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  1. Repair
  2. GE
  3. GE Washer
  4. Washer not spinning

GE washer not spinning

Common reasons your GE washer is not spinning

The most common reasons your GE washer is not spinning are a malfunctioning electronic control board, broken motor or a jammed door lock assembly.

  • 66%

    66% of the time it's the
    Electronic Control Board

  • 15%

    15% of the time it's the
    Motor

  • 13%

    13% of the time it's the
    Door Lock Assembly

  • 6%

    6% of the time it's the
    Something else

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    Most common repairs needed to fix a GE washer

    Electronic Control Board Replacement

    A malfunctioning electronic control board can lead to various failures in a washer. This is because the board serves as the brain of the washer, controlling crucial components such as the water valve, drive motor, drain pump, and cycles. If the electronic control board fails, the washer may not power up or display the cycle status. Additionally, it might fail to fill, agitate, spin, or drain. In some cases, a shorted board may emit a burning smell.


    Motor Replacement

    A broken washer motor will prevent the spin basket from rotating or agitating, and can also cause a variety of other issues that affect the washer’s ability to function properly. Signs that the motor is wearing out include unusual noises during operation, such as grinding or squealing sounds. The washer may also exhibit erratic spinning or agitation, with clothes not being properly rinsed or still soaking wet after the spin cycle. Additionally, a worn-out motor may lead to the washer not completing its cycles, stopping abruptly, or not starting at all. Burnt smells or overheating around the motor area can be indicative of internal problems. In some cases, visible damage to the motor itself may be apparent.

    Door Lock Assembly Replacement

    When a washer door lock assembly is jammed, you may encounter difficulty in opening or closing the washer door. The door may not latch properly, leading to issues in starting or completing a wash cycle. The washer might display an error code indicating a door lock problem. During operation, the door lock may make unusual clicking sounds or fail to engage, preventing the washer from starting. Additionally, if there is a malfunction, the door lock indicator light may not illuminate as expected. Users might notice water remaining in the drum even after the wash cycle has finished, indicating a potential problem with the door lock assembly preventing proper drainage.

    What to expect when you experience a GE washer not spinning issue

    How is the not spinning problem fixed?

    Correcting most not spinning problems usually involves replacing the electronic control board, motor or door lock assembly. However, there are many potential causes, so a thorough diagnosis is key to fixing the problem. An accurate diagnosis is essential to understanding how much the repair will be.

    Search for GE washer repair near me and you'll find Sears Home Services in your neighborhood and ready to fix your washing machine.

    Sears Home Services recommendations for a washer that is not spinning

    When the washer is not spinning it can be for many reasons. To avoid replacing unneeded parts we recommend having a Sears Home Services professional perform diagnostic tests to identify the root cause of the problem. Our technicians are experienced at diagnosing all types of washer failures.

    What to look out for with a washer not spinning diagnosis

    Diagnosing modern appliances without proper knowledge and training can be difficult. Without using proper diagnostic techniques, fixing your washer problem will only be achieved through changing parts on a hunch. Appliances, especially in the last 10 years, have become extremely advanced, and many models have electronic parts that are difficult to test. DIY repairs on the latest appliance models are becoming increasingly difficult.

    GE Washer Not Spinning Clothes Dry Troubleshooting

    When your GE washer is not spinning clothes dry, check the spin speed setting on your washer. The clothes won’t get as dry on slower spin speeds. Some cycles on a GE washer may limit spin speed to avoid damaging the washer but you may be able to select the extended spin option to get clothes dryer if your GE washer model has that setting available.

    Overloading the washer may prevent the machine from spinning clothes dry. If your GE washer is not spinning clothes dry and the load is large, pull some garments out and run a Spin & Drain cycle on the lighter load then repeat the process for the garments you pulled out. Follow loading instructions for your GE washer to avoid spin problems due to overloading the machine.

    When you discover your GE washer not spinning clothes dry, check for an unbalanced load. The washer won’t be able to go into high speed spin with an unbalanced load. Untangle a clumped together load of laundry and loosely reload the washer. Run a Spin & Drain cycle to spin more water out of the clothes in the washer.

    If these basic troubleshooting tips don’t help, you’ll likely need to schedule washer repair service. We’ll send a Sears Home Services technician to your home to diagnose and repair the cause of the spin problem in your GE washer.

    What to do when your GE Washer Spin Cycle is Not Working

    If you have a top load washing machine and your GE washer spin cycle is not working, make sure the washer lid is fully shut. If the lid is fully shut and the washer won’t spin, a faulty lid switch could be causing the problem. Have a service technician repair the washer if you suspect that it has a broken lid switch.

    An unbalanced load can be the cause of your GE washer spin cycle not working. On front-load washers and top-load washers with high speed spin features, the control will shut off the machine when a severely unbalanced load is detected and the washer control is unable to rebalance the load using tumbling or agitation action. When the spin cycle is not working, open the washer and check the load. If the laundry is tangled into a large clump inside the washer tub, untangle and separate the garments. Loosely load them back into the washer and run a Drain & Spin cycle.

    Overloading the washer can also be the cause of a GE washer spin cycle not working. Follow the guidelines in the user guide for your GE washer to avoid overloading the machine. It is harder for the control to rebalance an unbalanced load when the washer is overfilled. You can also cause the drive motor to overheat when your overload the washer.

    Other problems that can prevent your GE washer from spinning include:

    • Faulty water level pressure switch.
    • Defective drive motor.
    • Broken drive belt.
    • Bad electronic control board.
    • Wiring failure.

    Schedule washer repair service to have a Sears Home Services technician diagnose and repair your GE washer when you’re unable to resolve the problem yourself.

    Troubleshooting a GE Deep Fill Washer Not Spinning

    When your GE deep fill washer is not spinning, check for water in the tub that could be preventing the spin cycle from starting. If the washer tub is still full of water, check the house drain for the washer to see if the drain is clogged. Clear the clog if you find one and the start a drain and spin cycle to see if water drains and the washer spins.

    If the house drain is clear, check the drain hose for clog. Examine the end of the drain hose and remove any lint or debris that is clogging the hose. Use a wet/dry shop vacuum to suck out clogs in the drain hose. You can also drain water out of the washer using the wet/dry shop vacuum and try to spin the clothes with water drained from the washer tub. If the washer spins with the water drained out of the washer, have a service technician find and fix the cause of the drain problem so the washer resumes spinning the next time you use the washer.

    Another cause for a GE deep fill washer not spinning is an unbalanced load. Check the condition of the laundry load inside the washer and separate clumps of clothing so the washer will spin properly without stopping because the control detects an unbalanced load.

    Other failures such as a bad drive motor, broken drive belt, bad lid lock or door lock assembly will also prevent a GE deep fill washer from spinning. When basic troubleshooting steps don’t fix your GE deep fill washer not spinning problem, schedule washer repair service and we’ll send a Sears Home Services technician to your home to fix the washer.

    What to do When Your GE Washer Won’t Spin Fast

    A GE washer that won’t spin fast could have an unbalanced load inside the washer tub. Open the washing machine and check the condition of the laundry load. If you find the clothes all tangled and clumped together, separate the garments and loosely reload them then restart the washer to spin out the load.

    An overloaded GE washer won’t spin fast. If the washer stub is stuffed full of garments or heavy items like bath towels, remove half the load and restart the washer to see if it will spin fast. If the washer spins normally with half the heavy load removed, you know that overloading the washer likely prevented the load from spinning fast. Keep this in mind as you load the washer going forward to avoid future spin cycle problems in your GE washer.

    Check the spin cycle speed setting when your GE washer won’t spin fast. Increase the spin speed if the setting is on a slower speed.

    If these basic troubleshooting tips don’t help you resolve a problem this your GE washer that won’t spin fast, schedule washer repair service to have a Sears Home Services technician examine and repair the washer.

    How to Fix a GE Deep Fill Washer Not Spinning Clothes Dry

    When your GE deep fill washer is not spinning clothes dry, check for water inside the washer tub. The spin cycle won’t start until the water level sensor detects that water has drained out of the washer on some GE deep fill washing machines. If you find water still in the washer tub, check the house drain for the washer to see if water flows through the drain freely. If the washer drain is clogged, clear the clog using a plumber’s snake or have a plumber clear the clog.

    If the house drain for the washer is clear, check the drain hose for a clog. Use a wet/dry shop vacuum to suck lint and debris out of a clogged drain hose. You can also use the wet/dry shop vacuum to remove water from the tub and then see if the washer spins. If the washer spins the clothes dry after removing the water inside the tub, fix the drain problem or schedule washer repair service to have a Sears Home Services technician repair the washer.

    Another problem that will keep a GE deep fill washer from spinning is overloading the washer tub with laundry. The motor and belt will struggle to spin an oversized load of wet laundry. Follow the guidelines in the owner’s manual for your GE washer regarding load size. Reduce the size of the load inside the washer when an oversized load is preventing the machine from spinning the clothes dry. Reduce the size of future loads to prevent spin problems in your GE washer.

    GE Washer Doesn’t Spin Troubleshooting

    If your GE washer doesn’t spin, reset the control board by unplugging the power cord to completely disconnect electrical power for 2 minutes. Plug the power cord back in to restore electrical power and the electronic control board will reboot. After rebooting the control board, the washer may spin normally. Run a Drain & Spin cycle to spin the clothes dry.

    If the washer won’t spin after resetting the control board, check the control panel for an error code or fault code that indicates the control detects a component failure is preventing the washer from spinning. An error code or fault code may signal that the drive motor has problems or that the door or lid lock is defective. When an error code is showing up on the control panel display, you’ll typically need to have a service technician fix the problem.

    An unbalanced load will prevent the washer from spinning. When your GE washer doesn’t spin, check the condition of the garments or items inside the washer. Redistribute the load if the clothes are tangled up into a clump inside the spin basket. After redistributing the load, run a Drain & Spin cycle to spin water out of the clothes.

    Overloading the washer can also prevent a GE washer from spinning. If the load in the washer is extremely large, remove half the garments and restart the washer in the Drain & Spin mode.

    Fixing a GE Top Load Washer that Won’t Spin

    Make sure the lid is fully closed when your GE top load washer won’t spin. Some GE top load washers also won’t spin if the lid isn’t locked as well. A bad lid switch or lid lock assembly could be preventing the washer from spinning if the lid is fully shut.

    Check the condition of the load inside the washer. If load is extremely large, remove half the garments and see if the washer spins. Overloading the washer will prevent a GE top load washer from spinning. Follow the instructions in the owner’s manual to properly load the washer and avoid overloading.

    If the load inside the washer is tangles and clumped into a large mass, this unbalanced load condition is likely preventing the washer from spinning. Untangle the load and distribute the garments evenly in the tub. Restart the washer to see if the machine will spin out the clothes.

    If your GE top load washer won’t spin after following these basic troubleshooting steps, schedule washer repair service. We’ll send a technician to your home to diagnose and repair the washer.

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    Repair Washer Resources

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    Glossary Terms

    Hard water is water that contains high levels of dissolved minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium. It contrasts with soft water, which has lower concentrations of these minerals.

    A washing machine pedestal is a platform that raises the washer off the ground, providing easier access to the appliances and often includes additional storage space such as drawers.

    A washer tub is the interior part of a washing machine where clothes are placed for washing, typically made of stainless steel, plastic, or porcelain-coated metal, designed to hold water and withstand the agitation or spinning during the wash cycle.

    Fabric softener is a laundry additive used to soften and freshen clothing, reduce static cling, and make fabrics feel smoother.

    Additional possible GE washer symptoms you may experience