What to do if your washing machine wont start?

Answer 1

My 1988 Whirlpool washer, Model LA7000XS, stopped draining and spinning. It would fill and agitate but when it came time to drain and spin, nothing. The motor did not try to run and the timer stopped at that point. Because the machine would agitate and the motor would run, I did not think the motor was bad, or the timer.

Research lead me to suspect a bad lid switch. It's designed to stop spinning when the lid is lifted. If the switch goes bad, it won't spin. Draining calls for a bit of spin to get the water out, and then a full spin, so no lid switch, no spin. No spin, no drain.

Removing the cabinet is really easy -- http://www.applianceaid.com/procedures.html#remove -- but all you have to do is, and without moving the machine that's full of water (very nice), unplug the machine, remove two Phillips screws that hold the front of the control console down to the lid deck,slide the console toward you 1/4", then hinge the console back.

Pull the one white plastic electrical connector that attaches to the deck. This is the lid switch connector. It has to be disconnected to pull the cabinet away cleanly.

Now, using a flat blade screwdriver, pry the brass colored clips out of the holes on the left and right. Note how the clips engage the slots in the back so you can put them back later. You can then tilt the cabinet toward you .

Under the cabinet lid is the lid switch. I removed it and shorted the spade leads where the wiring harness attached to the switch. I reassembled and plugged it in. It still didn't work. A web tip I found said to test the switch with a continuity meter. I did. It said it worked, but it was very suspicious because the button didn't have enough power to hold the white plastic arm up.

The switch is a Cherry brand E13 single pole normally-open micro switch (http://www.cherrycorp.com/english/switches/general/e_sp.htm) FSP part number printed on the switch is 661517 but the Whirlpool part number is 3347287, but it's no longer available. A replacement is 279347. What stopped me is that even with the switch out and the leads shorted, the machine did not work.

Another tip said the switch could test good but still be bad (http://www.applianceaid.com/WLPlidswitch.html)

Finally another tip (http://www.applianceaid.com/dd_lidswitch.html) showed how to bypass the switch and its harness. You can do this after the console is hinged back, without even removing the cabinet.

That did the trick. Washer is now working. Needs a new switch and harness. Perhaps the wiring goes bad because of all the rocking and rolling from being out of balance sometimes.

One other thing: with the cabinet off, it's easy to level the machine using its two front screw feet. Use a 1/4" socket wrench to turn the leveling feet. Now the machine is level, stable and working again.

Answer 2

It could be a bad contact switch on the (mechanical) timer/switch.

ANS 2 - In most washing machines there is a dual switch called the 'wig-wag' this is a frame with 2 solenoids on it that move the transmission from rinse to spin. "wig wags' can fail and are the most common cause of not going into 'spin' mode. Usually quite easy to change.

Answer 3

There is a switch that closes when the lid is shut. Should be under the lip, opposite of the hinge side. There is a small plastic piece on the lid that pushes down on the switch. Either the plastic piece has broken off or the switch is bad. This is a common problem. It could be the control or the solenoid that engages the spin but I would bet on the switch.

Answer 4

On the edge of the lid opposite the hinge there should be a small plastic pin. This pushes down of a switch that controls the spin. When you open the lid the spin stops so you can't reach in and get hurt while it is spinning. The pin be be gone or the switch is bad. If you or someone knows anything about electricity, you can short across the switch to see if that is the cause and replace it.

Answer 5

Call in a repair man in the meantime take them to a coin Laundromat.

[Addition]

There are some simple checks you can carry out in the event of your washing machine not starting.

The most common solution first -- a washing machine will not start if the door is not properly shut. Shut the door firmly, and you should hear a click indicating that it is locked in place.

Next, electrics -- is it definitely plugged in and switched on? It may sound obvious, but it is not unknown for an engineer to be called out to find that this step has been overlooked! So check the plug is firmly in the socket and check if the power light on the machine comes on, if it has one. Has the fuse in the plug blown? Will other appliances work in that socket? Are other appliances on the same circuit still operating? Check the trip switch on your consumer board.

Are there interruptions to the water supply, or is the water flow to the machine disconnected? If so, that means your machine will not start.

If the above are not the problem, and the machine is not too heavy, pull it out and check if the outlet pipe is blocked. This would also prevent operation, and you would need to clear out the pipe.

Answer 6

clothes washer wont agiate but will spin