We all might agree that the whirlpool brand is one of the most trusted names in the world of washing machines. Among all the other home appliance big brands, Whirlpool has established its own place as a trustworthy manufacturer of washing machines.
I’m not saying that whirlpool’s products don’t malfunction, but the problems have their solutions. In this ‘Whirlpool Duet Washer Troubleshooting’ article, I will discuss them.
Whirlpool has manufactured a lot of great washing machine models throughout the years. But with the introduction of “Duet washer”, this Michigan-based company has taken a step way ahead of this present time.
Whirlpool duet washer is an amazing example of technology, but sometimes people claim to have problems with this washing machine. Some issues are easy to diagnose and have simple solutions. But a number of them are a bit critical to solving.
This troubleshooting article will be applicable for both the Whirlpool duet steam front load washer and Whirlpool Duet Sport Washer. So, you don’t have to confuse yourself, we will discuss the troubleshooting that will help you for both these models.
So, let’s begin the discussion.
Whirlpool Duet Washer Troubleshooting
The washer is not draining
1. Malfunctioning Drain Pump:
The drain cycle begins when the control sends voltage to the drain pump. The drain pump pumps the water out through the drain hose to a washtub or drains pipe. Any small object or article of clothing can sometimes create an obstruction in the pump. A damaged impeller could cause the pump to fail mechanically.
To determine what is wrong with the Drain Pump, remove the cover of the machine and locate the pump. Now open the cover of the pump as well. Inspect the pump carefully.
Look for any object that is creating an obstruction to the function of the pump. You can use either hand or a brush to clean the pump. If there is any then remove the obstruction and clean the path of the pump.
If the pump does not appear to any damaged components and is free of obstructions, it’s possible that the pump has failed electrically. Use a multimeter to determine if the motor has electrical continuity. If there is no continuity according to the meter, then you need to replace the Motor.
2. Obstructed Drain Hose:
If the drain hose gets clogged by an object, then the water draining system could get interrupted. A drain hose can also be twisted, pinched, or obstructed by a small object. It’s really annoying that the drain hose not only gets obstructed, but they could also get twisted or pinched by objects.
So, if the problem is a clogged drain hose. Try to clear the obstacle with a strong splash of water. If that doesn’t work try using a drain pipe to clean the inside of the drain hose. Just make sure you don’t break the hose. If you are unable to straighten the hose or clear an obstruction you will need to replace the hose.
3. Malfunctioning Door Lock:
The control or timer locks the door during operation. If the door lock switch is broken or damaged the washer may not drain. It will not drain even with the door closed. So, it is important to ensure that the door latch is okay. This problem can happen from both electrical and mechanical malfunction. To prevent a malfunctioning door latch, check carefully for any fault.
If you see that the door latch itself is faulty and isn’t closing itself properly then you have to replace it. If the door latch is okay then you have to check the power supply to the washing machine.
To do that, first, switch off the washing machine. Switch it back on again. Check if the Door Latch closes now or not. If it still struggles to close properly then check the power continuity of the switch and socket that the machine is using for power.
If you find that the switch doesn’t have any power continuity then replace the switch.
The washer is leaking water
1. Check the Drain Pump
The purpose of a drain pump is to pump the water out. If this pump gets damaged then the whole drainage system will suffer. As a result, the pump will leak water. Check the pump thoroughly for any damage.
Inspect all the bearings carefully as they could be worn out. If the pump is damaged then you need to replace it.
2. Make sure that the Tub Seal is okay
if the washing machine’s tub seal is torn, then it will leak water. Tub seal is an important element of a washing machine. It seals the water as it cannot leak. But when this seal is torn or has faults in it then it starts to leak water. This leaking water can drip on tub bearings and thus can damage the tub bearings.
So, if the water is leaking because of a faulty tub bearing then you should repair it. You need to disassemble the washer and go through a complicated procedure to repair a tub bearing.
Our advice would be to call a professional maintenance guy to fix the torn tub seal. You better replace both Tub Seal and Bearing.
Cleaning the filter
Whirlpool Washer is not spinning
This one is a common problem for all washing machine users. Whirlpool Duet Washer or Whirlpool duet steam front load washer often seems to struggle while spinning.
There are some obvious causes if your front load washer won’t spin. The reasons are described as below,
1. Broken Drive Belt
For these washing machines, the tub is rotated by a drive belt. Over time the belt can wear out or break which will prevent the tub from spinning. Inspect the drive belt carefully to see if it is worn out or not.
If the belt gets dusty, take a soft cloth to clean the dust from the belt. If the belt gets broken then there’s nothing more left to do but to replace the belt.
It’s relatively easy to install a new Drive Belt to repair the washer.
2. Defective Door Latch
The control or timer locks the washer door during operation. If the door lock switch is malfunctioning, the washer may not spin. It can happen even with the door closed.
So, it is important to ensure that the door latch is okay. In this article we have already discussed how to determine and solve the “Door Latch/lock problem” you can see the above-mentioned discussion.
3. Defective Motor Control Board:
The washer uses a drive motor belt and pulley to rotate the tub. A defective motor control board prevents the tub from spinning. So you have to be aware and should check the motor control board.
The control board cannot be easily tested. Take a close look at the board with a flashlight and check for any sign of burning or shorted components. If there is any sign of damage or a slight burning you should immediately replace it. Otherwise, it could lead to any kind of disaster.
If there is no sign of burning or damaged component, check the power supply of the control board. See if the board is supplying the motor with enough power. If it fails to supply enough power to the motor, the control board is faulty. You should replace it.
If the power supply is okay but the motor is failing to get the power, then the motor is malfunctioning. You should replace the Motor Control Board anyway.
4. Damaged rotor or stator:
Some washer models have a rotor or stator that interacts to create a strong magnetic field that causes the tub to spin. If the stator windings or rotor magnets are damaged the tub may not spin or agitate. Inspect the rotor carefully to find out any damage. If the rotor is damaged replace the rotor.
Whirlpool Washer Control Locked
How to lock/unlock washing machine using Control Lock
People often wonder and ask about the uses of the Whirlpool duet washer’s control lock technology. Usually, it is confusing when you are about to turn on the washing machine and the control lock light stays on.
Now the question is how to unlock and turn on the machine. That is relatively easy. You just need to follow certain steps.
- First, you need to take a closer look at your washing machine. At the bottom right side of the machine, you will find a button saying “End of cycle signal”.
- Press and hold the button for 3 seconds, it will lock/unlock the machine.
- As you have pressed the button for 3 seconds, the machine will be unlocked.
- Now, press the “Control on” button to enable control
- After that just simply press the “Start” button and voila! The washing machine will start.
If you want to lock the control, press and hold the “End of Signal Cycle” button for 3 seconds, and the “Control Locked” light will be on. This is an indicator that your control is locked.
Conclusion
Whirlpool duet washer washing machine models are one of the best washing machines out there on the market. Despite all the advanced technologies it still has its own troubles.
You can face both major and minor troubles with this washing machine. But still, it would be a great piece of home appliance people would love to be a proud owners of. Hope this troubleshooting article will be of great use to you.
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My washer (WFW94HEXW1) is not filling. In the area where I put the soap, I can hear a click, click sound. Is there a water pump that pulls the water in?
My power light will not go off and with that the machine will not start. Please help.
My water does not fully drain. I cleaned filter and replaced pump. It will fully drain after I run rinse and spin second time…thoughts?
Did you check the drain pipe? Make sure this one is clean. This could be one issue. It could be an internal control sensor problem too. That would be a bad news. You’d have to call a technician then.
My washer won’t start the cycle. I turn the knob to the preferred washing cycle and hit “Start” and it just skips to “Done.” What could this problem be with my washer?
When trying to start it, it automatically goes to add a garment and shuts off. Any ideas?