Washer
Not Starting
The panel lights up but pressing start does nothing, or the washer shows no sign of power at all.
Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm
- 5 checks before you book
- 5 questions that narrow it
- 5 causes, cheapest first
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What it
usually means.
A washer that will not start is usually refusing rather than broken. Before it fills, it wants a closed and locked door or lid, a released control lock, a selected cycle and in some cases a delay timer that has run out. If the panel is completely dark, the question turns to power: the outlet, the breaker, the cord or the control's own power supply. Telling apart a dark panel and a lit panel that ignores you is the first step, and a lit panel often points to the door or lid.
The 5 causes, cheapest first
Answer these first
Is the display lit, or completely dark?
Is a lock, key or child lock symbol showing on the panel?
Does the door or lid click shut firmly, and does the washer try to lock it?
Is a delay start set, with a countdown on the display?
Does a lamp plugged into the same outlet work?
Check these
before you book.
Washer not starting: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything.
Look for a lock symbol or a delay countdown on the display and release it as the manual shows.
Close the door or lid firmly and listen for the lock to click when you press start.
Press the reset button on the laundry room outlet and check the breaker panel.
Also worth checking
- Unplug the washer for a few minutes, plug it back in, and try a short cycle.
- Note whether the panel was dark or lit, and any code, when you book.
How soon does it need a visit?
Not urgent. The washer is off and safe; the only cost is waiting laundry. If the panel went dark along with a burning smell or a tripped breaker, follow those pages instead.
The causes,
cheapest first.
5 things washer not starting turns out to be, from panel lock or delay timer on to motor or motor control not responding.
The cost guide-
01 no repair
Panel lock or delay timer on
Many washers have a lock that disables the buttons, and a delay start that waits for hours. Both show a small symbol, and the manual gives the button to hold to release them.
-
02 no repair
Tripped breaker or outlet
A laundry room outlet with test and reset buttons can trip without anyone noticing. Pressing its reset button, or resetting the breaker, brings the panel back.
-
03 low to moderate
Door lock or lid switch not closing
If the washer cannot confirm the door is locked or the lid is shut, it will not fill. You may hear it try to lock several times and give up.
-
04 moderate
Failed control board or user interface
A board that has lost its power supply or a keypad that no longer registers presses leaves the washer dark or unresponsive.
-
05 moderate
Motor or motor control not responding
On some washers the control checks the motor before starting and refuses if it does not answer. A code usually shows with it.
-
What it costs
Every repair on the site's cost scale, side by side
Open the cost guide
What else
it could be.
Most often confused with control panel not responding, then washer door won't unlock.
All problems
The makes
it happens on.
14 makes on this site; washer not starting can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page.
All 14 brandsWasher Not Starting,
where we come out.
9 metros, each with its own page.
All service areasTampa BayFL · 31 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
Questions about
washer not starting.
The washer beeps when I press start but does nothing. Why?
Can a power outage stop a washer from starting?
Why does the door lock click and then unlock again?
Is the washer broken if the panel is completely dark?
Back to your everyday
Still seeing washer not starting?
Book with what you checked above — 5 answers save the technician the first part of the visit.