Diagnostics of washing machines yourself - or how to determine a breakdown?

Nowadays, a large number of different washing machines are produced. And they can differ significantly in their design. Even if they are made by the same company. Some models from different manufacturers may have the same spare parts. While others may have little in common. Considering the design features and differences of existing models, it is quite difficult to give specific advice on self-diagnosis of washing machines.

Again, it is, of course, possible to consider each model separately and give unambiguous recommendations on how to identify and eliminate breakdowns in it. But describing all these models is very labour-intensive. Therefore, below we will analyze only general recommendations. They can apply to all machines in general. Moreover, it is worth considering that each individual model may have its own subtleties and nuances.

All types of machines have documents and diagrams to simplify self-diagnosis of repairs. This information describes in detail the structure, design features, set of programs and modes and other important things. These descriptions are usually available in different organizations. Those who professionally repair and maintain household appliances. It is also quite possible to find any specific data on the washing machines you are interested in on the Internet. And we begin to discuss the most common faults.

Water does not drain from the tank

If the water from the washing machine tank does not drain, there may be several explanations for this:

• Firstly, the drain pump filter or the pump itself may become clogged. In this case, it is necessary to clean the filter or pump. The filter is located at the bottom of the machine and is hidden behind a special panel on the front side.
• Secondly, the drain pump could simply fail. By the way, this is one of the most common breakdowns. If it is really broken, then it must be replaced.
• The cause of this malfunction may also be a clogged pipe. The one that is located between the tank and the pump or the drain hose is clogged. It is clear that in order to get the machine working properly, they need to be cleaned.

The washing machine does not heat the water

The heating element (heating element) heats the water in the washing machine. And heating element failure is also one of the most common. In order to diagnose this malfunction, it is necessary to wash at a more or less high temperature. For example, at 60 degrees. You can bet more.

Next, you need to touch the glass of the hatch during washing. If it is significantly warmer than the temperature in the room, then everything is fine with the heating element. If there are failures in the execution of the program, or the glass of the hatch remains cold, then there is a possibility that it is the heating element that has deteriorated. Failures due to this malfunction can occur as follows:

• The machine takes in water.
• Then he begins to slowly rotate the drum.
• She waits for heating, but heating does not occur.
• It just freezes and the wash does not continue.

In this case, you can continue washing in cold water. To do this, select a no-heat wash or set the temperature to zero. Or just stop washing and start replacing the heating element.

The machine is noisy

It is also not uncommon to hear complaints from washing machine owners that it is excessively noisy. And in this situation, there may be several options for what causes this noise. Let's look at them:

• One of the most common causes of noise is a foreign body that is caught between the tank and the drum of the machine. The most top-end option for such a random item is considered to be bra underwire. Other things may also accidentally get stuck in there. For example, some items that were forgotten to be removed from clothing pockets or torn buttons. It is easy to determine that the cause of the noise is a foreign object. To do this, you need to rotate the drum several times by hand. And if during this action you hear specific loud sounds, it means that this is an “outsider”. Foreign objects are removed through the opening of the heating element.
• It is also important to pay attention to when the noise occurs. If it appears when the machine is draining water, it means that the culprit is a faulty water drain pump. And in order to solve the problem, you will need to buy and install a new pump.
• If the washing machine makes noise when the drum rotates, then in addition to a foreign object, faulty bearings may also be the cause. Replacing bearings yourself is not the easiest task. Since in order to get to them you need to disassemble almost the entire machine. If you are not happy with this amount of work, then you can save your time and effort and contact a specialist.
• The noise can also be caused by improper installation of the washing machine or an uneven floor. In order to check this option, you need to push the machine from different sides. But you don’t have to do this very hard. If it is not stable, then you will see that it rolls from one side to the other and you will hear this same noise. In order to eliminate the noise, you need to adjust the legs of the washing machine to bring it into a stable state. The legs are on the bottom. And in order to change their size you just need to twist them.

The washing machine drum does not spin

There can be quite a few reasons for this. For example, the drive belt may break, the module may break, or the motor may fail.

• Let's start by checking the integrity of the belt. If during washing you hear the sound of the motor running, but the drum remains in place. This means that the problem is in the drive belt. Or rather, it has worn out, slipped or broken. To access the belt you may need to remove the back cover. If your model has a non-removable back cover, then remove the cover of the machine. If the belt is faulty, then we buy a new one and replace it.
• It is possible that the cause was worn out bearings or a foreign object between the tank and the drum. In this case, the drum will simply jam. And you won't be able to rotate it with your hands. Of course, these problems will need to be corrected.
• If the motor or module fails, you will not hear the sound of the motor running. In these cases, it is better to contact a household appliance repair specialist.

You can find more detailed information on these and other types of breakdowns in the section on washing machine faults. Good luck identifying faults and repairing them!