Clock not working? Fixes for stopped, fast, slow and chiming problems

Start with power. For a quartz clock, fit a fresh alkaline battery and check that the hands don't touch. For a pendulum clock, make sure it is wound, hanging or standing straight, and in beat (an even tick-tock). If it runs fast, turn the nut under the pendulum bob to the left (bob down); if slow, to the right. If it chimes or strikes the wrong hour, manufacturers such as Howard Miller and Hermle say to move the hour hand alone to the hour the clock just struck.

Most clock problems have simple causes, and owners can safely fix the common ones: winding, levelling, setting the beat, regulating the rate and resynchronising the chime. What you should not do is take the movement apart or oil it yourself. Always check your own clock's manual first; the instructions below come from manufacturer manuals and help pages, and details vary between movements.

Quick fixes

Symptom	Likely cause	What to try
Pendulum clock stops after a few minutes	Out of beat, not level, or pendulum rubbing	Set the beat (below); check the pendulum swings freely
Stops at the same time each day	Hands touching each other or the glass	Gently bend the hands apart; push the hour hand slightly toward the dial
Runs fast	Pendulum too short	Turn the rating nut left to lower the bob
Runs slow	Pendulum too long, or clock needs servicing	Turn the rating nut right to raise the bob
Strikes the wrong hour	Hour hand out of step with the strike	Move only the hour hand to the hour just struck
Chimes at the wrong minute	Minute hand slipped on its arbor	Reset the minute hand as your manual describes
Runs but won't chime	Chime train not wound, set to silent, or night shut-off	Wind every winding point; check the selector
Quartz clock stops with a new battery	Hands touching, dirty contacts, hands too heavy, movement worn out	Check hands and contacts; replace the movement if needed

Why a pendulum clock stops

Out of beat. Listen: the tick and the tock should be evenly spaced. If it sounds like "tick-tock ... tick-tock", the escapement is giving the pendulum a stronger push on one side and the clock will soon stop. Hermle's instructions for its wall clocks say to make sure the clock hangs straight, then nudge the pendulum leader slightly past the point of resistance so the slip clutch in the escapement resets; if the beat gets worse, push the other way, and repeat until the beats are even. Hermle adds that "putting the clock in beat is the responsibility of the clock owner". Many modern floor clock movements also self-adjust their beat if you swing the pendulum wide once. On older clocks without a slip clutch, you can tilt the case slightly with its levelling feet or a shim, or have a repairer bend the crutch.

Not level or not steady. A floor clock standing on thick carpet can rock. Adjust the levelling feet until it is steady and the pendulum hangs in the centre of the case.

Packing left in. Hermle notes packing at the hammers, under the movement, at the end of the pendulum leader and around the chime rods or gong. All of it has to come out.

Something rubbing. The pendulum must not touch the weights, chains or case. Weights hung in the wrong positions are a common cause on grandfather clocks.

Hands touching. If the hour and minute hands catch as they pass, the clock stops where they meet. Cuckoo clock maker ISDD suggests pushing the hour hand slightly toward the dial.

How to fix a clock that runs fast or slow

A pendulum clock's rate is set by the length of its pendulum. Under the bob is a rating nut:

Running fast: turn the nut to the left. The bob drops, the pendulum lengthens and the clock slows down.
Running slow: turn the nut to the right. The bob rises and the clock speeds up.

How much to turn depends on the clock. Howard Miller's instructions give one complete turn for each half-minute fast or slow per day, and say to check over several days before adjusting. Hermle's instructions for its W0141 wall clock movement say each turn changes the rate by roughly one minute a day, and that 2 to 5 minutes a week is typical accuracy for such a clock. Make small adjustments, check against an exact clock at the same time each day, and be patient. Clocks without a pendulum (for example some mantel clocks with a balance wheel) have a small lever or arbor marked + and −, or F/S, or A/R (avance/retard).

Chime or strike out of step with the hour

Chiming clocks keep the hands and the chime in step with friction-fitted hands. If they drift apart:

It strikes the wrong hour (for example 4 strikes at 3 o'clock): after the clock finishes striking, move only the hour hand, forward or backward, to point at the hour it just struck. Both Howard Miller and Hermle give this method. Then set the time with the minute hand.
It chimes more than a minute or so early or late: the minute hand has slipped on its arbor. Howard Miller's instructions say to remove the minute hand's nut and reposition the hand so it points exactly at 12 when the full-hour chime begins. Hold the hand by its centre and take care not to scratch the dial.
It plays the wrong quarter (the full-hour tune at a quarter past): advance the minute hand, pausing at each quarter to let it finish, until the full-hour tune plays at 12. Many modern movements also self-correct: Howard Miller says to let the clock run for 12 hours before trying anything else.

Two rules from the manuals: never move the hands while the clock is chiming, and never change the chime selection while the clock is chiming or about to chime. If your manual says only to turn the hands clockwise, follow it; some older movements can be damaged by turning backwards. There is more on chime tunes and night silencing in clock chimes explained.

Quartz clock problems

Stopped: fit a fresh alkaline battery the right way round and clean the contacts with a dry cloth. Our battery wall clock guide covers battery choice and life.
Second hand stuck or bouncing near the 8 or 9: the movement doesn't have enough torque to lift the hands on the rising side of the dial, because the battery is weak or the hands are heavy. The Clock Shop recommends a high-torque movement if the minute hand is over 160 mm long.
Losing time: usually a weak battery or a failing movement. A quartz movement is inexpensive to replace: see how to replace a clock movement.
Quartz chime clock with a weak chime: chime and pendulum units often run on separate, larger batteries. Replace all of them.

Radio-controlled ("atomic") clocks that won't set

In the US these clocks listen for NIST's WWVB signal from near Fort Collins, Colorado. NIST says most decode the signal once a day, usually around midnight or in the early morning. Its tips: place the clock near a window or wall facing Colorado, keep it at least 1 to 2 metres from computer monitors, try turning it 90 degrees, and reset it by removing the batteries and putting them back. La Crosse Technology's FAQ adds that it can take up to five nights to set, and that each battery needs at least 1.48 volts. If the clock didn't change for daylight saving time, check that DST isn't switched off in its settings.

Signs a clock needs a repairer

The winding key turns freely and never tightens, or the clock won't take a wind at all.
You hear a loud bang inside a spring-driven clock (possibly a broken mainspring).
It stops again soon after being set in beat and wound.
The hands or chime are stiff, or gears are visibly worn, bent or dirty.

Mainsprings store enough energy to injure fingers and damage the movement if released suddenly, so don't open a spring-driven movement. See clock repair for how to find a qualified repairer.

Questions people ask

Why does my pendulum clock stop after a few minutes?

Usually because it is out of beat (the tick and tock are uneven) or not level. Set the beat by nudging the pendulum leader as the manual describes, make sure the clock is straight and steady, and check that the pendulum and hands aren't rubbing anything.

How do I make my clock strike the right hour?

After the clock strikes, move only the hour hand to point at the hour it just struck, then set the time with the minute hand. Howard Miller and Hermle both describe this method.

How do I fix a clock that runs fast?

Turn the nut under the pendulum bob to the left so the bob drops. Make small changes and check the clock against an exact time over several days.

Why is my quartz clock losing time with a new battery?

The movement may be wearing out, the hands may be too heavy for it, or the battery contacts may be dirty. Check that the hands don't touch, then replace the movement if it still loses time.

Why didn't my atomic clock change for daylight saving time?

It probably hasn't received the radio signal recently, or DST is switched off in its settings. NIST suggests moving it near a window facing Colorado, away from monitors, and resetting it by removing the batteries.

Sources

Last updated November 6, 2026. Found an error? Tell us.