WasherRepair.center (844) 398-5711Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm Book a visit
A top-load washer in a US home laundry room with its lid open and a heavy damp comforter bunched to one side of the drum.

Washer
Not Spinning

The wash finishes but the drum barely turns at the end, and the clothes come out dripping wet.

(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.

The spin is the hardest work a washer does: the drum has to reach high speed with a heavy wet load, and the washer checks several things before it tries. It needs the water pumped out, the lid or door locked, and the load spread evenly. If any of those checks fails, most washers skip or cut short the spin rather than risk shaking the room. So a washer that will not spin is often a washer that will not drain, will not lock, or thinks the load is out of balance. When all of that is fine, the belt, the motor, the clutch or the shifter that changes the drum from washing to spinning comes next.

A technician crouches beside an open front-load washer in a US home laundry room, reading a multimeter held against a wiring harness. The 5 causes, cheapest first

Answer these first

01

Does the water drain out before the spin should start?
02

Does the drum try to spin, slow down, and try again several times?
03

Is the load one heavy item, such as a rug, a comforter or a single pair of jeans?
04

Do you hear the motor run while the drum stays still or turns slowly?
05

Does the washer lock its lid or door at the start of the spin?

Check these
before you book.

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

01

Open the washer and spread the load evenly, or add a few towels to balance a single heavy item.

02

Run a drain-and-spin setting and watch whether the water drains out first.

03

Listen for the lid or door lock to click when the spin should begin.

Also worth checking

  • Turn the drum by hand with the washer unplugged and note whether it moves freely.
  • Write down any code or blinking light that shows when the spin is skipped.

How soon does it need a visit?

Not urgent. Wring out or rewash the wet laundry, and avoid running heavy loads until the washer is checked, because a slipping clutch or belt wears faster under weight.

The causes,
cheapest first.

5 things washer not spinning turns out to be, from unbalanced load to worn clutch or shift actuator.

The cost guide
  1. 01 no repair

    Unbalanced load

    A single heavy item or a wad of towels on one side makes the washer abort the spin to protect itself. Spreading the load, or adding a few items to balance it, is the fix.

    No repair: check it yourself
  2. 02 low to moderate

    Drain problem

    If water is still in the tub, the washer will not spin. A clog or a pump that has stopped is the real cause here.

    Fixed by drain pump repair See washer not draining
  3. 03 low to moderate

    Lid switch or door lock

    The spin needs a confirmed lock. A worn lid switch on a top loader or a lock that does not report closed on a front loader stops the spin.

    Fixed by door lock and lid switch repair
  4. 04 low to moderate

    Broken belt or motor coupling

    On belt-driven washers, a belt that slipped off or broke leaves the motor running without the drum. Direct-drive top loaders use a small rubber coupling that wears the same way.

    Fixed by drive motor and belt repair
  5. 05 moderate

    Worn clutch or shift actuator

    Top loaders switch between washing and spinning through a clutch or a shifter. When it wears, the drum turns slowly or not at all on the spin.

    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 spinning can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page.

All 14 brands

Washer Not Spinning,
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 spinning.

Why does my washer spin fine with towels but not with a comforter?
A comforter bunches into one wet mass that throws the drum off balance. The washer slows down to protect itself. Washing one bulky item with a couple of towels usually helps.
Can a washer agitate but not spin?
Yes, especially on a top loader. Washing and spinning use different parts: the clutch or shifter that makes the drum spin can wear while the agitation still works.
The drum spins slowly and the clothes are very wet. Is that related?
It is closely related. A slow spin often comes from a slipping belt or clutch, or from a washer that detected imbalance and chose a gentler speed.
Is it worth fixing a washer that will not spin?
Usually. The most common causes, a lid switch, a coupling, a belt or a drain clog, are among the least costly washer repairs. A worn transmission on an older top loader is where the question gets closer.

Back to your everyday

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