Does anyone on this list own a Janome 5000..a friend of mine dropped one off at my mom's house and gave it to her..it was her ex dil's and outside of being dirty from sitting in a garage it doesn't look like it was ever used..but when I stitched on it ..it won't move the fabric..I made sure the feed dog was engaged and I rethreaded it again and again....can't figure it out..wondered if I was missing something...I own 2 Janome's and 2 Bernina's and have never seen this happen...I assume its an obslete machine but maybe not..I couldn't find any information on line about it...blessings and have a quilty day

I have a 4000 that I use as my main machine. Other than my serger, it's the newest machine I own. I love it. Other than doing a search online for repair issues, I'd say to really clean out the bobbin race/feeddog area. Stuff get's gunked up back in there, threads wrapped around. Take off the needle, the foot, the cover plates, take out the bobbin, the bobbin case... take out everything you can (do NOT loose the screws!)

Then get in there with a flashlight and really really look. raise/lower the dogs etc, turn the wheel to rotate hook... and find the pesky lint, dirt, threads that might be there. I've seen impacted built up gunk in 'new looking' machines before.

If that's not it.... maybe someone else has a better idea. It might could a broken pin on the bobbin case, a broken spring or whatever is connecting the feed dog mechanics to the rest of the moving world.

If you're afraid of taking it apart... do 2 things first. 1. is UNPLUG IT before you do anything. and 2. Take pictures of the machine and it's surfaces/parts before you dismantle it. Then you'll have a visual record of what goes where. I also use small sandwhich sized ziplock baggies to put parts from each area into (into sep baggies and marked with sharpie markers as to where they came from.) That's because it always takes me a week or two to finish my projects... lol.

How about other suggestions? Anyone?

[ I'd say to really clean out the bobbin race/feeddog area. Stuff get's gunked up back in there, threads wrapped around. Take off the needle, the foot, the cover plates, take out the bobbin, the bobbin case...

I tried that...still nothing..there wasn't even a speck of lint anywhere....I am wondering about the spring you mentioned..I wouldn't know if its there or not...I will have to take a good look at mine and see what it looks like and go back to mom's and look at the 5000...thanks for the suggestion though..I will keep trying..blessings

I'd think there's got to be gunk built up in there, not only under the bobbin but under the race. Take everything out, that you can. or... ... or that mechanical connection has been broken somehow. You may have to break down and take it to a sew shop and pay for a service on it. If you can't or don't want to pay for that. Well, the thing isn't working now... take it apart all the way and see.

I googled and saw there are places to buy the service manuals (and also the user manual if you need). You might try calling Janome USA on Monday.

Gosh... wish I could be of more help.

thanks so much...I will probably need to take it to the repair shop..its about 100 miles away though so it will have to wait...I drive in the oppisite direction everyday to visit my dd in the hospital...she had a stroke a month ago...she is 92 miles from me so its a long enough drive without adding a machine repair stop..heheheheh....my mom can wait to have it fixed until I can either figure it out or take it....in the mean time I will keep trying when I have time to peek around in it...blessings

my DIL had a problem close to what you are having; her stitch length needed to be larger, is must have been at zero.
Sometimes we overlook the simple solutions. (My call to my dealer last weekend, "did you turn the hand wheel")? boy did I feel stupid LOL

oh boy...well I did check the stitch length in case it was set on 0 but it was set at 2.2 and I took it up to 4 just to see and still nothing....thanks though...blessings

sorry to read about your DD ((Hugs))
did you oil the machine

no b/c Janomes say they don't need oil..its all encased..but I know on my 10001 I do oil one spot the dealer had told me about..I will try that later...thanks...and thanks for the comment about my dd...please keep her in your prayers....

is there a darning setting on this machine? Check that?