There are a series of issues that would arise when you are stuck with your Maytag washer not spinning. When it isn’t spinning, your clothes would come out soaked with water and this won’t be suitable to be directly placed in a dryer. In other instances, you might notice that the washer won’t spin until you hand to spin it yourself for it to start, while some users might experience a scenario whereby you might struggle with it for over 10 minutes before it gets to spin.
If you are facing any of these issues. It means there are one or more components that are faulty in the washer or maybe you are loading the washer with excessive load.
Since you are here, I will be breaking down the reasons behind your Maytag washer not spinning and proven troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve it.
Why is Maytag Washer not spinning
The first two things you ought to look into when you are stuck with your Maytag washer not spinning are the load you’ve stuck your washer with and the lid switch.
That said, let’s list down all the reasons behind Maytag not spinning before we delve into how you can troubleshoot it
- Your washer is overloaded
- The lid switch is faulty
- The drive belt isn’t working
- Your drive motor is defective
- The drive clutch has issues
- Issues with your door latch
How to troubleshoot Maytag Washer not spinning
If you are stuck with your Maytag washer not spinning, there are some troubleshooting steps you can take if you have never tinkered with electronic devices. However, some might require you to disassemble some things. And you might not be comfortable doing that.
If that is the case with you, your best bet is to request a repairman to help you sort it out.
However, if you have experience tinkering with electronic devices like a washer, then you should always ensure to unplug the washer before losing it apart.
That said, let’s dive into the troubleshooting steps starting from the easy ones
Check for Overloaded Clothes in the Washer
Among other things, one of the issues you can possibly face if your dryer is overloaded is a slow spin. If this persists, it can overwork the system or even break some components inside your washer.
In some cases, the washer might not be overloaded but you’ve placed some heavy clothing like a blanket at one edge of the washer making the washer unbalanced.
To resolve any of these issues, you should ensure that the washer is around 75% filled or lower.
Also if you have heavy clothing, place it in the middle of the washer or place another piece of heavy clothing at the opposite edge to balance it out.
Check the Lid Switch
The lid switch in your Kenmore washer works just as similar as the door lid in refrigerators and that of microwaves. If the door is not properly closed or the mechanics around the door aren’t working the washer won’t start.
Now, there are different ways of noticing this. Firstly in an instance where the door is not clossing properly try slamming it well or check for obstruction.
However, if you slam the door well and there is no obstruction, it could be that the mechanical components such as the lid switch that works to turn on the Kenmore washer are faulty.
In cases like this, you can troubleshoot it by following the steps below
- Turn off the power to the washer.
- Locate the lid switch (check your manual if necessary).
- Get your multimeter and test for continuity
- If it shows continuity the lid switch is OK, else proceed to the door latch
Check the Door Latch
Apart from the door switch, the door latch is among the components around the Kenmore door which can possibly make the door not tightly closed.
If your Kenmore door is not tightly closed, the washer won’t start.
The door latch is a rubber-like device that gives the door an airtight closure with the washer while also ensuring that the laundry runs.
To check the latch, you can simply follow the steps below
- Verify the type of door latch you have with your manual.
- Power off your washer
- If your is a mechanical door, open and see if you can shut the door properly, for an electrical door you can test for continuity.
- If there are no positive results from these tests then your door latch needs a replacement
Check the Fan Drive Belt
There are usually two pulleys whose job is to help turn the drum during a wash or dry cycle since they are located on the sides of the drum. Now, a very good pointer that your fan belt might be faulty or needs a replacement is if you have to hand spin it to start a wash or dry cycle, or you are hearing strange sounds. Then you might have a fan belt issue.
That said, here is how you can resolve that
- Turn off the washer
- Firstly, remove the top and side panels.
- Locate the Drive belt in the middle of the main motor and the gearbox
- Check through the drive belt for fraying or tearing or any other visible damages. If there is you need to replace the drive belt.
In a scenario where there are no damages try out the next troubleshooting step.
Check the Motor Coupling Component
The motor coupling has one job which is to connect the transmission and motor to enable power to reach the drum which starts the spinning. If the motor coupling components are faulty, you might not easily pick this up unless you come across these pointers which are, your washer shaking or vibrating during a cycle or you are hearing a grinding noise.
In any of these cases, your best bet is to call the services of a repairman else here is how you can resolve it
- Power off the washer or simply unplug from the power outlet.
- Navigate to the motor coupling and check for any form of damage or broken parts
- If there are, you need to replace them.
Check the Motor Control Board
The control board is a very delicate element, once there is an issue with the control board, you are better off replacing it than trying to solder or repair it. The control board is a component that supplies power to the motor to enable it to work
If you have tried all the troubleshooting processes above here is how to troubleshoot the control board.
- Power off the Washer
- Navigate to the control board and check for any burned component on the control board
- If there is any burned component get a replacement board for your washer based on its model number.
Maytag Top Load Washer not Spinning Clothes Dry
If your Maytag washer is not spinning your clothes dry enough for you to pass them to the dryer, while you notice that all the washer is draining, It means one of the inner components such as the Drive belt, Clutch or Drive motor is faulty. And you can resolve that by simply checking any form of damage in these components while replacing them in the case of any damage.
Maytag washer not Spinning Fast Enough
In some cases, you might experience that your Maytag washer is either taking time to spin or you might have to use your hand to spin it to enable it to spin well.
If yours is not spinning fast enough, the issue is from the drive belt or the clutch.
A quick fix is to use your hand to spin it to increase the speed. However, you should see that as a pointer that the drive belt or clutch is faulty and needs a replacement.
How do I Reset my Maytag Washer that won’t spin?
There are different ways to reset your Maytag washer and below I will be listing them.
Power cycle method
This method is pretty simple to carry out, all you have to do over here is unplug the washer while it is still one and leave it for 10 minutes to allow the power to dissipate.
After 10 minutes, plug it back
Power/cancel button method
This reset method works best if you have an error code issue or you are stuck in a cycle. That said here is how to do that.
- Press the Pause/Cancel button
- Now, select the appropriate cycle
- Finally, press the Start/Pause button
Lift Lid method
This method works best for people who are using a top loader Maytag washer. That said, here is how to do that.
- Unplug the washer for the power outlet for a minute.
- Now, connect the power and lift the lid and close it six times within a 12-second timeframe.
NOTE: you should complete this process within 30 seconds timeframe from when you reconnect the power.
How do you reset the spin cycle on a Maytag washer?
If you want to reset a spin cycle here is how you do that
- Press the Pause/Cancel button
- Now, select the appropriate cycle
- Finally, press the Start/Pause button
NOTE: you can check here for a more comprehensive guide on how to reset your dryer.
Conclusion:
By now, you should have figured out the reason behind your Maytag washer not spinning and the appropriate troubleshooting steps you should take to resolve it. That being said, Maytag also comes with a one-year warranty for your washer, to learn more about that you should check the last page of your product manual.