Oh, no! Your indispensable washing machine has suddenly stopped while washing! Yet, we don’t need to panic and immediately call a serviceman, because some of the breakdown causes can be fixed without professional help.
Improper operation of a washer
Users often accidently cause malfunctions because of their own actions: they don’t read manuals, don’t pay attention to how each program or mode works – this is why their favorite appliance simply stops working in the middle of a washing cycle! If the cause of a breakdown really lies in improper operation, then there is a chance that you will be able to reanimate your washing machine on your own.
- Non-compliance with loading standards of the washing machine, overloading
The most common reason for a washing machine to stop during operation is an overloading. If machine is overloaded, it may be felt already at the beginning of a washing cycle. Modern models have special sensors that immediately determine the weight of the laundry and produce a sound signaling that there is too much laundry in the drum. The drums of the past generation washers may spin very slowly, as if trying to overcome some counterforce. After a while, the washing machine stops working at all during the washing mode.
The solution of the overloading problem is quite simple – you need to take out a part of laundry and restart the wash.
- Incorrect program selection
Washing machine may stop operating while washing in a delicate mode. It may even turn out that the drum is half filled with water. Sounds familiar? Do not panic, don’t try to open the door or press buttons one by one. Most likely, the delicate or manual mode simply does not imply spinning. In this case, you need to set the water removal mode yourself, and if necessary, choose the spinning mode as well.
- Unbalanced load
Another reason for the emergency stop of a washing machine is uneven distribution of laundry in the drum. This can happen with bedding – it absorbs all the water, crumbles at the bottom of the drum, thus preventing proper rotation of the drum. This situation may occur not only during the wash itself, but also during the spin cycle. Quite often, a full stop is preceded by a thud or vibration.
In such a situation, the door of the machine usually gets locked and we can see an error on the display saying the load is unbalanced. Each manufacturer has different error codes. For example, if samsung washer locked and there is an “Ub” error on the display, this means the drum is unbalanced. What should we do in this situation? We need to necessarily turn off the machine, turn it on again, and select the drain mode with no spinning. After the end of this mode, open the door and distribute things evenly in the drum with your hands. Start the wash again.
- Program failure
Washing machine may also stop operating due to a program failure – for example, if the washing process consists of several steps. Sometimes the appliance can freeze for no apparent reason. We can also consider it as a software glitch. In this case, you just need to reboot the system: push the power button, wait for a minute and switch on the washer again. If a reboot did not save the situation, then it might be a good idea to disconnect the machine from the power supply. After you do that, you can switch the washer again and start washing.
Serious malfunctions
- Failure of electric tubular heater
- Drain system contamination
- Damaged door
- Failure of electronic components
If there is a malfunction, you will see an error codes on the display of the washing machine. Look for relevant information on error codes on your manufacturer’s website. For example, Samsung support washing machine.
Repair of electronic components is a laborious and costly process, and it is almost impossible to complete it without special knowledge and skills. You should seek for the help of specialists.
Author: Sergei Kerdan
