What to do if Your Whirlpool Washer Stops in Mid-Cycle

One of the most inconvenient times for your washer to stop working is mid-cycle when it has a tub full of water.  If this has ever happened to you, there are a few things you can check before you resign yourself to manually draining the water from your washer tub with the help of a bucket.

Check List

1.  Check to make sure the washer is still plugged in.  Over time, washers have a tendency for their plugs to become loosened due to excess agitation from an uneven load.

2.  Make sure the circuit breaker in your electrical panel box has not been tripped.  If you are using a lot of electrical items when you are washing clothes, your electrical system may have become overloaded.  In the short-term, you can stop using all the other electrical items until you finish the laundry.  However, if you continue to trip the circuit leading to your washing machine, you should have an electrician come out to evaluate the panel box.

3.  If your washer is plugged in and the circuit breaker is fine, the next thing to consider is whether the lid switch is working properly.  For some washers, including the Whirlpool #GSW9800PW1 model, there is a long knob on the washer lid that corresponds to a lid switch just inside the washer.  Normally, this long knob presses down on the switch when the washer door closes.  When the lid switch fails, contact is not made and the switch fails to signal the washer to move through the agitation and drain cycles.

To see if this could be the issue, find the long knob on the washer lid and the switch it corresponds to.  Using a small q-tip or flexible straw, press down on the switch.  If the washer starts to run again, then you have a faulty lid switch.  You’ll need to order the lid switch that corresponds with your specific washer model.  Most require the removal of the washer panel to replace the lid switch.

If you suspect you have a faulty lid switch, contact us.  We can diagnose why your washer refuses to drain and replace the lid switch if necessary.