Maytag Washer Not Spinning: Soaked Clothes and What to Check

Few laundry problems are as maddening as lifting out a load that is dripping. Your Maytag washer filled, washed and perhaps drained, but the final spin never happened or was very weak. A spin needs several things in agreement: the water has to leave the tub, the lid or door has to report that it is closed and locked, the load has to be balanced, and the drive has to turn the basket. A fault in any one of those can leave you with a heavy, wet load.

First, decide which kind of washer you have

Top-load washers, with an agitator or an impeller, and front-load washers fail to spin for overlapping but different reasons. On a top-load model the basket is moved through a gearcase or a drive system, and the lid switch must be closed. On a front-load model a belt or direct drive turns the drum, and the door must latch before spin begins. Some Maytag machines will pause and rock the drum to rebalance the load if they sense a lopsided mass, which looks like a failure if you walk away from it.

The usual reasons a spin does not happen

• Unbalanced load. A single heavy item, a bedspread twisted around the agitator or a rug on one side makes the washer pause the spin. Maytag lists OFb for an off-balance load on top-load models, and F0 E5 for off-balance on front-load ones.
• Drain trouble. The washer will not spin while water remains. A clogged drain pump, a kinked hose or a blocked standpipe holds the water and the spin. drn and F9 E1 are recorded as long drain conditions.
• Lid or door lock. If the control cannot confirm the lid is locked, it will not start the spin. See Maytag washer lid lock flashing.
• Overloading. Maytag lists oL when a top-load washer finds the load too large, and F0 E3 for an overload condition on front-load models.
• Excess suds. Too much detergent creates suds that slow the spin or stop it. See Sd and SUD.
• Motor or drive faults. Entries such as F7 E1 for motor speed sensing and F7 E9 for a locked rotor describe a drive that cannot reach or hold speed.
• Shifter or clutch trouble. On top-load machines, Maytag lists F7 E5 for a shifter whose position the control cannot determine.
• Worn belt or coupler. A slipping or broken drive component lets the motor run while the basket sits still.

Owner checks that help

Start by redistributing the load. Stop the cycle, open the lid or door once drained, and spread the items. Remove anything that wraps, like sheets knotted into a rope, and avoid washing one heavy item alone. Select Drain and Spin to see whether the washer completes a spin once the load is even.

If water still sits in the tub, check the drain. Inspect the hose behind the washer for a kink and make sure it still sits in the standpipe without being pushed too far in. In a front-load model, clean the drain pump filter, a small access panel near the lower front; place a shallow tray and towels under it, because water will come out. Remove coins, hair ties and small socks, and replace the cap firmly.

Read the display. If a code or a light is shown, write it down. Then use one controlled reset: unplug the washer for a few minutes, plug it in again, and try Drain and Spin. If nothing changes, stop.

What not to do

Do not reach into a spinning basket, do not defeat the lid switch with tape or a magnet, and do not pull the washer from the wall and tilt it onto its side with water inside. Do not force a locked front door open. If the door is locked with water behind it, wait for the washer to unlock or call for help; opening it quickly can send water across the floor. A burning smell or smoking motor means power off at the breaker.

How installation affects spin

San Francisco homes often put the washer in a closet, a basement or a garage, and each has its own traps. A washer on an uneven floor will shake itself out of the spin as soon as the drum accelerates, and one in a tight closet may have a drain hose crushed behind it. Stacked laundry in flats raises vibration when feet are not set. In older buildings, a standpipe with a poor trap or a shared stack can slow the drain enough that the washer waits and stops. A garage washer in a damp coastal neighborhood may also have rust at the lid hinge or a corroded electrical connection. We look at leveling, hoses and the drain path early in a visit.

The model number matters

Maytag washers vary a great deal between lines, and the label can be found under the lid, on the door rim or at the back, depending on the layout; how to find your Maytag model number shows the typical places. A top-load impeller like the Maytag MTW7200RF drives its basket differently from the front-load Maytag MFW7020RF, so the parts we bring change with the model.

When to book

If a balanced load drains and still will not spin, if a code returns, or if the motor hums with no turning, book a diagnosis. We test the drain, the lock, the sensors and the drive, give you a written estimate and wait for approval. See Maytag washer repair and Maytag washers.

Frequently asked questions