Washing Machine Repair Self-Help Guide
UK Washing Machine Repair Self-Help Guide
Fault Codes | Known Faults | Book a Repair Engineer
Here is a page of basic self help advice designed to prevent unnecessary service calls.
If you are following this advice or want to look inside the cabinet of the machine click here to read an essential warning first. The idea here is simply to give a few tips that might help to get you out of trouble.
If you require an engineer to repair your washing machine click here. Or Click here if you have decided to buy a new machine.
It is worth remembering that many washing machines get thrown away every year and as a general rule it is always cheaper to get a washing machine repaired than to buy a new one. The choice comes down to you and when decideding you need to consider the age of the machine and use of the machine as a 15 year old washing machine that is used 3 times a day probably isn’t worth repairing.
- 1. Dead Machine
You go to use the machine and it is completely dead.Make sure that the power is on and plugged in. Make sure that the door is completely closed. Check that the control knob is pulled out or that the on/off switch is on. Try a few different programs. Plug in another appliance such as a table lamp to test the socket. - 2. Dead but hums quietly.
If it is dead but there is a slight humming noise, check that you have the hot and cold water supply turned on. Sometimes only the plastic tops of the taps turn but not the actual tap shaft itself, so it is worth unscrewing the pipe from the machine (if you feel confident to do so) to check that you have a good supply of water to the machine. Check that the water inlet hoses are not kinked, stopping the water supply. In cold weather consider the possibility that the pipes are frozen, particularly if the machine is in an out-house or garage. - 3. Not draining, Machines with filters.
If your machine has a filter this is a prime suspect. Do not take the filter out when the machine is full of water as this will give you a massive flood. If you have access to the waste hose of the machine the water will usually drain out if this is laid down on the floor into a washing up bowl. A bucket is usually too high. You may have to release the hose from a clip at the back to do this. On most machines it is only the height of the drain hose that keeps the water in, so if the waste hose comes out of the machine at the top it is not possible to use this method. In these cases there is often a small drain down pipe at the front behind the kick panel. The water flow may be very slow. Once drained, check and clear the filter. If the filter is not blocked, do not refill the machine with water until you know why it did not drain.
- 4. Not draining, General advice.There may be a blockage that is stopping the water from flowing. On machines that have their waste pipe connected under the kitchen sink it is always worth checking that the plumbing is not blocked with fat or lint at this junction. Check for kinking of the waste hose, this may of course release itself as you pull the machine forward. As for blockages and obstructions inside the machine itself it would be difficult to give any real guidance as there are so many models.
- 5. The drum does not rotate.
The belt may have broken. The drum may be jammed by an item of clothing. The main motor may be faulty. There may be a broken wire to the motor. The main thing in all these cases is to be absolutely sure of the diagnosis before proceeding. It is very common for people to assume that a major component is faulty, when the fault is really quite minor.
- 6. The drum fails to strike into spin.
If the machine has out-of-balance spin protection, then a small load or single heavy item may prevent the machine from striking into spin, even though all the water has pumped away. The control system for the fill level may need attention, or there may be a broken or shorting wire somewhere. More serious faults may be due to module, timer or motor failure.
- 7. The door won’t open.
This is often caused by the fact that the water has not pumped away. Refer to the not pumping section if this is the case. Forcing the door open is never a good idea as it usually breaks parts that are not at fault and increases the cost of repair. If the door will still not open the machine is empty, it may be because the lock is defective, parts of the actual door handle are broken or the mechanical parts of the interlock system inside the machine have been damaged. Unless you are confident of your diagnosis it is probably best to call a repairman.
- 9. Noisy spinning
Often this is caused by wear of the drum bearings. If the drum bearings are worn there will often be a brown rusty stain under the machine towards the back and/or the drum will seem loose on its spindle. Getting the machine repaired before the bearings collapse is a good idea, since persistent use in this condition often results in other parts getting damaged! If there is no rusty stain and the drum does not seem to be excessively loose on its spindle, the noise may be coming from the motor or the pump or from a foreign object inside the machine somewhere. Clonking can be caused by loose components or loose concrete weights inside the machine, or even simply because the machine is not standing squarely on all four feet or wheels. - 10. Machine jumps about.
Sometimes a large item or a few items of clothing form into a ball and cause the machine to become unbalanced. Reloading the machine will cure this. If the machine is not installed so all the feet or wheels are firmly against the floor it will jump about. If there is a partial blockage of the waste system and the machine begins to spin with some water still in it may cause this too. On the more serious side many machines can develop a fault which causes the motor to drive the drum at the wrong speed at the wrong time which causes sudden violent lurching of the machine. If this is happening do not use the machine until it is repaired.Some machines give an occasional lurch as the motor adjusts to the load of the washing. As long as this is not too bad or too often it should not cause a problem.
- 11. Major flooding or Overfilling.
If there is a sudden major flood from the machine without warning, first check that wherever the machine drains to is not blocked and overflowing. This cannot usually happen if the machine is connected to the plumbing under the sink. If the machine itself has much too much water in it the control system for the fill level needs to be checked. The same fault can cause the machine to begin washing and heating with no water, causing smoke inside the drum, which can be very alarming.
- 12. Leaking during use.
Leaks coming from the actual machine can be caused by component failure such as the door gasket, various hoses, the pump, or from defective or loose seals or joints. - 13. Leaking when not in use.
This is usually caused by faulty washers on the inlet hoses, faulty inlet hoses themselves or defective inlet taps. If the pump is leaking very slowly it may take a day before the water stops seeping out after the machine has been in use, as there is always some water left in the sump of the machine at the end of the wash.
- 14. Smoke inside the drum.
This is commonly caused by a problem with the control system for the fill level. The heater may have come on with no water in the drum. Switch off the machine and do not try to use it until the problem has been properly diagnosed and fixed. If the machine appears to right itself, do not be tempted to use it as there is a danger that the fault will happen again or even worse cause a major flood
- 15. The fuse blows.
First check to make sure that you are not trying to run too many appliances on one socket with a multiple socket extension lead or plug adaptor. The washing machine should be plugged direct into a socket on its own, or wired up to a spur on its own. Assuming this is the case, if the fuse on the washing machine blows, or the household electricity cut out switches off the power when the machine is used, take it as a warning that there is a fault on the machine that requires expert attention. Avoid repeatedly changing the fuse as this can cause further damage to the machine itself. - 16. Fills with water when not in use.
If the machine waste is connected directly to the plumbing under the sink, it may be that the water draining from the sink is flowing back into the machine rather than going to the main drain. Unless the waste pipe to the main drain is blocked, this can be rectified by raising the height of the washing machine waste hose at some point so that it is higher than the outlet pipe from the sink. The only other cause of this fault is one or both of the inlet valves of the machine letting water in all the time, much the same as a dripping tap that will not turn off completely. Turning off the water supply to the machine should stop this until the valve(s) can be replaced.
- 17. Fills and drains at the same time.
This is normally caused by a faulty installation where the end of the waste hose is below the fill level of the machine and syphoning begins at some point in the cycle. Never poke the waste hose right down into a u-bend, have the waste pipe too low or the open end below the water level in the machine (even if part of the hose is above the normal water level)
Please note that all the advice given is intended only as a guide and that no responsibility for loss or damage will be accepted as a result of implementation of such advice. If you are not confident about what to do, leave it to a repairman. Under no circumstances remove the top cover,the backcover, or access the underside of the washing machine when the electricity supply is still connected. If you do look inside the washing machine, always disconnect the power completely rather than just switching it off at the switch as there may be an error in the house wiring that means that the live side of the supply is still running through the washing machine.
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168 Responses to “Washing Machine Repair Self-Help Guide”
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My indesit iwb5113 will not enter a wash cycle, it keeps filling up with water and then pumping it back out??
Help have a clicking noise coming from motor on my hotpoint w/m its only 2 1/2 years old,wash drun rotates with no noise at all and is very smooth when turned around.Have removed drive belt and noise is coming from electric motor.
I have a Wirlpool AA1200 and when it is spinning it makes a very loud noise like something is cought inside the drum… I have looked everywhere inside and cant find a thing… there was a little screww inside the door and drum seal but I can find anything else. Now before I take it apart is there something I can do to check what it could be… and if anyone has any tip on taking it apart to see whats happening can you let me know…(this I put there because my wife is afraid we wont have a machine when I am done…lol)
Thank you
Hello!,
I have a beko washing machine and it has started to make a lot of noise during the spin cycle, i have also noticed that it leaks a little from the bottom (or at least it looks that way!)
Sometimes it will spin the clothes dry,other times it will spin like mad,but will be wet at the end of the cycle! Is there ANYTHING I can do to stop this,or is it time to call the washing machine repair man?!
we have a indesit wixl143 softer draw compartment not emptying have you any suggestions thanx
hi my washer is a bush wm-1260b its showing errror 2 which means not draining iv cleaned filter, hoses and waste pipes but still wont drain any ideas please
hi, I have a Beko wm5120w, I’ve replaced the main board (as the board had burnt) and now connected everything again but only to find there is no power. could the issue be the sequence of the orange and grey wires that are connected onto the power switch….any help would be great, thank you
Washing machine won’t go into spin cycle. Washed heavy comforter filling came out .could it be off balanced ? Filling was wrapped around wire that I think is the wire that triggers the spin cycle.
I have a cost co. brand washer (top loader) it stops in the middle of the wash cycle, if I pound on the top a couple of times it starts back up. How or what should I replace?
i have a zanussi jetsystem 1250, turbodry, model no. 914639503, it will start to fill up with water, then all of a sudden it will stop workin, what can be the problem with it, ive cleaned my filter out and thn it will do a spin cycle, but when do a wash cycle like i said its satrts to fill up then stops. HELP!!!!!!!!
i have a zanussi jetsystem 1250, turbodry, model no. 914639503, it will start to fill up with water, then all of a sudden it will stop workin, what can be the problem with it, ive cleaned my filter out and thn it will do a spin cycle, but when do a wash cycle like i said its satrts to fill up then stops. HELP!!!!!!!!
my washer is an indesit mod sixl 145 suk (moon) the red light and the third blue light are flashing someone told me the carbon brushes could have worn out so i changed them but it still happens the washer was bought in 2008, any help would be appriecated
I have a Zanussi ZWF14070W1 washing machine and the softner drawer is still full each time after a wash. I have cleaned the inside if the jets where possible. What else could it be?
the on/off buttn keeps sticking ,mostly after we use the dryer, its a zanuusi wash/dryer, can gently move it out,and then it works ok,after m/c has cooled down
can button be replaced? Its a zanussi wash/dryer, on/off button keeps sticking,mostly after we dry clothes, can ease it out(only minimum distance)
I have an electrolux front loading washer. I went away on vacation and on my return notice the switch at the wall for the washer was still on. The bedroom clock was flashine which indicates to me we had a power cut. When I turned the machine on the control flashed then nothing. What could be the cause of this?? Power serge??
can you please tell me how to change a door seal (gasket
Indesit wd12x washer/dryer fault
have an integrated Indesit 12X uk washer-dryer. Been working great never had any problems till today when it was finishing the wash cycle in the final fast spin and we heard a loud bang and a then grinding/grating noise. Luckily as it was in final spin could just turn off then open it and take out the washing. Had a quick look and set it empty just to spin cycle, started up ok at slow spin speed/low gear then would just trip after a few seconds and would not accelerate and the dial would start turning . Any ideas? red light flashes 3 times
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Posted by russ b on
I have a Electrolux Washer EWF677 which when you start a wash program, will after a few seconds go straight to the end of the cycle and beep to indicate it as finished. Even though it never did any part of the wash cycle. This happens in all wash programs. Please help!!
I have an Aquarius 900 Hotpoint washing machine that refuses to start first time it will only start after several attempts at closing the door. This was fine till yesterday when it refused to work altogether any help would be most helpful
John Lewis washer (zanussi type)model JLWM1402 product 914517045/01 starts for thirty seconds draining then stops and door clicks to open .please help.
What is the Difference between Beko WME8227W Main PCB controller, all I can see is 2822812200 KN5 not fitted and JM1 & JM2 links fitted which JM1 Links KN5 not fitted pins 1 to 4 and and JM2 link KN5 not fitted Pins 2&3, 2822822370PCB KN5 connector and JM1 and JM2 not fitted, so is it possible to convert 2822822370 PCB assembly to 2822812200 be changing KN5, JM1& JM2 configuration this look like it links the input 230V ac to the motor control circuits?
hi, i,ve a beko 8kg wm8127w washer and it was working fine but now it wont start any cycle and the srceen reads “C on” when i hit the start button. any recommendations are welcome as the washing is piling up. thanks
My washing machine is leaking when on a wash its at the left hand side at the front its a beko 1200 5 kg can u help
I have an old old Delne washing machine and the program just seems to stick on every program….think its the timer?
I have servis wd1496fgs washer dryer wont do normal wash only rapid 12min wash it start on 30min wash then finishes with in 5min
I have an indesit IWD7145 washing machine. The setting dial does not click onto a setting but just spins. The machine will wash but only on cold like it is stuck on one setting.
My Beko Washing machine is 18 months old and the motor has packed in. It has had light use for 2 people (1-2 washes a week maximum). Retailer will replace/repair if I can prove it was a manufacturer fault. How do I prove it?
Hi, I have a Hotpoint Aquarius WD440.
The fault it has is that when you put a load in and turn it on , you hear the door lock then press the wash button & can hear a click noise to the left of the machine . The lights all come on ok but nothing works.
Thanks in advance
T My beko washing machine was workin spot
one now i have no power goin to the i
MODEL # MHE10BZDMW Washer works continuously on the washing cycle and does not drain or spin. Also it does not accept calibration mode. Our technicians feel that this is a PCB problem.
2. In most of the Washer models the PCB requests for a RESET. However there is no RESET button nor are we aware of the procedure to activate the RESET.
Hi I have a artison washer 1&3 of the led lights keep flashing and the on/off light we thought it was blocked so drained it but lights keep flashing on and off and water fills during a cycle but doesn’t drain any reason why you think this is and what I can do ?
Thanks
Whirlpool WWDC8220 the machine is on Rinse and Spin and contains water but nothing is happening. I have turned machine off and on but same problem. Can you advise please.
Whirlpool WWDC8220. The machine is stuck on Rinse. Have tried turning machine off and on but no luck. Can you advise please.
Have drained washing machine from hose at back but still will only drain when hose is at floor level
Indesit iwe81481eco out of warranty (2 1/2 years old) drum bearings shot, indesit claim no fault on their part and no warranty, retailer disagrees, 5 yr warranty for parts only applies!
My feeling drum bearing failure is premature and should be repaired for free as its a common fault with their machines (sale of goods act) , also which magazine reports Indesit claim machines designed last 6 to 8 years.
can anyone put a number on indesit drum bearing failures – small claims court next target!!
Plz help my conditioner draw never drains out.
Below 5kg a+a class 1200 rpm
hi when using my indesit washing maching on a white wash 90.c it fills with way too much water and it spews it out of the detergent draw, however when i use it on a daily was 40.c everything is fine
my indesit washing machine is filling up with water and then nothing. I have turned the setting to drain and it drains the water away. The drum moves freely manualy and i have cleaned out the filter, any ideas
Smart swm751f washing machine front load. Error codes e11 &e33. Does anyone know a reset code?
My machine shows C ON sign
what is that mean?
Hi, we have a zanussi zwd162701 1600rpm washing machine – 2008. When you turn it in it comes on for a few seconds and then goes off, the engine sounds slower than usual, although its on for such a short time its difficult to assess.
Many thanks
i have taken out the soap draw to clean on my Whirpool AQUA STEAM 6 and a small white plastic bit is loose can some one tell me where to fit this please every time i put the draw back the plastic bit falls of any advice please
hi i have a hotpoint aquarius wml540 washing machine, its starts to fill with water then suddenly stops working any ideas please?
the conditioner is still in the powder drawer after the cycle has finished every thing seems to work ok no noises flashing lights ect and does the full cycle as far as can tell can not see any blokage in the powder tray,
Essentials C510WM14 ,5KG WASHING MACHINE
My Samsung EcoBubble switches on, allows choice of cycle and then when u begin the cycle it starts to fill water and a few seconds later just cuts the water supply.. it stays switched on silently and then does nothing…I hv cleaned the waste pipe and the filters for cold water..checked the water entering into the machine-no blockage and water running freely from main… distressed#pls help
Hi we have a beko wm 6123s and replaced bushes on motor as they had gone to less than 10mm. The machine runs full wash on 40 and spin programmes but when selecting any other programs the machine won’t run.the reAdy and wash lights are flashing on these programs.have tried the reset options but no joy any other ideas please
my indesit washing m/c W1W3S is taking in water for a minute then the timer starts clicking round continously and doesn’t stop regardless of which program is selected, the water walves are fine the pressure switch clicks ok when i blow into it. the pump and motor are ok to. I’m thinking timer or electronic control panel,am i on the right track?
when using the daily wash u onlly take in cold on 90 wash only hot it looks like the hotwater valve is faulty.
Fitted new door seal. Whin l put the machine on pump started then stopped and a fan or pump sine came up on the front display. The only thing that was working was the light on the front panel.