Washers troubleshooting: most of it is balance and the drain hose.
Front-load or top-load, a washer fails in a few predictable ways — a drain that will not clear, a load out of balance, hoses hooked up wrong, or a lid lock that will not read. Here is the short list, in the order to check it.
First use: what is normal
A new machine can do things on its first run that look like a fault and are not. Here is what the makers say is normal, what to do first, and where the line is.
Normal the first time
- A hum or gurgle while it drains, usually for 3 to 5 minutes.
- A small vibration at the start of a cycle while it weighs the load.
Do this first
- 1On a front-load, remove the shipping bolts before the first load. Left in, it will shake hard and can be damaged.
- 2Level it so all four feet sit on the floor.
Where the line is. Shaking or banging that stays with the bolts out and the washer level, or water on the floor, is not normal: stop using it and text us.
Before you touch anything
The install rules that decide most of what follows. Check these once; they rule out the causes that look like a broken machine and are not.
Remove the shipping bolts from the back of a front-load washer before the first cycle; a new washer that bangs and walks almost always still has them in.
Hot to the hot inlet, cold to the cold, and both valves open. The drain hose stands in the standpipe no deeper than eight inches, with the hose's hook holding it up.
Level the washer on all four feet and tighten the lock nuts; a washer that rocks on a corner will walk on the spin.
Will not spin, clothes left soaking
In this order
- Is the load one heavy item (a comforter, a rug) or lopsided?
- Did it drain first? Most washers will not spin with water in the tub.
- Top-load: does the lid lock click shut? Front-load: is the door latched?
- Any unbalance (UL / UE) code?
What is usually behind it
An unbalanced load, water it could not drain, or a lid or door lock the control cannot read.
What to do
Redistribute the load and run a spin-only cycle. If it will not drain, see the next entry. A lid lock that never clicks is a part; a door latch that will not catch usually has a sock in the boot.
Will not drain
In this order
- Is the drain hose kinked behind the washer or pushed too deep into the standpipe?
- Front-load: open the small door at the bottom front and clean the drain pump filter — coins, socks and hair pins live there.
- Does the pump hum at the drain step?
What is usually behind it
A kinked or over-inserted hose, a clogged pump filter, or something in the pump.
What to do
Straighten the hose and set it no deeper than eight inches. Clean the filter (have a towel and a pan ready — the tub drains onto the floor). A pump that hums with a clear filter has something in its impeller.
Bangs, shakes or walks across the floor
In this order
- Shipping bolts out (front-load)?
- All four feet on the floor, lock nuts tight, the washer not rocking corner to corner?
- Is the load balanced? One wet towel alone will do it.
- Is the floor a flexing wood floor? Pedestals and anti-vibration pads help.
What is usually behind it
Shipping bolts, an unlevel stance, an unbalanced load or a springy floor.
What to do
Pull the bolts, level and lock the feet, balance the load. Suspension rods or struts that let the tub hit the cabinet with everything else right are a part.
Water on the floor
In this order
- Are the fill hoses tight at both ends, and are the rubber washers in?
- Is the drain hose clamped at the washer and hooked into the standpipe?
- Front-load: is the door boot (the rubber bellows) clean and free of tears, and is anything caught in its fold?
- Too much detergent? Suds climb out of the dispenser and the vent.
What is usually behind it
A hose fitting, a drain hose that jumped the standpipe, a torn or dirty boot, or over-sudsing.
What to do
Tighten the hoses with new washers, hook the drain hose, wipe the boot fold and clear anything in it. Use HE detergent at the measured amount — a tablespoon is enough in most machines.
Musty or mildew smell
In this order
- Front-load: is the door left closed between loads?
- Is the boot fold black or slimy?
- Is the dispenser drawer sludgy?
What is usually behind it
Moisture trapped in a closed drum, detergent and softener residue in the boot and the drawer, and cold-water washes that never clear it.
What to do
Run a hot cycle with washer cleaner or a cup of bleach monthly, wipe the boot dry after the last load, pull and wash the dispenser drawer, and leave the door open between loads.
Stops mid-cycle or will not start
In this order
- Is the lid or door fully closed and locked?
- Is the control lock on?
- Any code on the display?
- Water valves open? A washer waiting to fill looks stuck.
What is usually behind it
A door or lid that will not lock, a control lock, closed valves, or a fault the code names.
What to do
Clear the lock, open the valves, unplug for five minutes. A lid lock that clicks but is never read, or a code that returns at once, is a part.
Will not fill, or fills slowly
In this order
- Both valves open?
- Are the inlet screens at the washer end of the hoses clogged with sediment?
- Does water come out of the hoses with them held into a bucket?
What is usually behind it
Closed valves, clogged inlet screens, or an inlet valve on the washer that failed.
What to do
Open the valves and clean the screens with a toothbrush. An inlet valve that hums with the screens clear and good pressure is a part behind the back panel.
When it's a warranty call
Every unit leaves with the manufacturer's full factory warranty. These are the faults that warranty exists for — once the checks above have ruled out the install, the power and the vent, call the maker's line with the model and serial, and text us if you want a hand with the claim.
A motor or drive that hums and will not turn the drum with the load out.
A tub bearing that roars on spin (the drum has play when rocked by hand).
A board that throws the same code after a five-minute unplug.
All units are surplus inventory (open box, cancelled order, customer return, overstock, or minor scratch & dent). Every unit includes the manufacturer's full factory warranty. Please inspect thoroughly in person before purchasing — cosmetic imperfections or missing accessories are possible.
Text us the model number and what it's doing — we'll point you at the next step.
A fix, a part, or a warranty call — the plate's model and serial plus one line about the symptom is all it takes to tell which.
These pages are educational. Every appliance is a little different — follow the manufacturer's manual and local code, and leave gas, water heater and 240V work to a licensed installer.