Washer Won't Agitate

The motor coupling connects the motor to the washer transmission. If the washer is overloaded, the motor coupling will fail in order to protect both the motor and transmission. The motor coupling can also fail due to normal wear. Inspect the motor coupling to determine if it is broken. If the motor coupling is broken, replace it.

Inspect the drive belt to determine if it is broken or if it is loose on the pulleys. If the drive belt is broken or loose, replace it.

Water Inlet Valve

Confirm the washer is plugged in and there is power at the wall receptacle. You can plug another small appliance into the recepticle to confirm there is power. If there is no power, confirm the circuit breaker has not tripped.

Since a washing machine control board provides voltage to nearly all of the washer's electrical components, a faulty board may not be sending power to the drive motor during the wash cycle, resulting in the washer not agitating. If power is not reaching the drive motor, you should first confirm the lid or door switch test properly with a multimeter. If the lid or door switch is working properly, the control board is likely at fault. You can inspect the board for signs of burning or a shorted-out component. You can also use a multimeter to test the power output terminals on the board after reviewing the appliance's wiring diagram.

Remove the agitator or wash plate and observe if the agitator shaft turns during the wash cycle. If it doesn't, the washer transmission might be worn out or defective. Transmissions have gears in them that can fail causing the washer to not agitate. However, this is almost never the case. Before replacing the transmission, first check all of the other components in this troubleshooting guide. If the motor is turning the transmission, but the washer won’t agitate, consider replacing the transmission.

The motor control board provides power to the motor. If the motor control board is defective, the washer may not work properly or may not work at all. First, check the control board for burned out components. To determine if the motor control board is defective, ensure that the control board is providing power to the motor. If the control board has power, but is not providing power to the motor, replace it.

The washing machine's clutch assembly makes the connection between the transmission and the inner tub to drive the agitator and spin the tub. Remove the agitator or wash plate and observe if the agitator shaft turns during the wash cycle. If it doesn't, the clutch might be worn out or defective. Since the clutch is not repairable, you will need to install a new clutch or clutch band kit to fix the problem.

The drive motor might be defective. However, the drive motor is rarely at fault for this symptom. Before replacing the drive motor, first check all of the more commonly defective washer components. If none of those components are defective, consider replacing the drive motor. To determine if the drive motor is defective, first ensure that the motor is getting power. If the drive motor hums but doesn’t run, is noisy, or does not turn freely, replace it.

The door lock secures the washer door shut during operation. Once the washer door is closed, the washer can begin operating. If the door lock is defective, the washer door will not latch properly. The door lock can fail either mechanically or electrically. Inspect the door lock for damage. If the door lock is damaged or does not latch properly, replace it. To determine if the door lock has failed electrically, use a multimeter to test each of the door lock switches for continuity.

The stator interacts with the rotor to create a strong electromagnetic field which rotates the tub in either direction. If the windings on the stator are damaged, the washer will not spin or agitate. Check the stator for damaged windings or other defects.

Suspension Rod

The lower agitator might be damaged or stripped away where it connects to the drive system inside. To determine if the lower agitator is stripped inside remove it from the washer and inspect for damage or wear.

The upper agitator might be damaged or stripped out at the lower agitator connection point. Inspect the agitator for damage or wear around the connection point.

The agitator might be damaged or stripped away where it connects to the drive system inside. To determine if the agitator is stripped inside remove it from the washer and inspect for damage or wear.

If the washing machine will not agitate correctly the washplate might be damaged and stripped off the drive shaft. The agitator can be removed to check out the washplate connection point.

A washing machine shift actuator is the component that causes the transmission to change between agitation and spinning modes. If the shift actuator is defective, the transmission may be stuck in the spin mode resulting in the washer not agitating. To help determine this, remove the agitator or wash plate and observe if the agitator shaft turns during the wash cycle. If it doesn't, it's possible the shift actuator is faulty.