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A top-load washer with an agitator in a US home laundry room, the lid open and clothes sitting still in water around the central post.

Washer
Not Agitating

The washer fills, but the agitator, impeller or drum does not move the clothes during the wash.

(844) 398-5711

Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm

  • 5 checks before you book
  • 5 questions that narrow it
  • 5 causes, cheapest first

Book a visit

Three short steps, about a minute.

or call (844) 398-5711

What it
usually means.

During the wash, the clothes have to move through the water: a top loader turns an agitator or an impeller back and forth, and a front loader tumbles the drum. When the tub fills and nothing moves, the motor is not running, or it runs but its motion does not reach the wash parts. On top loaders, worn agitator dogs, a failed motor coupling or a transmission problem are common. On any washer, a lid switch or a door lock that does not confirm closed can stop the wash from starting even though the fill went ahead.

A top-load washer is tipped back against the wall on a moving blanket in a US home laundry room, showing its drive motor and belt from underneath. The 5 causes, cheapest first

Answer these first

01

Do you hear the motor running while the clothes stay still?
02

On a top loader, does the lower part of the agitator move while the top part does not?
03

Can you turn the agitator or drum by hand with the power off?
04

Does the washer still spin at the end of the cycle?
05

Is the load so large that the clothes are packed tight?

Check these
before you book.

Washer not agitating: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything.

01

Take out part of the load and restart the wash to see whether the clothes move.

02

On a top loader, turn the top part of the agitator by hand with the power off; loose in both directions points to the dogs.

03

Listen for the motor running during the wash when nothing moves.

Also worth checking

  • Check whether the lid or door clicks locked when the wash should begin.
  • Note whether the spin still works at the end of the cycle.

How soon does it need a visit?

Not urgent. Drain the tub, finish the laundry another way, and avoid running full loads until the washer is checked.

The causes,
cheapest first.

5 things washer not agitating turns out to be, from overloaded tub to transmission or shift actuator.

The cost guide
  1. 01 no repair

    Overloaded tub

    A tub packed too tight leaves no room for the clothes to move. Taking some out lets the wash action work.

    No repair: check it yourself
  2. 02 low

    Worn agitator dogs

    Small plastic teeth inside a two-part agitator let the top turn one way. When they wear, the top section stops moving.

    Fixed by transmission and clutch repair On a top-load washer
  3. 03 low to moderate

    Failed motor coupling or belt

    The coupling or the belt carries the motor's turn to the transmission. When it breaks, the motor runs and the clothes stay still.

    Fixed by drive motor and belt repair
  4. 04 low to moderate

    Lid switch or door lock

    If the lid or door does not read closed, some washers fill but will not agitate or tumble.

    Fixed by door lock and lid switch repair
  5. 05 moderate

    Transmission or shift actuator

    On top loaders, the transmission or the part that shifts between wash and spin can wear out. When it does, the wash stops but the spin may still work.

    Fixed by transmission and clutch repair On a top-load washer
  6. What it costs

    Every repair on the site's cost scale, side by side

    Open the cost guide

The makes
it happens on.

14 makes on this site; washer not agitating can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page.

All 14 brands

Washer Not Agitating,
where we come out.

9 metros, each with its own page.

All service areas

Tampa BayFL · 31 areas

OrlandoFL · 30 areas

Miami / South FloridaFL · 47 areas

New York MetroNY · 75 areas

HoustonTX · 36 areas

ChicagoIL · 50 areas

Los AngelesCA · 95 areas

San DiegoCA · 31 areas

San Francisco Bay AreaCA · 74 areas

A parent and a child loading towels into an open front-load washer together in a bright laundry room
For the heart of your home.

Questions about
washer not agitating.

My high-efficiency top loader barely moves the clothes. Is it broken?
Probably not. Impeller washers move clothes gently and slowly compared with older agitator washers. If the clothes turn over during the wash and come out clean, it is working as designed.
Why does the agitator turn only one way?
On washers with a two-part agitator, the top part is meant to ratchet in one direction. If it spins freely both ways, the dogs inside have worn.
The washer spins but will not wash. Where does that point?
It usually points to the path from the motor to the wash action: the coupling, the agitator dogs or the transmission on a top loader. The motor and the drain are likely fine.
Can a front loader fail to tumble?
Yes. A front loader that fills but does not turn the drum usually has a belt, motor or door lock problem rather than a transmission problem.

Back to your everyday

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