Washing Machine Won't Start? What to Check Before You Call

A washing machine that will not start is waiting on something. It needs power, a signal that the door or lid is shut, water at the inlet, and a motor circuit that completes. Most of those can be checked in a few minutes. The ones behind them are parts a technician tests and replaces.

Why won't my washing machine start when I press the button?

What the machine does when you press start narrows the cause quickly.

• Nothing at all, no lights or display. No power is reaching the control board. That is the power point, the plug, a tripped safety switch, or a failed power supply on the board.
• Lights and display on, but the cycle never begins. The board has power and is refusing to start. The usual reasons are an open door or lid signal, a child lock, or a fault it has stopped on.
• It clicks, then does nothing. The door lock has tried to engage and has not confirmed, or a relay on the board is clicking without passing power on.
• It starts, fills, then stops. The fault is later in the cycle. A machine that fills and then stalls is covered in washing machine not draining or spinning.

Is it getting power?

Plug a lamp or phone charger into the same wall socket. If that is dead as well, check the circuit breaker and the safety switch at your switchboard. A washer that trips the safety switch each time it runs needs a technician, not repeated resets.

Look at the plug and cord for scorch marks or a loose pin. Plug the machine straight into the wall. A washer should not run through a double adaptor or an extension lead.

Is a child lock switched on?

Many machines have a control lock that disables the buttons, and it is easy to switch on by accident while cleaning the panel. A padlock or key symbol on the display is the giveaway. The usual release is to hold one or two buttons together for three seconds, and which buttons differs by model, so check the manual or search the model number.

A machine left paused mid-cycle will also ignore a new programme until it has been cancelled or finished. Turn it off at the panel, wait a minute and start again from the beginning.

Does the machine know the door or lid is shut?

A washer will not start unless a switch confirms the door or lid is closed. On a front loader, the door lock engages as the cycle begins and the board waits for the lock to report back. On a top loader, a lid switch does the same job.

Open the door and shut it firmly, listening for the latch. If the machine only starts when you hold the door against the frame, the latch or the lock is worn. Check the door seal for a fold of rubber or a sock caught in the gap, and wipe the catch. A lock that clicks but does not register, or a lid switch that no longer makes contact, is a small replacement part. Do not force a front loader door, because the handle breaks before the lock gives, as covered in the washing machine door that will not open.

Could the water supply be the problem?

Some machines will not begin a cycle, or stop shortly after beginning, when the inlet tap is off or the supply hose is kinked or blocked. Check both taps are fully open and the hoses are not pinched behind the machine. A blocked inlet filter, a small mesh at the end of the hose, can starve the machine of water and leave it waiting.

If the machine starts but never takes in water, an inlet valve is the likelier fault, and it is a separate job from a machine that will not start.

Is the load the problem?

A machine will pause or refuse to spin if the drum is badly out of balance, and an overloaded washer can stall before it gets going. Open the door, redistribute a bunched load or take some out, and run a spin cycle. If a half load starts fine and a full load does not, the machine is struggling with weight, which can point to worn drum bearings or suspension as well as simple overloading.

What can I safely check myself?

• Test the power point with another appliance, and check the breaker and safety switch.
• Plug the washer straight into the wall.
• Look for a child lock symbol and release it.
• Open and shut the door or lid firmly and listen for the click.
• Check both taps are on and the hoses are not kinked.
• Remove part of the load and try again.

Do not open the back or top panels with the machine plugged in. The motor, the heater and the control board run at mains voltage, and water and electricity sit close together inside a washer.

When does a washer that won't start need a technician?

If the checks above change nothing, the fault is behind the panel. A door lock or lid switch that has failed, a pressure sensor that never reports the right water level, a motor that has lost its start components, or a control board that has failed will each leave a machine dead on start. Some machines also stop on a fault and show an error code. Note the code and the model number before you ring, because both shorten the diagnosis.

Is a washing machine that won't start worth repairing?

Usually, when the cause is a door lock, a lid switch or a sensor. Those parts are inexpensive on a machine that is otherwise sound. A failed control board or motor costs more, and the repair or replace decision depends on the age of the machine and the quote. The ACCC consumer guarantees can apply to a washer that fails early, even past the printed warranty, so check that before paying for a repair on a recent purchase.

We repair front loaders and top loaders across the Illawarra and South Coast, in and out of warranty. Samsung, LG and Bosch are among the brands we are authorised to repair. The assessment is $125 in the Illawarra and $145 further out on the South Coast, with a quote before any repair begins. The fault list and FAQs are on the washing machine repair page.

Book online or call 02 4229 3777 with the make, the model and which of the symptoms above matches yours.