Washing Machine Not Draining or Spinning? Here's What to Check
When a wash finishes and the clothes come out sopping wet, the machine has usually failed to drain, failed to spin, or both. The two problems often go together, because most washing machines will not spin until the water has drained away. Here is how to narrow it down.
Check the load balance
The simplest cause is an unbalanced load. A single heavy item like a doona, or all the washing bunched on one side, can stop the machine spinning up to speed. Open the door, redistribute everything evenly, and run a spin cycle. If it works, that was the problem.
Clean the drain pump filter
Front-loaders have a small filter, usually behind a flap at the bottom front of the machine. Put a towel and a shallow tray down first, because water will come out. Unscrew the filter and clear out lint, coins, hair clips and the odd sock. A blocked filter is one of the most common reasons a machine will not drain.
Check the drain hose
Look behind the machine for a kinked or blocked drain hose. If the hose has been pushed too far down into the standpipe, or the standpipe itself is blocked, the water cannot escape.
Listen during the drain phase
Set the machine to drain and listen. If you hear the pump humming but no water moves, the pump may be jammed or failing. If you hear nothing at all, it could be the pump, the lid switch or door lock, or the control board.
Check the door lock
Front-loaders will not spin unless the door is locked shut. If the door lock is faulty, the machine may fill and wash but refuse to spin. You will sometimes see a fault code or a flashing light for this.
When to call a technician
Pumps, motors, door locks and control boards are where DIY usually stops. These involve water, electricity and moving parts, and the wrong move can turn a small fault into an expensive one.
If your machine still will not drain or spin after the checks above, Wollongong Service Company can help. We service every major brand across the Illawarra and South Coast. Book a repair or call 02 4229 3777.
