Whirlpool Front Loader Washer Troubleshooting

Any machine can break down, it is inevitable that through its life even the most maintained machine will have an issue. Some small, some chaotic and some are fixed within seconds. Another problem users face is tracking down their manual after a year or so of having it, not everyone is as organized and the majority of users don’t read it in the first place. Instead, they often turn to the internet and often find that their problem isn’t a problem at all but some misguided information or assumptions. Here we will go through some of the most common problems you may face and how to solve them.

1. The machine display is showing 1h, 2h, 3h and up to 12h.
The delay function has been activated and the time shown is how many hours delayed it will be until it starts. Just deactivate this function to carry on.

2. F#, F## error codes displayed.
This is a system error code. Have you tried turning it on and off? No seriously, if pressing the pause button and turning the machine off doesn’t clear the display, try doing the above steps again but this time remove the power plug for a few minutes and then try again.

3. F20 insufficient water supply.
Mainly meaning there is no water getting into the machine. First, turn the power off and remove the plug. Then systematically check the following – is the faucet turned on, check the hose hasn’t got a blockage or a leak, check the hose isn’t kinked, is it possible they are frozen? To resolve, reconnect the water hoses and then the power, select a cycle and press start to see if the problem has been fixed. If it hasn’t, call your technician.

4. The machine vibrates so much it runs across the floor.
Be honest, in all the excitement did you forget to remove the shipping bolts? These bolts hold the machine secure while in transit but need to be removed before using the machine for the first time. If you don’t the machine will vibrate, make horrendous noises and display error codes until you do.

5. The display shows LC.
This is the control lock or the child lock feature. In order to carry on, unlock this, refer to your specific manual for exact instructions.

6. Rattling or banging noises.
There are a number of things to check for these vague symptoms. Firstly check the inlet hoses and the outlet hoses aren’t rubbing against anything as the machine vibrates. Secondly see if you can spot anything in the drum with the washing, lip balms are among the favorite items to be left in pockets – if you need to get something out switch to drain and open the machine, if you store things on top of your washing check they aren’t knocking on top of the machine during a cycle. If the noise persists and you can’t put your finger on it, call your technician for advice.

7. The machine whirls and vibrates chronically.
The machine or load may not be balanced. First, check the machine is balanced and adjust the feet accordingly. Secondly, consider if the load itself is outbalanced – do you have heavy items in with light items? This can cause the drum to become one-sided and almost make it ‘swing’ while it spins. (Also – have the shipping bolts been removed?)

8. Oder/smell.
Over time washing powder creates a film, make sure you clean the machine every month to avoid bad smells. If your machine has a filter, regularly check it and de-clog as needed. Check none of the hoses are clogged as well. Some machines have an actual cleaning cycle, refer to your manual if you aren’t sure if yours does.

9. The washing isn’t rinsed well.
There could be a few reasons for this. Are you washing a large load – if the load is too big there will not be enough water to rinse it properly, reduce the load size and make sure you don’t overfill the drum (a rule of thumb for this is a hands width from the top of the door). The spin setting is too low – The lower the spin speed the less likely the detergent will dissolve in the water, increase the speed to see if this helps. The wash temperature could be too cold, lower than 30 degrees will not dissolve detergents efficiently, try a higher temperature. It may be that a few of the suggestions need to be put in practice at the same time. Test each part to see if it helps, it may be trial and error.

10. You’ve lost your manual.
To download your manual as a pdf click here! You can find your model and then download the correct manual.

Alternatively, you can call a technician to diagnose your problems if you aren’t convinced. Note though, if you don’t have the cover it could be fairly costly.

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