoline, cleaning
fluids, perfumes, etC_r),or use in areas
where they may be present. The fumes

from these substances can create a fire
hazard or explosion.

Use extra care when cleaning on stairs°
Do not put on chairs, tables, etc. Keep

on floor.
You are responsible for making sure that

your vacuum cleaner is not used by any-

SAVE THESE NSTRUCTIONS

Proper assembly and safe use of your vacuum cleaner are your responsibilities_ Your
cleaner is intended only for household use. Read this Owner's Manual carefully for

important use and safety information. This guide contains safety statements under
warning and caution symbols. Please pay special attention to these boxes and follow
any instructions given. WARNING statements alert you to such dangers as fire, electri-
cal shock, burns and personal injury. CAUTION statements alert you to such dangers

as personal injury and/or property damage_

i i i i ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, , ...........................

3

It is important to know your vacuum cleaner's parts and features to assure its proper and

safe use. Review these before using your cleaner.,

item Part No. Part No.

In U.S. In Canada

Dust Bag 20-50690 20-50690C

, ,,, ,

Headlight Bulb 20-5240 20-40600

On/Off

Switch

Belt 20-5275 2040096

Exhaust Filter 20-86881 .............20-86881C

Motor Safety Filter 20-86884 20-86884C

Quick Release

Sensor

I (Some Models)

Performance

Indicator

(Some Models)

Powe

Lower

Cord Hooks

Carry

Crevice
Tool --_

Telescoping

Dusting

Brush

Combination

Brush

Handle

Release
Pedal

ll li Swivel Hose

Stretch Hose

Motor

Protector

Floor Selector

Nozzle

Cover

Latch

Base

Headlight (Underneath)

Spare Belt
(Underneath Nozzle Cover,

Behind Height Adjust Assembly)

EXTENSION HOSE KITS

SOME MODELS

Extension Hose

._SOME MODELS

_T_ Adaptor

Model/Serial
Numbers

toor BrUShan d

Agitator
(Underneath)

4

WARNING

Electrical Shock Hazard
Do not plug into the electrical sup-

ply until the assembly is complete.
Failure to do so could result in elec-

trical shock or injury°

Before assembling vacuum, check the
PACKING LIST on the cover of the separate
Repair Parts List, Use this list to verify that
you have received all the components of

your new Kenmore vacuum_

Remove the tape located below the dust

cover/filter cover on the motor case.

Tape

Position the handle as shown in the illustra-
tionbelow_

Slide the handle into the opening at the top
of the vacuum°

Attach
stretch hose

end to nozzle
as shown_

HANDLE ASSEMBLY

Remove the screw located just below the
top edge of the back of the vacuum°

Insert the screw so it passes through the
handle into the vacuum,

Begin to tighten the screw with your fingers.

It may be necessary to adjust the handle

slightly.

Usinga

screwdriver,
tightenthe

screw.

Lock the cord
into place by

forcing it into the

locking notch on

the body of the
quick release

upper cord hook
as shown_ This

helps keep the
power cord out

from under the

vacuum cleaner
agitator.

Lock#

Power

CAUTION

Do not overtighten.
Overtightening could strip the

screw holes.

Do not operate the cleaner without

the screw in place.

CORD ASSEMBLY

Make sure the quick release upper cord
hook is in the upright position. Remove
the wire tie from the power cord.

HOW TO START

1. Turn the

] F _Qulck Release

"_ Upper Cord

quick
release

upper cord
hook to

either side
and down to

release the
power cord..

Wrap the power cord around the upper
and lower cord hooks and lock the power

cord plug onto the power cord.

Uppe_Cord

Hook

Power

Cord

Lower

Cord

ized plug, one blade is wider than the
other, This plug will fit in a polarized outlet

only one way. If the plug does not fit fully
in the outlet, reverse the plugo If it still
does not fit, contact a qualified technician
to install the proper outlet. Do not change

the plug in any way.
4, Plug the polarized power cord into a

I20 Volt outlet located near the floor.

2. Release the power cord plug from the
power cord and pull the cord off the quick

release upper cord hook. Check to be
sure the power cord is still locked into the

lock in the quick release upper cord hook.

3. Check to see if the cleaner has bag
installed. See DUST BAG CHANGING,,

NOTE; To reduce the risk of electric
shock, this vacuum cleaner has a polar-

Personal Injury and Product Damage

Hazard

• DO NOT plug in if switch is in the ON

position. Personal injury or damage
could result.

• DO NOT use outlets above coun-
ters. Damage from cord to items in

surrounding area could occur.

Toselect a pile height setting

Turn off cleaner. Select a pile height set-
ting by tilting the cleaner back until front

wheels are lifted slightly off the floor as

illustratedo

Slide the adjustment lever to the correct

setting.

SUGGESTED PILE HEIGHT SETTINGS
You may need to raise the height to make

some jobs easier, such as scatter rugs
and longer pile carpets. Suggested set-

tings are:

HIGH: shag carpet, long pile, plush, scat-

ter rugs,

MED: medium to long pile.
LOW: short to medium pile,

EX LOW: very low pile_

SOME MODELS

Bare floor setting: Slide the carpet/bare
floor selector alI the way back and down

toward the bottom of the nozzle until it

locks into place°
In this position the brush assembly does

not revolve. This setting should be used
for cleaning hardwood and tile floors and
when any attachments (tools) are

used.

Carpet setting: Slide the selector all the

way forward and up to the carpet

position.

In this position the brush assembly will

turn. When carpets are being cleaned the

selector should be in this position.

WARNING

Personal Injury Hazard
DO NOT place hands or feet

underneath the unit when chang-
ing from the bare floor to the car-
pet pile height setting.The agitator
begins to revolve rapidly when the

vacuum is turned on and is in the
carpet setting,

NOTE: For longer belt life, turn vacuum

off before moving selector, otherwise

make sure the selector is pushed fully
and quickly as possible to the desired

position. Failure to do so can cause the
belt to rub on the selector shaft and may
result in the belt becoming hot and creat-

ing a burning rubber smell.

Carpet/Bare
Floor Selector

Attention: Refer to your carpet manufac-

turers cleaning recommendations. Some

more delicate carpets may require that

they be vacuumed with the agitator turned

off, to prevent carpet damage.

To Bare Floor

Position

Position

To Carpet

\