The belt slipped off where it belongs fairly quickly, which happens with vaccums but when I opened it up to slip the belt back on everything sprang out and I couldn't get it back together. A professional vaccum fix it shop fixed it. Don't know if belt slipping was unusual or typical. It was a nicely powerful little vaccum as a 2nd vaccum for hardwood floors, which is why I bought it, before the belt popped off 2) Addition : The belt immediately popped off again rendering it useless. The 1st repair cost me $30, Doing that again I might as well replace it. Very disappointed.