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How do i fix my washer that won't drain or spin dry during the wash cycle?

+14 votes
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I have a whirlpool brand washer which was working great for the past 8 years until now when it suddenly wouldn't go past the Rinse or Spin cycle. When i started the washing cycle, all things seemed fine with the water filling correctly. The washer inner center Rotator was able to turn to start the washing cycle. After a while, i was surprised when the washer became quiet and wouldn't work at all. I looked at the dial controller for the washing cycle and found that the dial stopped somewhere near the rinse cycle part. This was the time that the water was supposed to start draining and then the spin dry function would be kicking in after that. But for some strange reason, the washer simply just stops working when it came to the rinse cycle.

So i turned back the dial controller again to restart the wash cycle, the washer starts to turn the center rotator again and i thought it should work good now. I was wrong, the washer stopped again when it came to draining the water cycle time. I tried unplugging the washer and opening and closing the lid of the washer several times, as someone told me that would work to reset the washer machine. No luck though with all those tricks and tips. i do not want to have to call a repairman to fix my washer as i know they charge a hefty price just for coming to take a look at the machine. Their labor fees is sometimes more than the parts itself. If i could fix it myself, i wouldn't need to spend money on the repairman fees. For now, it seems that i would need to leave the water and the clothes in the washer drum inside until i figure out how i could drain out the water by completing the washing cycle.

My washer looks somwhat like the one below but it is not the same one, just similar one:

Whirlpool Washer

asked in Charlottetown by Steve Weber (118 points)

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2 Answers

0 votes

The main reason why your Clothes washer is not going past the rinse cycle and not draining is because of a faulty lid switch. When you started your washer, the water will fill up to the normal level and it will even start turning and washing your clothes. But somewhere during the wash cycle, the washer would stop working and nothing happens after that. The water won't drain and the washer won't spin anymore. The manufacturer if you call them, would suggest that you simply reset your clothes washer by unplugging your machine for few minutes and then plug it back. Then you can lift your door lid and close it for several times. But i guarantee you, what they suggested won't work. I have tried it many times what they suggested but to no avail. The only way to fix the problem is to remove the old lid switch and replace it with a new one. Or a temporary solution would be to add a copper wire between the connectors to complete the circuit and run it to drain the water and complete the wash cycle.

The washer lid switch looks like this below:

Clothes Washer Lid Switch

It is located just below underneath the round base portion on the right:

Clothes Washer

You may have to do a bit of a figuring out as to how you can remove the screws attached to the sides and the entire wires:

Washer Lid Switch Location

The other ends is located inside the main body of the washing machine and requires you to fully open up the main body unit. Once the entire wire of the lid switch is removed, you can install a replacement parts which can be bought from your manufacturer's website.

An alternate temporary solution to just rinse your clothes, drain the water and complete the wash cycle would be to do the following:

Washer lid switch wires

1. As you can see above, the other end of the lid switch wires has a white head connector with 3 wires behind attached. 

2. Use a short copper or aluminium insulated wires like the one below but just cut both ends of the wire.

copper wires

3. Then you will connect one end of the above copper wire to the below picture white head connector (The left side hole) and then connect the other end of the above copper wire to the below picture white head connector (The right side hole). Do not connect to the middle wire hole of the white head connector. 

Washer Lid Connector

This completes the wire circuit of the washing machine. Now run the washing machine again turning it to the rinse or drain cycle. You will see that your washing machine will start working fine. But be aware that this method is only for temporary solution for draining the water and completing your wash cycle and the permanent solution will be to get a new replacement washer lid switch.

answered by Justin Gibson (153 points)
0 votes
Watch video on "How to bypass clothes washer lid switch wires problem to complete washing cycle, until new clothes washer lid switch parts can be bought and installed":

answered by Repair washer fix

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