Basic Washer Problems and Solutions

Top Loading washing machines:

No fill:

Bad water valve

kinked hoses

unpaid water bill

faulty electronics.

 

Overfill:

trash in water level switch tube

bad water valve

bad water level switch

faulty electronics.

 

Washes but don't spin:

bad lid switch

bad drive coupling or belt

bad motor

faulty electronics

 

Spins pumps but don't wash:

bad timer

bad motor

bad luck

faulty electronics.

 

Leaks:

bad hoses

bad pump

bad tub gasket

faulty electronics.

Shakes while in operation:

bad/missing springs

bad support rods

bad bungy straps

faulty electronics

 

Fills washes but never advances:

bad lid switch

locked up pump

bad motor

bad timer

faulty electronics.

 

Goes through complete cycle but clothes soaking wet:

bad belt

bad pump

bad thrust bearing

faulty electronics.

Top loading washer manuals:

Maytag

Electrolux

Kenmore

Catalyst

Calypso

Cabrio

GE

Hydrowave/GE

 

Top 10 front loading washer problems:

1) Water fill problem: water took more than 10 minutes to fill to desired level sometimes indicated as a LF/IE or long fill/inlet error.

Water valve screens clogged, hoses kinked, low water pressure, unpaid water bill. Check hose, clean screens.

2) Excessive vibration: noisy,roar, knocking noises. Bad damper,bearing or broken trunnion. no error code indication.

3) Dispenser drawer open/detergent in wrong compartment: washer will not operate with drawer open or cleaning products in wrong compartment.

4) Washer won't drain: clogged pump/filter, slow or clogged drain usually indicated as a LD/DE, if a code is given (long drain/drain error) Clear pump of objects

5) Drum overfilled: usually caused by sediment in the water level pressure sensing tube going up to the main control.

Find it and blow out the sediment, re-secure pump out water and retry.

6) Door open, Door not latched, clothes/objects keeping door from completely closing.

 Tighten door latch, add washers if necessary to shim the latch to make good contact and close door tighter in case of leaks.

Note some models send a signal to the motor and another to the control letting both know the door is secure before proceeding,

corrosion gets into the lid lock and the door can be locked and the control is ready but the motor ain't getting the message.

7) Cold water does not enter washer: Hoses connected backwards. Oops. If the machine cannot get the water temp right it won't or run.

8) Oversudsing: Wrong Detergent, too much detergent, detergent in wrong dispensing drawer,

 turbidity monitors pick up particles in the water and judge soil content then the washer allows for extra time to wash the clothes,

if the wrong detergent is in there the machine thinks that is too much and declares a suds error.

 On some models a suds detect is determined by the motor over amping, most machines will try a few mini loads to correct the problem.

 Remove detergent, retry.

9) Locked motor: error LE,loose connection,broken wire/hall sensor, motor overheated/failed.

10) Water heating error, hE, the thermister/heater is out.

Front loader service manuals:

Samsung

GE

Electrolux

Duet

LG

Maytag

Affinity

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