My DeWalt cordless car vac suddenly stopped charging - any ideas?

Hey everyone, hoping someone can help me out here. I've got a DeWalt 20V Max cordless car vacuum (model DXV06P) that I've had for about 2 years. It's been working great until last week. Now the battery won't charge at all - I put it on the charger and the light just blinks red. Tried cleaning the contacts on both the battery and charger, no luck. The vacuum itself seems fine when I use my other battery. Anyone run into this before? Is my battery just dead or could it be the charger?

Ah man, I've got 3 of those DXV06P vacs in my collection! Actually have one right here on my shelf. The blinking red light usually means the battery's protection circuit tripped or it's detecting a fault. Try leaving the battery off the charger for 24 hours, then put it back on. Sometimes they just need to 'reset.' If that doesn't work, you might have a dead cell. I've had to replace a couple 20V batteries over the years - they don't last forever unfortunately. What's the manufacture date on your battery?

Before you assume it's the battery, let's be precise. Which charger are you using? The DCB107, DCB115, or another model? The blinking pattern matters - is it a steady blink or does it pause? Also, have you checked the battery voltage with a multimeter? Should read around 20V when charged, below 15V might indicate a dead cell. I'd also inspect the battery terminals with magnification - sometimes corrosion isn't visible to the naked eye. My DXV06P is still on its original battery after 3 years, but I'm meticulous about storage conditions.

Dave's right about checking the details. I had similar issues with my workshop vac last year. Turned out to be a tiny bit of debris in the charger's positive terminal that I couldn't see without my loupe. Used a toothpick and some contact cleaner - fixed it immediately. Also, make sure you're using the correct charger for that battery series. Mixing old and new DeWalt chargers can sometimes cause communication issues. What's the exact blink pattern you're seeing?

Wow, thanks for the quick responses! It's a DCB115 charger, and the light blinks steadily red with no pauses. Haven't checked voltage yet - don't have a multimeter handy. The battery was manufactured in 2021 (date code 21-45). I'll try leaving it off for a day like DeWaltDan982 suggested and report back. DIYDave728 - no magnification tools, but I'll look closer at the terminals. Appreciate the help!