Washer Not Spinning? Common Causes and What You Can Check

When a washer fills, agitates and drains but the final spin never happens, you end up with sopping clothes and a long wait. Sometimes the machine is only protecting itself, and sometimes a part has worn out.

Most cases come down to an unbalanced load, water that has not drained, a lid or door lock that is not registering, a worn belt or drive part, or a problem with the suspension that holds the drum steady. A few quick checks sort out the easy ones.

What you can safely check first

• Pause the cycle and redistribute the load. One heavy item such as a towel or a bath mat can throw the drum off balance, and the washer will skip or abort the spin.
• Check the load size. An overloaded drum, or a tiny load with one heavy item, both cause balance trouble.
• Look for standing water. A washer that has not drained will not spin, so if the drum is full, treat it as a draining problem. Sort that out first.
• Close the lid or door firmly and make sure nothing, like a sleeve, is caught in the latch.
• Check that the washer is level and all four feet are firmly on the floor. Gently push on the corners: it should not rock.
• Check your settings. A delicate cycle or a no-spin or low-spin option will leave clothes wet by design.
• Try the spin-only setting once the load is rebalanced.

Common causes

An unbalanced load

Sensors in the washer notice when the drum is wobbling and stop the spin to protect the machine. This is the most common and the easiest cause to fix: stop, spread the items out and restart. If it keeps happening with light loads, something else may be wrong.

Water still in the drum

Washers hold the spin until the water level is low. If the pump is blocked or the drain hose is kinked, the washer waits, then gives up. Fixing the drain problem often fixes the spin.

A lid switch or door lock fault

For safety, the drum will not spin while the lid or door is open. If the switch or lock is worn or jammed, the washer thinks it is open even when it is closed. You may hear the lock click, or notice nothing at all.

A worn belt or drive part

On many models a belt connects the motor to the drum, and on others a coupling or direct drive does the job. When these wear or slip, the drum may turn weakly, turn by hand with no resistance, or not at all. A burning rubber smell is a common clue. A technician inspects the drive and replaces what has failed.

A motor or control fault

The motor, a motor control board or a speed sensor can fail. The washer may fill and drain normally and then stall at the spin step. These faults need testing, so they are a job for a technician.

Worn suspension

Springs, dampers or shock rods hold the drum steady. When they wear, the drum bangs about, the washer detects the imbalance and the spin stops or the machine shakes hard. Loud thumping on spin is a typical sign.

When to call a technician

Call if the load is balanced, the drum is empty of water and the washer still refuses to spin. Call sooner if you hear grinding or loud banging, smell burning, or see the drum move strangely. Avoid forcing the drum or running repeated cycles, which can add to the damage.

Still not working? Book a washer repair and tell us the model number and what you have checked.

Related

• Appliance repair service page
• Appliance error code guides
• Washer not draining