Why Your Washer Won’t Agitate or Spin

If your washer won’t agitate or spin after filling with water and beginning the cycle, your clothes will never come clean. Only a qualified repair technician can help you diagnose your Washer Won't Agitatewasher problems for sure, but in the meantime, here are a few possible causes.

Agitator Issues

In some cases when the washer fails to agitate, the agitator itself may be the problem. Driven by the output shaft of the transmission, this part has a spline that can break or strip away, which can cause the agitator to fail as it becomes disconnected from the drive system.

Depending upon the brand and model of your washing machine, you may have either a single-piece unit or a two-piece, dual-action agitator. If yours is a dual-action model, the upper portion can become disengaged from the lower portion, in which case the directional cogs will need to be replaced.

Defective Lid Switch Assembly or Door Lock

The lid of your washing machine comes equipped with a switch or latch that ensures that the lid is closed before operation (unless you have a vintage model, most of which did not include this safety feature). This door assembly is connected to the motor circuit, and when the lid is shut, the motor will operate. If that connection is not made, the motor won’t run.

If your washer won’t agitate and the motor doesn’t seem to be getting power, you may have a defective door latch. You can inspect the lid assembly for visual damage; however, this mechanism can also fail electrically, so the door switches may need to be tested with a multimeter tool.

Other Causes of Washer Agitation Malfunction

If your washer won’t agitate or spin, you may have an issue with the drive belt, which drives the transmission, or with the drive block, which connects the transmission to the agitator. You can remove the front panel or cabinet of your washing machine to check if the belt, typically located at the bottom of the machine, is worn, loose or broken. Also take a look at the drive block to see if it is stripped or damaged. In rare cases, the drive motor, which drives the transmission, may be at fault.

Damage to other parts of your washing machine, such as the motor coupling, rotor or stator assembly, wash plate or motor control board could also be the cause of your problem. As you may already have concluded, you could be facing a complex repair that requires an experienced technician. Unless you’re familiar with your appliance’s operation, even opening the cover can cause injury. At best, it probably violates any warranty you have.

Don’t take chances. At the first sign of a problem, call the home appliance experts at Complete Appliance Repair. Serving the communities of northern Utah, our professional technicians know exactly how to diagnose and repair whatever is wrong when your washer won’t agitate.