Whirlpool front-loader

[Testarossa]

I've always just bought used washing machines off Craigslist -- $25 and it slides into the back of the Subaru. They last two to five years and repeat. This time I wanted to build a workbench over the washer-dryer pair, so I went to an "Appliance Factory" outlet and spent $250 on a front-loader.  Too heavy to load and unload myself so I paid $90 for delivery.

The washer wouldn't start -- showed a fault code instead. 30 day warranty, so they brought out another one. Bearings shot -- the tumbler sefl-destructed after two loads. They brought out a third machine. This one ran well, twice, then showed an F22 fault code, which means a bad door latch switch. So I bought a door latch switch and installed it. The machine started, began filling with water -- then stopped and showed code F29 -- which is also the door latch switch. Before I start replacing one component after another, anyone on this board have experience with the electrics in these things? All the connections, components and wiring look clean, tight and undamaged.

[skromfols]

This is probably not the best forum for asking washing machine questions.  I've found that most appliances have forums where you can find answers to questions like this.
 
 http://forum.appliancepartspros.com/washer-repair/520963-whirlpool-washing-machine.html,
 or
 http://www.diyforums.net/my-whirlpool-top-loader-washing-machine-sometimes-does-spin....-7898720.html

I've found that going to equipment specific chat forums can be very helpful in troubleshooting. 

[fotoguzzi]

This is probably not the best forum for asking washing machine questions.  I've found that most appliances have forums where you can find answers to questions like this.
 
 http://forum.appliancepartspros.com/washer-repair/520963-whirlpool-washing-machine.html,
 or
 http://www.diyforums.net/my-whirlpool-top-loader-washing-machine-sometimes-does-spin....-7898720.html

I've found that going to equipment specific chat forums can be very helpful in troubleshooting. 

Umm, disagree, this is the best place to go with any question... your answer will be along shortly..

is the 30 day coverage run out? maybe you should just get money back and go to CL?

[charlie b]

There are many things that can cause fault codes on these darn things and they are different depending on where in the cycle it is when if fails.

First thing I do with a fault is clean out the filter.  It collects stuff and when it clogs generates a fault code.

Then there is the little plastic doohickey on the soap dispenser.  It is fragile and if it breaks or slips it screws up the whole sequence.

Other than that we call a technician.  He knows what the problem is based on model and code due to his experience in working on these things, not what's in the book.

[Mike Tashjian]

Front loaders have a big problem with stuff growing in around the drum.  We have to use special low suds soap(HE) labeled and then have to keep the door propped open to help slow the growth in there.  Once a month or so we have to run a empty load with a special(two dollars a pop) cleaner.  Then there is the problem most have with the spider on the back of the drum that corrodes and breaks just after the warranty is up.  When it goes it can take out other parts which will render the whole unit scrap.  We have a Bosch unit which on the plus side is very good about water conservation and uses very little soap.  Not cheap though and with water prices in Upstate NY ridiculously cheap, I just threw that in for other places in the country.  It seems the trend will be back to top loaders. They don't tend to be afflicted with the drum spider issue and the odor issue that the front loaders have.   And the new ones seem to have solved some of the water efficiency issues too.  Mike

[Gary]

"Appliance Factory Outlets" generally have either items that have been returned for reason, sat for months on a showroom floor or were poor sellers, again for reason. Can't fault the price though. You may have to go through a few to find a good one though. Even if they were just sitting on the showroom floor it is amazing how much damage lookers and their kids can do. Doors are slammed. Kids swing on them. The soap dispenser is taken out put back in wrong and slammed shut. It gets worse wear than if a family used it for a year. Whirlpool is generally a quality laundry product and depending upon the date of manufacture, probably made in the US. Whirlpool is the largest manufacturer of appliances in the world and owns Kitchenaid, Maytag, Jennair, Admiral, (and maybe others). Their major appliances as well as those by GE are now being made in US factories.

If is was sold as a new appliance, you should have a 1 year manufacturers warranty. This may be helpful in getting it right.

Generally front loaders are superior to top loaders in all respects. They use less water, clean better and are gentler on clothes. They require a bit of preventive maintenance however. Most have a drain and filter at the front bottom. Follow mfg recommendations closely. Detergent door and washer door should remain open when not in use. If moisture is not allowed dissipate, mildew may form on the outer drum or the door gasket. Same with a top loader, but most people leave them open when not in use and they do have vents in the door anyway.

It is important to use the right detergent, labeled HE (high efficiency) and use as little as possible. Never use more than 2 tablespoons, less if possible and if the load is small. Could use packets instead.

[Testarossa]

Thanks, guys. I did clean out the filter and fixed the busted lever arm on top of the soap dispenser. Everything else looks kosher so I may just ask them to apply the price toward a new one. I have enough on my hands with the T and Triumph rebuild, the flood damage, the trial and, oh yeah, the job.

[PeteS]

Old Maytags are like Guzzis. Last nearly forever and you can still get parts for them. We bought our washer and dryer in 1972 and they get used a couple of times a week. My folks had a similar vintage set that ran three years go when we sold their house.
Wouldn't buy a new Maytag though.

Pete

[LaMojo]

The belt less Whirlpool top loading washer is about as simple and trouble free washer you can buy.  The front loaders have a history of tub bearing assemblies having to be replaced early in their design life. Very expensive!

[Andrew Thomas Evans]

"Appliance Factory Outlets" generally have either items that have been returned for reason, sat for months on a showroom floor or were poor sellers, again for reason. Can't fault the price though. You may have to go through a few to find a good one though. Even if they were just sitting on the showroom floor it is amazing how much damage lookers and their kids can do. Doors are slammed. Kids swing on them. The soap dispenser is taken out put back in wrong and slammed shut. It gets worse wear than if a family used it for a year. Whirlpool is generally a quality laundry product and depending upon the date of manufacture, probably made in the US. Whirlpool is the largest manufacturer of appliances in the world and owns Kitchenaid, Maytag, Jennair, Admiral, (and maybe others). Their major appliances as well as those by GE are now being made in US factories.

If is was sold as a new appliance, you should have a 1 year manufacturers warranty. This may be helpful in getting it right.

Generally front loaders are superior to top loaders in all respects. They use less water, clean better and are gentler on clothes. They require a bit of preventive maintenance however. Most have a drain and filter at the front bottom. Follow mfg recommendations closely. Detergent door and washer door should remain open when not in use. If moisture is not allowed dissipate, mildew may form on the outer drum or the door gasket. Same with a top loader, but most people leave them open when not in use and they do have vents in the door anyway.

It is important to use the right detergent, labeled HE (high efficiency) and use as little as possible. Never use more than 2 tablespoons, less if possible and if the load is small. Could use packets instead.

+1

I'll ask some people I know who sell appliances, but I haven't heard any horror stories like the OP's in a while, but then again I thought front loads would be a bit more expensive than they paid...

fwiw, you don't want to know what goes on in appliance warehouses.

[twhitaker]

fwiw, you don't want to know what goes on in appliance warehouses.

That's just great. I didn't but now I do. ???

[Andrew Thomas Evans]

That's just great. I didn't but now I do. ???

So appliance boxes have a lip on them that let's a special forklift move them around and place them on top of one another. As far as I know there really isn't any racking or pallets, they are just stacked - or maybe some auto racks with rollers, but I still bet a lot of them are stacked on top of each other 2-3-4-5 high. So if one makes it to a scratch and dent or discount place with damange, you really don't know if it was due to a minor fall, or something 10+ feet up.

As another example, at the window warehouse I worked at 10 years ago we stacked some normal sized windows flat one on top of another in groups of 8 or 10, then added some boards, and would stack 4 or 5 groups together and they went up 20 feet or so. It wasn't all that much fun to stack them high, we had some piles that leaned a little, and sometimes one would fall.

[eldoroddo]

Another front loader horror story.
You can't beat an older model top loader with a normal agitator (on the non water saving type of machine) and old school timer, if you can find one.
Something in Avocado Green or Harvest Gold would be groovy.

[Pfaff!]

Go for a Miehle.
Bulletproof German panzer.

[roofus]

Go for a Miehle.
Bulletproof German panzer.

Miele!!!! no "H"

http://www.miele.com/international/enint/home.htm

I have A Miele vacuum, dishwasher, laundry washer, clothes dryer and espresso machine. They are the best appliances out there!

[blackcat]

Go for a Miehle.
Bulletproof German panzer.

We have a Miele washer and dryer. The washing machine water pump went bad after eight years if ownership(now in the 12th) and I blame it on screws,pennies etc. left in my pockets ending up in pump screw but that is speculation. Easy to replace pump but it wasn't cheap. Dryer is ventless which is nice.

[RayB]

We had a Maytag toploader that was around 10 years old and came withthe house when we bought it. It lasted another 20 years and my wife used it everyday. Maytag had a good reputation for reliability so we replaced it with a new one. Piece of crap. It shredded our clothes on a regular basis, I did all kinds of repairs and gave up on it after the last gearbox fix.

Apparently Maytag tried to emulate Harley-Davidson after the AMF boondoggle

Replaced that Maytag POS with a Fischer-Paykill toploader....that was 5 years ago. Had zero problems with it and is used everyday.
Wife loves that machine.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Replaced that Maytag POS with a Fischer-Paykill toploader....that was 5 years ago. Had zero problems with it and is used everyday.
Wife loves that machine.

Good Kiwi product, 1 moving part ;-T

[fotoguzzi]

we have a Kenmore 12 years old..
we also have Service plus contract thru local Nat. gas utility that covers furnace and our choice of about 5 other appliances, what a life saver that contract is...
Last month we had them over to fix the washer that was making a knocking and dimming the lights in the spin cycle.. first guy put in a new agitator and called it fixed, NOT.. asked for a different guy who came and replaced the motor.. still not fixed and it shorted something out.. so he orders a new capacitor and when it comes by fedex he's back to fix it with a second tech/adviser. they put it in and find the short killed the switches and timer dial so they got replaced too.. saw this box full of old parts when I got home.. told wife, Wow, you got a whole new machine under the hood, should we paint it?
I said metal flake flames but she didn't go for it..
same washing machine has been sending pocket lint and other shmutz down the drain forever and it eventually clogs the pipes, the SERVICE contract covers drain pipe to street.. So, once a year we have them ream out the drain pipes from the laundry room out to the street.. Roto Rooter would charge about 3 bills for that..
ANd we got a new igniter in the furnace this winter, free..
 I'm not one to buy extra warranty on much but this service contract really pays if you have old appliances.. when they finally die I head over to Craigs list!

[Wayne Orwig]

we have a Kenmore 12 years old..

Kenmore top loader.
22 years old.
I replaced the lid switch a couple of years back.

[Pfaff!]

Miele!!!! no "H"

http://www.miele.com/international/enint/home.htm

I have A Miele vacuum, dishwasher, laundry washer, clothes dryer and espresso machine. They are the best appliances out there!

We have a few too, but as their lives are so unspectular you never have to give them a look, just load and forget. So, forgive me the misspelling.  ;D

When I sold my parents house some 10 years ago the Miele (please note: no H!) washing machine bought in the early 60s was still there, working. Think they changed the programming-watch once.

[Pfaff!]

WOW ! Miele (look no H) might be a brilliant machine , but you can buy a nice used MC for the same price .
Dusty


Sent from a submarine in Oklahoma .

How will your old used MC do your laundry?  :BEER:

[Rough Edge racing]

 You must see this, be sure to use the skip feature in the advertisement

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq6T5BojXc8

[Pfaff!]

Good one . I suppose one could just ride in the rain ,
Dusty


Sent from a submarine in Oklahoma .

With a detergent dispenser in front of you ???

[Pfaff!]

You must be pickier than me . Ha!
Dusty


Sent from a submarine in Oklahoma .

Nooo, I'm the kindest ever found. 8)

[Orange Guzzi]

I own a coin laundry and do all my own tricks ( repairs ).  Washers and dyers do not last forever, just ask my customers.  I have many that come to my store because theirs is broke.  The equipment used in a coin laundry is no different than what is used in a home with the exception of the coin box or card reader.

Top load washers of the old style are being forced out of the market by our wonderful government.  They use to much water.  A top loader can use 55 gallons, a front loader 12.5 gallons.

Front loaders can get mold in them.  Leave the door open between uses to air out.  Front loader will not spin out because the drum shocks blow there seals.  This causes excessive shaking and the out of balance switches shut the unit down.  Replace the shock.  The door lock switch fails because the rubber gasket leaks and moisture gets in the switch.  Replace the switch and the seal.  Fill valves get a speck of dirt in them.  Pumps get something in them and stop spinning.  Remove the bottom of the washer and clean out the pump, easy to do.  Belts seldom brake, but do.  Motor seldom fail. Control boards seldom fail. 

There is a reason the used washer was for sale, most likely the previous owner go rid of it because it was broke and tired of messing with it.

You can't put 20 pound of dirt in a 10 pound machine and expect it to last forever.  Hot water is useless in a washer.  Within 2 minutes of filling it is cold.

Part prices are all over the board.  I do not buy all my parts from one supplier. 

As far as quality, I have got the longest life out of the Matag units.  Also the actual manufacturer may be different than what is on the label. 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

How will your old used MC do your laundry?  :BEER:

1. buy an old Harley dresser, before they rubber mounted engines
2. fill saddlebags and trunk with water and detergent, add clothes
3. ride around to wash the clothes

 ;D ;D

[Dilliw]

When we bought the house last year we needed a new washer and dryer.  Kim wanted an "old school" agitator but they are almost extinct now unless you buy new.  We ended up with the Kenmore Elite (LG) top loader/electric dryer and I must say they do the intended jobs (cleaning and drying clothes) better than the old style models they replaced.  Time will tell if they last as long though.

[Lannis]

We have a few too, but as their lives are so unspectular you never have to give them a look, just load and forget. So, forgive me the misspelling.  ;D

When I sold my parents house some 10 years ago the Miele (please note: no H!) washing machine bought in the early 60s was still there, working. Think they changed the programming-watch once.

Fay has a Miele vacuum cleaner that's a good one.

And warning to you folks getting ready to buy a dishwasher - I wouldn't buy another KitchenAid!    Ours is 3 years old and I've already spent $100 in parts fixing things.   The appliance SEEMS well made and is expensive, but the plastic bits on the inside that hold the racks in place are just junky little bits not suited for their job that actually wear out in addition to cracking and breaking.   When I started searching for advice and parts, I found I wasn't the ONLY one having the problems!

Should have gotten the Bosch!

Lannis

[bobdar]

My ex wanted a Maytag Neptune front loader about 15 or 20 years ago--she's gone but the washer is still here.  Have replaced the wax motor (not really a motor but something that latches the door), a resister and a diode in the circuit board and the two bearings that support the drum.  The same ethic that keeps me fixing old motorcycles and race cars seems to extend to appliances as well.  Some call me "stingy" but I prefeer "frugal".  I hate disposable stuff.