When the Whirlpool Washer Not spinning, it’s a painful loss of time to check each possible cause. Piles of wet laundry on our floor are what prompts people to Google ‘why won’t my washer spin’ or ‘Why doesn’t my washing machine spin?’ But they don’t need to waste valuable time searching for an explanation.
Let us help you troubleshoot your washer so that you can focus on your life.
What Causes Whirlpool Washer Not Spinning? Troubleshooting and Diagnosis
For decades, consumers have relied on washers to thoroughly clean their clothes. With a combination of water and detergent, wash cycles can cleanse fabric and eliminate dirt.
One of the most important components of this process is agitation — the rapid rotation and swirling of clothing that allows the washing machine to lift and remove settled stains. Agitation allows a washer to clean fabrics more thoroughly, resulting in brighter, cleaner whites each time you do laundry!
The spinning drum in your washing machine serves as the first step of the draining process. The drum is where drum-style clothes washers remove excess water from clothes and towels so that they can be dried on a dryer.
Your washer won’t drain if the spinning mechanism isn’t working. If your Whirlpool washing machine doesn’t spin, then you may need to have it checked by a professional technician. Thankfully, you can easily fix that yourself with our helpful troubleshooting tips.
Unbalanced or Jammed Load
Clothes can jam in the washer between the drum and the basket, creating a walker.
An unbalanced load can make your washing machine walk or shudder while spinning. When this happens, you should stop the load, open the lid, take out the clothes, and reposition them.
If you’re not careful when loading your washing machine, clothes can settle on one side of the drum, throwing off the motion of the washer and leaving it unable to spin at full speed.
This means that clothes can come out of the wash soaking wet — not a good look. If you suspect that you have unbalanced laundry, try rearranging your wet laundry and running the spin cycle again.
Level the Washer
If your washer isn’t completely level, it won’t be able to spin properly. This leads to over-extended cycles and the need for more frequent washing—all of which are a waste of your time and money. Look for other signs that your washing machine is unlevel — excess noise and vibration during the spin cycle.
To check if your washer has a problem leveling, turn the dial by hand and make sure that the front of the machine is exactly even with the floor. Ensure that all feet are touching the ground. If it’s unlevel, you can adjust the feet to fix the problem.
Washer is Overloaded
If your washing machine is shaking or making loud noises, there’s a good chance that it is overloaded. A washing machine can only take so many garments before it’s at risk of falling apart.
Make sure you’ve filled your washing machine to below maximum capacity; moving the load around so that the weight is distributed evenly on different parts of the drum will also help reduce the risk of damage due to overload.
It’s common to overload the washing machine when trying to do a ton of laundry at once. This can cause loud crashing sounds and even serious damage to your washer over time. The solution is easy: Reduce the amount of laundry you add into the washer during each cycle.
Reset the Washer
If the above steps do not work, then try solving the Whirlpool washer not spinning by resetting the machine. These steps should be used to reset your Whirlpool washing machine:
- Turn off the washer.
- Turn the mode dial to NORMAL.
- Turn the dial one click counter-clockwise, three clicks clockwise, one more click counter-clockwise, and finally one click clockwise again.
Clogged or Kinked Drain Hose
If your washer drain hose has any bends or if there are any blockages inside, it will restrict the water from draining out at the end of each cycle. As a result, you’ll have to spend extra time and effort drying your clothes in the dryer, and your machine will prematurely age.
If this happens, you may want to disconnect the washer drain hose from the pump and make sure it isn’t clogged up with hairballs, coins, or other debris. Also, check for blockages in the hose and pump itself.
It’s worth double-checking drain hose placement. If the drain hose is too far down the standpipe, water won’t drain effectively from your machine — causing an improper drain and leaving behind plenty of dirty suds to sour your clothes. The idea behind this part is to check the status of the drain hose. Make sure it’s in a neutral position and not twisting or kinking.
Door Lock & Interlock
The door lock on your washing machine prevents the door from being opened while the machine is in operation. The door lock system consists of two parts: the locking mechanism on the machine and a catch on the door. When the machine is in use, it is engaged; when you open the door, it disengages.
The washer’s locking mechanism is equipped with a switch that indicates the door’s status to the control board. If the mechanism does not lock, the control board will not be able to activate spin cycles.
If the door lock on your washing machine is faulty, then it’s possible that the washer may exhibit certain symptoms, and you may get Whirlpool washer not spinning problem. Common problems including the washer failing to lock or the door lock switch not engaging when the machine closes. Error codes may also be displayed if a door lock fault code has been confirmed. If any of these issues are present, you may need to replace the door lock.
Clogged Drain Pump Filter
The Whirlpool coin trap or drain filter is a small plastic piece that sits above the pump. Its function is to catch foreign objects, such as coins before they enter the drain.
Over time, this filter can become clogged with small particles, preventing water from draining out. When your machine is not draining properly, a clogged filter may be the culprit.
Please pull the access panel on the bottom front of your Whirlpool washer. Once you find the drain filter, it should take you only two minutes to clean it effectively. After cleaning, run a hot wash to completely flush out any debris that may be left in the machine.
Faulty Lid Switch
Many older top-load machines use a lid switch as a safety precaution to ensure spinning functions correctly. If the lid is not closed properly, the machine won’t spin.
If the washing machine is equipped with this type of switch, it will have an extra piece of metal mounted underneath the washer lid. The switch is activated when the metal pin slides into the hole of this piece of metal, which is actually a magnetic field sensor.
Verify that the lid switch is being activated mechanically. If it’s not, then there may be a mechanical issue with the switch, and replacing it will fix the problem. However, if the lid switch is being activated, but there’s no power being supplied to the motor during spin or drain cycles, then the lid switch is likely defective.
Worn Out Drive Belt
When the Whirlpool washer won’t spin, the likely culprit is a broken drive belt. The drive belt is located at the bottom of the machine and connected to the pump, responsible for washing water circulation. You can check this belt by looking at it and feeling for any cuts or cracks — if it’s damaged, you’ll need to replace it.
Unplug the washer and pull it away from the wall to access the back of the machine. The belt is located at the bottom of the tub, so you will need to pull on a pair of gloves in order to unlatch the bottom panel of your washing machine.
After removing the old belt, thread the new belt through the pulley and then fasten it. Close up your machine and plug it in.
Faulty Drain Pump
If your Whirlpool washer Not Spinning well, you need to check the pump. It could be clogged with debris or defective and needs to be replaced. To check the pump, disconnect the drain line and remove the back panel of your machine.
Check for debris with a flashlight, or check with a special tool. If there is debris, or if you have other reasons to believe the pump is defective, you will need to replace it — the pump is not a repairable part, and you will need to buy a new one.
If the drain pump isn’t blocked, check that it’s operating by using a multimeter to verify that power is going through it. Test both of the pump’s connectors to ensure that they’re getting power.
Multimeter readings vary from model to model, but the resistance of between 5 and 10 ohms at both terminals indicates that the drain pump is in working order. If an incorrect reading is shown, you should unplug the washer and remove the drain pump to be replaced.
Hi there! I’m Sam Hendricks, and I’m a repair technician and expert. I created this website to help people like you save money and time by fixing your own appliances.
Over the years, I’ve seen people spend a lot of money on unnecessary repairs or replacements. That’s why I decided to share my expertise and create easy-to-follow guides for fixing appliances on your own.