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How To Fix It

How To Fix It

Appliances

Whirlpool Washer Not Spinning And Clothes Are Still Wet? 10 issues to check

Did you recently put a load of clothes in your Whirlpool washer and have them come out wet? Is your Whirlpool washer not spinning?

If your washer is spinning, but not expelling the water from your clothes there is a different problem with your machine.

While this can be very frustrating, we have some potential problems and fixes for you to try. Here’s a look at what may be happening.

Here is a shortlist of what may go wrong and what you need to check:

  • Unbalanced Load
  • Drain Hose Clogged
  • Shift Actuator Failed
  • Drain Filter Clogged
  • Defective Drain Pump
  • Lid Switch Failed
  • and more

Is The Load In the Drum Out Of Balance?

This is the simplest of all the fixes we will discuss. Sometimes when you wash bulky items such as blankets, it can cause the tub or drum to become out of balance.

When this occurs the water will not drain properly, and can leave your clothes soaking wet.

The washer will not proceed to the spin cycle, once an unbalanced load detected.

Always try to create a good balance with your wash loads.

You can do this by adding less or more items to ensure the garments are not too heavy on one side.

After the wash cycle has ended you will know if this is the issue because the contents in the washer will be primarily on one side. If this occurs, balance it out and run the spin cycle again.

Top Loading machine gentle on clothes

Inspect The Drain Hose (not Common Issue)

The next thing you will want to check is the drain hose connected to the back of your washing machine.

If this hose is bent or clogged it will restrict the water from draining out, and your clothes will come out wet after the cycle is finished.

You’ll need to disconnect the hose from the drain pump and make sure the hose isn’t bent. Also, check for blockages restricting water flow in both the hose and the drain pump.

It’s also a great idea to check that the drain hose is positioned correctly. If the hose is too far or not far enough down inside the standpipe, it can cause improper draining. This in turn causes the Whirlpool washer to not drain the water completely.

Shift actuator failed

Another common issue with Whirlpool top loading machine is when shift actuator stopped working properly.

This actuator switch transmission gears between the agitating and spin cycle.

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But also counting revolutions of the basket, cause it have a basket speed sensor.

If it failed mechanically or electrically, the washer will be stuck in the agitating cycle and will not proceed to the spin cycle.

Whirlpool Speed Sensor Failed

Check The Coin Trap or Drain Filter (Common Issue)

Your Whirlpool machine has what’s called a coin trap or drain filter. When this becomes blocked your washing machine will not spin your clothes dry.

This part is located near the pump and works as a filter to trap any foreign object that gets into the drain. The most common objects are small ones left in pockets such as keys, coins, paperclips, pins, and even small socks, etc.

You can find the drain filter behind the access panel on the bottom front of your machine. The filter is easy to clean and once it’s clean the water should flow better when draining from the machine.

Obstructed drain pump filter washer not spinning

The Drain Pump May be Clogged or Defective

If the hose and filter are both okay, you’ll need to check the drain pump.

It may be clogged with debris or could be defective and needs to be replaced.

To check this you will need to disconnect the drain hose, and remove the back panel from your Whirlpool washer.

Any debris that’s present will be easy to see.

If there are no visible blockages you’ll want to use a

multimeter to test that the drain pump itself is functioning properly.

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To check this remove the wire connectors from both terminals on the pump.

You’ll need to test both terminals. Depending on your individual machine, the

multimeter should read somewhere between 5 and 10 ohms.

If the reading is showing zero, the drain pump should be removed and replaced.

Drain pump malfunctioned

If Your Machine Has A Belt, Check It

Your Whirlpool washer may have a belt that helps the drum spin. With normal use over time, the belt can become stretched or worn. When this occurs it affects how fast the machine can spin.

When the washer belt becomes stretched it begins to slide around during wash cycles, and the washer will not be able to reach fast enough speeds to remove all the surplus water from your clothes.

The belt may be located on the front or back of your washer, depending on your specific Whirlpool model.

Once you locate it, inspect it for visible wear and tear.

If the belt is okay it will be snug and won’t wobble when turning the washer drum.

If the belt is visibly worn, stretched, or it moves when you turn the drum, you’ll need to have it replaced.

Check The Door Lock or Lid Switch (Most Common issue)

Whirlpool washer will not spin if door lock (for front loading machine) or lid switch (for top loading machine) if malfunctioned.

Door lock switch stays in series with wash motor electrical circuit.

And if the door lock is open, power will not flow to the motor.

The Clutch (Not a Common Issue)

If your Whirlpool is a direct drive washer it may have a failing clutch. The clutch will prematurely wear due to loading the washer improperly.

You can do an easy eyeball test where you simply lean it back and look at the area surrounding the gearcase and clutch for signs of oil. If there is a lot of oil present, replace the gearcase.

Or, if you’d like to get more advanced with the eyeball test try this:

  • Use pliers to compress the clutch ring’s spring. Remove it from the drum
  • Check the rivet holes where the ring pads are held in place.
  • If there’s a great deal of debris in the holes, change the clutch.
  • Check the clutch for a glazed look that appears glossy and reflects light. This also signifies that it needs to be changed.
  • When checking these items, don’t remove the outer tub, simply remove the gearcase.

The Washer Timer or Control Board Failed (Not common issue)

Finally, if you’ve exhausted every other tip on this list it’s time to check the washer timer.

Your Whirlpool’s transmission has what’s called a neutral stop. This means the washer is stopped by a timer momentarily during the spin cycle so the spin can be engaged.

If your machine doesn’t do this, the washer timer is faulty and needs to be replaced.

You can check this by monitoring the machine while the load is draining. Once it’s been draining for 3 minutes go ahead and open the lid and close it again. If it spins, replace the timer.

Have you had similar problems with your Whirlpool washer? What did you do to fix it? Do you have other questions regarding the issue? Leave us a comment below and let’s discuss.

Reader Comments (50)

  1. I have a whirlpool duet front load washer. It will not spin in the normal, small, heavy mode but it will spin in the rinse/drain and spin mode. I’m thinking it’s the door latch, any thoughts before I buy a door latch 138.00???

    • Wondering if you resolved your issue? I have the same problem with the same washer you are describing.

  2. I have a speed queen AWS76NW AND sometimes it speeds week other times it spins slow and will leave clothes wet can you help me diagnose this problem

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