25 replies to this topic

[Shelly Wiseman Webb]

We have a Whirlpool Duet steam washer (WCW9500TC01) that's less than two years old. Originally the washer's spin cycle spun the clothes like a dream and really did a great job of getting out most of the water.

Then the washer quit spinning so well at the end of the wash cycles, no matter which cycle we chose. We would have to choose the drain/spin cycle after the washer quit running or else the clothes would be too wet for the dryer most of the time.

Now the washer isn't spinning at all, it seems, on any cycle. We have no error codes that have shown up, but my husband went ahead and cleaned out the drain hose and checked to make certain nothing was impeding the draining of the machine. We don't know how else to proceed. What more can we check--and how does one run a diagnostic on the washer?

*crosses fingers that someone knows what's going on AND that it's not going to be too terribly expensive to fix*

[RegUS_PatOff]

WCW9500TC01

maybe
WFW9500TC01 ?

Does it Drain ?
Does the Drain Pump run ?
It won't Spin until it Drains.

[Shelly Wiseman Webb]

You are correct, my husband mis-read the model #. (Might be time for him to get bifocals?) :-) It is WFW, not WCW.

My husband just ran the cleaning cycle with the bleach. Last week he pulled off the back and pulled the hose between the drum and filter and made certain the hose and the drain pipe was clear. When the cleaning cycle ran, he watched it for a few minutes to make certain the bleach and water were dumped by the washer, and he says it seemed to drain that okay. However, the washer seemed to stick on the last minute of the clean cycle and he got an error code of "LNT." We haven't had a chance yet to run a regular cycle to see if this helped solve the problem, but we are starting one now.

[kdog]

Remove the front lower access panel, you can then access the pump and remove any items/debris within it through the filter. While you have it open, look on the inside walls as there will be a techsheet in a bag stuck in there (return it there once you're done) - the sheet will describe the fault codes as well as diagnostic tests that you may perform. Don't see a "LNT" code described there but I would suspect slow draining to be the issue.

[RegUS_PatOff]

... error code of "LNT."

maybe "lnt"
"interrupt" ... when cancelling the clean cycle

[Shelly Wiseman Webb]

You are right again about the code. It was "Int" because he interrupted the clean cycle. He sad it looked just like that.

When my husband put the washer in diagnostic mode (he figured out how to do that from a Google search), he got code F21, which is apparently slow draining or long drain, to be exact. Does that mean we are having a water pump problem possibly, or could it be something else? The filters and hoses as far as we have been able to determine, are all completely clear. He watched it drain the clean cycle, and he said it drained pretty quickly, in his opinion. He ran an empty load on "normal." He doesn't know what else to do at this point.

[RegUS_PatOff]

... F21, which is apparently slow draining or long drain, to be exact. Does that mean we are having a water pump problem

... Does it Drain ?
Does the Drain Pump run ?
It won't Spin until it Drains.

[kdog]

Remove the front lower access panel, you can then access the pump and remove any items/debris within it through the filter. While you have it open, look on the inside walls as there will be a techsheet in a bag stuck in there (return it there once you're done) - the sheet will describe the fault codes as well as diagnostic tests that you may perform. Don't see a "LNT" code described there but I would suspect slow draining to be the issue.

[Shelly Wiseman Webb]

Yes, the drain pump is running and it seems to be draining. In a few minutes he's going to try a quick load and see what happens.

[kdog]

Was there crap in the filter housing ??

[Shelly Wiseman Webb]

Okay, the washing machine is draining but not spinning, still. The washer isn't even spinning to agitate the clothes, now.

No, there was nothing in the filter. My husband has been great about cleaning that out.

[kdog]

look on the inside walls as there will be a techsheet in a bag stuck in there (return it there once you're done) - the sheet will describe the fault codes as well as diagnostic tests that you may perform.

Can you make it spin using the diagnostic tests on the sheet ?

[Shelly Wiseman Webb]

When dh gets home this evening from work I'll have him give it a try, since he already knows how to put the washer in diagnostic mode. I'll post something as soon as I know something more about the washer.

And I'm very, very grateful for the help! I'm sick at the thought of this washer going bad already; it's less than 2 years old. And it wasn't cheap, of course. My husband is a paramedic, so we felt that we needed a washer with disinfecting capabilities, even though we aren't really germphobic. We were able to buy a dryer without the steam option to go with it, which was no easy task; we could barely afford the washer, let alone a dryer with an expensive option we felt was redundant.

I don't know what we'll do if the washer needs replacing. I do, however, have a wringer washer that was manufactured in the 1940s that has NEVER broken down, and there have been times between broken-down washing machines that I've used it.

I can say I've never seen any automatic washing machine best the wringer washer with regards to agitation ability! And although you do have to look out for buttons and such when using the rollers, it does a great job of removing water, as well. I'd just need one of those Yukon laundry plungers and a tub for the rinsing . . . do you think Cracker Barrel would miss it if I took a Yukon plunger off their wall? I bet they don't know what it's for, anyway, and I could always put it back when I'm finished with it.

[kdog]

Using the tech sheet from inside the machine will also give you more tests to perform, kinda why they put them there

[Shelly Wiseman Webb]

Yep. I went ahead and pulled out the sheet for the dh for when he gets home. I figured it was the only way I could get him to look at it instead of doing a search online.

[kdog]

Tech Sheet from machine trumps all other info, that's why it's important to return it to the sacred stomping grounds

[Shelly Wiseman Webb]

Okay, he ran a few diagnostic tests. According to the outcome it's either the motor or the motor sending unit, but he wasn't able at the time to tell which it was. Also, the washer stopped at C:08, I believe.

I love that info about the paper being installed inside the appliances. It makes so much sense to do it that way instead of having manual after manual after manual for a repair person to deal with at an office somewhere or having to lug that sort of stuff around.

[RegUS_PatOff]

... the washer stopped at C:08
... I love that info about the paper being installed inside the appliances.
... repair person to deal with at an office somewhere or having to lug that sort of stuff around.

1) was the Washer empty of water when running that test ?
2) sadly, some repair people remove that info and keep it (so the owner can't repair their own appliances)
3) most manufacturer's tech sheets and service manuals are available to repair people on the internet,
if they download it before arriving at the appliance
OR if they have wireless internet access and a laptop at the appliance.

[kdog]

having manual after manual after manual for a repair person to deal with at an office somewhere or having to lug that sort of stuff around.

Ya you almost need that as well though

[Shelly Wiseman Webb]

I don't know if the washer had water in it or not, and my husband doesn't remember noticing it, so he will re-run the test this evening when he gets home from work. (Hopefully much earlier than he did last time; he's a medic and sometimes works hours past his shift end if he has to.) I'll post more info as soon as we know more.