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Modern Whirlpool washers come with a digital display that can show you all kinds of relevant info to make getting your laundry done easier and more convenient. This info includes error codes, although to actually gain any insight from these error codes, you need to know what each of them means.
If you encounter an F27 error code, it indicates that your Whirlpool washer is experiencing an overflow condition, which, as the name implies, means that something is causing the washer to overfill itself with water or suds. This can happen for a number of reasons.
In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the various problems that can leave your Whirlpool washer with an F27 error code, and explain why these problems occur and what you can do to fix them.
Causes of an F27 Error Code
As we’ve mentioned, an F27 error code means that the washer is overfilled with either water or suds, but this can happen thanks to a number of issues. There could actually be something in the washer that is making it overflow, or it could be that the equipment used to determine if the washer is overflowing has gone bad.
Let’s get right into our list of potential issues with:
Bad Drain Pump
All washing machines contain drain pumps, which are of course used to drain excess water from your clothes during the spin cycle. If the drain pump stops working, the water will be unable to drain from your washer after it enters, and you’ll be left with a bunch of clothes soaking in a puddle of water.
The pump may fail if something gets caught inside it, in which case you can solve the problem by removing the clog. The pump can also break, in which case you’ll have to have to replace it.
To check the state of your pump, disconnect your washer from its power source and remove any water that still remains inside the tub. You might also want to tilt your washer backwards and put a couple of 2x4s under its front feet since this will give you more space to work on the pump.
Next, remove the panel covering the bottom front of your washer to reveal the drain pump. Pull the drive belt off the pump’s flywheel, and try manually turning the flywheel with your hands. If it doesn’t want to turn, it means something is stuck inside the pump.
After this, put a finger in the drain outlet and feel the impellers. If any of them are broken, you’ll be able to feel the difference. If the pump isn’t working because of debris stuck inside it, remove the debris, reinstall the pump, and you should be good to go. Otherwise, you’ll probably have to replace the pump.
Blocked Drain Hose
The drain hose in your washer connects to the end of your washer’s drain pump and leads from the pump to the standpipe. If an article of clothing or a chunk of debris manages to get through the drain pump, it may end up getting stuck in the drain hose and prevent your washer from draining fully.
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To check your drain hose for clogs, pull your washer away from the wall and examine the back to find the drain hose. Depending on the washer model you have, you may have to remove the back panel to get to where the drain hose connects to the drain pump.
Once you’re able to fully access the drain hose, first check it to see if it’s kinked up. If it is, straighten it out and see if that fixes your issue.
If there aren’t any kinks in the drain hose, continue by detaching the drain hose from the pump. You’ll need either a wrench or a screwdriver to do this, and it’s also a good idea to have a bucket handy to catch any water that might still be in the hose.
When the hose is detached from the drain pump and the standpipe, use a straightened clothes hanger or some other long, thin object to remove any blockages from the hose that you find.
Faulty Pressure Switch
The pressure switch in your washing machine is used to monitor how much water is inside the tub at any given time. It detects this by tracking the changes in air pressure that occur when water fills the interior of the washer. The pressure switch is necessary for starting the wash and spin cycles at the right times.
If the pressure switch goes bad, you’ll have to have it replaced, but the problem can also be caused by an issue with the hose connected to the switch. If the hose get clogged or develops a hole, it can screw up the switch’s ability to correctly monitor the water level in the washer, leading to an error code.
If you’ve determined that the pressure switch itself isn’t the problem, take a look at the hose and see it it’s clogged or damaged. If it’s clogged, remove whatever’s inside and reinstall the hose, and if it’s damaged, install a replacement hose.
Faulty Water Inlet Valve
The water inlet valve is what allows water to enter your washing machine in the first place. The inlet valve is located on the back of your washer, and connects to the hot and cold water hoses.
The valve opens and closes based on electrical signals from the washer’s main control board. If the valve fails and gets stuck in its open position, it will continuously let water into the washer and cause it to overflow.
You can test the inlet valve by checking its terminals with a multimeter. If the multimeter shows that the valve has either no resistance or infinite resistance, it means the valve has gone bad and needs to be replaced.
Wiring Issue
Problems with the wiring can cause all sorts of issues in washing machines. If a wire connection somewhere is loose or damaged, it can send incorrect signals and give you any number of false error codes, or it can prevent one of the components in your washer from working properly and give you a real error code.
You’ll have to open up your washer to check its wires. When you do so, look for wires that appear frayed, scorched, or broken. If you find any, replace them and test your washer to see if it works.
Too Much Detergent
Source: Apartment Therapy
Adding too much detergent, especially in a high-efficiency washer, can easily give you an F27 error code. If you end up with an oversudsing condition in your washer, it can mess with the pressure switch and trick it into thinking that there’s too much water in the tub.
If you suspect that you’re getting an F27 error code because of oversudsing, the best way to deal with this is to simply use less detergent in the future. You should also scale back the amount of detergent you’re using if you tend to do fairly small loads of laundry.
How to Reset Your Whirlpool Washer
On occasion, your Whirlpool washer might glitch out and give you an error code even if there isn’t actually an issue. When this happens, the best thing to do is reset the washer, which will usually solve the problem of an erroneous error message. If your washer displays any error codes at all, it’s worth resetting it before trying anything else.
As for how to reset your Whirlpool washer, there are two ways you can try. The first way is to reset it via the control panel, which you can do by pressing the “Pause/Cancel” button twice in a row. The other way is to unplug the washer from its wall outlet or to switch off the circuit breaker that the washer is connected to.
You can use whichever way is more convenient for you to reset your washer. Depending on the model of washer you have, it may begin an uninterruptible drain cycle when you start it for the first time after resetting it, but this is normal and is nothing to worry about.
How to Put Your Whirlpool Washer Into Diagnostic Mode
Whirlpool washers come with a diagnostic mode, which is a pretty useful feature as it allows you to check any recent error codes that your washer has logged as well as individually test many of your washer’s components. If your washing machine has an unidentifiable problem, the diagnostic mode can help you figure out what exactly has gone wrong.
To put your Whirlpool washer into diagnostic mode, make sure the door is completely closed and then pick any one of the buttons on the control panel aside from the “Control Lock” and “Pause/Cancel” buttons.
Then, press and hold this button for 2-5 seconds, release it for 2-5 seconds, press and hold it again, release it again, and then press and hold it one final time.
After pressing and holding the button for the last time, the lights on the control panel should all start flashing, which indicates that the washer is in diagnostic mode. You can then perform whatever tests on your washer that you need to. Once you’re done using the diagnostic mode, press the power button twice to turn it off.
