A common fault with vacuum cleaners is a sudden stop - most usually caused by a break in a wire inside the cable - you can't see it. Always caused by tugging.
If there's been any tugging on the cable over a period of time your machine might be suffering in the same way.
If it is this it will be at one end or the other - easier and quicker to cut away the plug and a few inches of cable. If it's a fix then hooray - if not then not much has been lost in the discovery.
If the motor has failed you usually get distressing sparks, smells and noise before it actually dies - most unusual for a motor to just die without warning.
Good luck..., April 2015
