You have washed a whole basket full of dirty laundry and are surprised after the washing process that your laundry is still dripping wet? This is often due to the fact that the washing machine has not spun properly or even not at all. But don’t panic, you don’t have to call the customer service immediately, but should first check yourself whether you can repair the machine. Find out what causes this problem and what you can do about it in today’s guide!
- Washing machine
- Pump
Washing machine does not spin
Whether miele, siemens, bauknecht, bosch, AEG or beko, every washing machine can be affected by this problem. The washing machine no longer spins or does not spin properly? Then it is usually due to a clogged water drainage system. As a rule, the laundry is then spun, but does not dry as desired, because there is still water in the drum. Usually the laundry is then also everything else than clean. In addition, sometimes an incorrect load can cause the machine to spin improperly. If you take your laundry out of the machine dripping wet, this may be due to water-induced faults as well as a number of other causes:
- Water-related faults
-
clogged
- Foreign matter in the pump
- Drain hose clogged
- Siphon clogged
- drain pump broken
- Incorrect load
- Washing machine is not standing straight check
- Shock absorber defective worn out
In the following, we will explain in more detail how to find the actual fault and give you answers to the question of how to solve the problem at hand.
Water related problems of the washing machine
If, when opening the machine, you notice that the laundry is still dripping or that there is still water in the drum, there is usually a water-induced cause. This means that the machine spins normally, but the clothes cannot dry because there is still water in the drum during the spin cycle.
If you have a front loader, you can watch your machine while it is spinning. This makes it easy to find the problem, because if there is water in the drum during the spin cycle, you can be sure that the water is not draining properly from the drum.
But even in this case, various causes are possible. Before you can investigate the cause, the residual water must be drained from the machine in a controlled manner. There is a special mechanism near the lint filter for this purpose. It is best to place a flat baking tray under the machine to prevent flooding. Only when the water is completely drained, you can find out the cause of the water not draining away.
Clogged lint filter or foreign body in the pump
First check whether the lint filter itself is clogged. In most cases, a lot of lint collects there over time, so that the water can no longer drain properly. If you find a blockage, you should clean the screen thoroughly. However, we advise against starting the next wash cycle immediately. If the washing machine no longer spins properly, there are usually several reasons for this. Once you have disassembled the washing machine, it is therefore worthwhile to check other components of the technical system.
As long as the lint filter is unscrewed, you can also see the lye pump. Sometimes there are small objects that block the blades of the drain pump and prevent the dirty water from being pumped out. Remove any particles such as tissue remnants, buttons, or hair that could cause the pump to clog. If the waste water pump is in order, the search for the cause of the problem continues.
Drain hose or siphon clogged
If no blockage is found in the lint filter or in the pump, the machine may not be pumping the water properly because the siphon or the drain hose is blocked. Proceed as follows to expose the culprit of the problem and eliminate the source of the fault:
- Unscrew the drain hose at the siphon.
- Blow vigorously several times with your mouth.
- Alternatively, you can remove the entire external hose to check for blockages.
- If the hose itself is clear, check the siphon.
- It is especially often the culprit when it has a dual function, because the device serves as a washer and dryer at the same time.
- Remove the siphon and clean it thoroughly if necessary.
Once you have found and removed the blockage, your washer should spin normally on the next cycle.
Pump defective
In rare cases, the pipes, hoses and pumps are free of foreign bodies and the water is still not pumped out. In most cases, the wastewater or caustic pump itself is the cause of the problem. In this case, the best thing to do is to run the washing machine again in a short program and check during the spin cycle if an unusual rattling can be detected.
If this is true, you should call in a service technician who can repair the machine professionally. Skilled do-it-yourselfers also have the option of replacing the pump themselves. However, the procedure is different for different brands and types of washing machines.
Other error possibilities
If you remove wet clothes when opening the drum, but there is no more water in it, there are other possible causes of the fault. In this case, the washing machine does not spin at all or stops spinning too early. Even then, we recommend that you start a short wash cycle again and continue spinning. Unusually loud noises or jumping of the machine can be first indications for troubleshooting.
Transport lock not removed
Your washing machine no longer spins properly after the move? This is probably due to the fact that you have not removed the transport lock. If this is the cause of all the trouble, you can breathe a sigh of relief. All you have to do is unlock the transport lock and your washing machine should spin properly again the next time you wash it.
Poor location of the washing machine
You have removed the transport lock, but your washing machine still does not spin after the move? Then an unsuitable place of installation may be the cause of the problem. A firm and level surface is important for a correct spin cycle. If the washer is placed at an angle, on boards or swinging wooden slats, vibrations and movements will occur during the spin cycle, causing the spin cycle to stop. In the future, make sure that the washing machine is level and as stable as possible before putting it back into operation.
Incorrect loading
Sometimes an incorrect load is responsible for the machine not spinning properly and stopping the spin cycle.
The machine is incorrectly loaded, for example, if you have put too much heavy laundry in the drum. But even a single heavy sweater can cause the spin cycle not to run as desired.
Therefore, if your washer does not spin properly only in some cases, you should consult your instruction manual again to find out about the correct loading.
Broken shock absorbers
You have noticed during the spin cycle that the washing machine is bouncing? This may be due to broken shock absorbers. machines with such a defect cause loud noises even at low spin speeds or do not spin at all anymore. In this case, a repair by a specialist is necessary, as he must replace the shock absorbers.
Motor carbons worn out
If you can rule out all the causes of the problem described so far, or if you have not been able to solve the problem as a result, spent motor carbons can also be considered as a cause. The motor of such a machine has difficulty in starting up and does not spin at all or spins very slowly. As a result, the laundry is still dripping wet when it is removed from the drum. To find out if the motor carbons are worn out, remove the motor.
Only experienced do-it-yourselfers should remove the washing machine motor themselves. In order not to risk that the damage is greater afterwards than before, you should leave this task to an expert in case of doubt.
If you want to replace the motor brushes yourself, you should first watch a video showing the exact procedure for your particular washing machine.
Further troubleshooting tips
In the following overview, we have compiled further error descriptions and the corresponding solution suggestions to make troubleshooting easier for you if the possibilities described so far have not led to the solution of the problem.
- If the machine does not spin as strongly as usual only in a certain program? In this case, there is often no malfunction at all, because in wool or fine programs, the spin is generally not as strong in order to protect the fibers of the textiles.
- If the spin cycle stops after a short time, even though the machine is correctly loaded? Sometimes in this case the balancer or a sensor is broken.
- If there is a slight burning smell during the spin cycle? This may be due to a loose V-belt, which stretches over time.
For more serious faults, it is worth getting an estimate before repairing the machine. Sometimes it makes more sense to buy a new washing machine.
FAQ – the most frequently asked questions
What can you do if the washing machine stops spinning??
If a washing machine no longer spins, the lint filter may be clogged or there may be a foreign object in the pump. The siphon and drain hose may also be clogged. Sometimes the drain pump is broken. In these cases, the washing machine is not able to pump the water out of the drum, which means that it does not spin. Also check if the washing machine is loaded incorrectly and if it is standing straight. If the machine does not spin after the move, you may not have removed the transport lock. The motor carbons may also be worn out or the shock absorbers defective.
The washing machine no longer spins properly – what are the possible causes??
If a washing machine still spins, but much less than normal, it is usually still able to pump the water out of the drum. Water-related causes can therefore usually be ruled out. The machine may not be level or it may be incorrectly loaded. Defective shock absorbers or used motor brushes can also cause such a fault.
Why does the washing machine sometimes spin, but not always??
A washing machine that spins properly in some situations and only occasionally behaves abnormally during the spin cycle is usually not defective at all. Consumers are often unaware that they can influence the spin speed by selecting a program. If a wool or delicate wash cycle is selected, it is normal for the machine to spin less than with a boil wash.
The washing machine does not pump out the water and does not spin – why??
Often the washing machine cannot spin because it is not able to pump the water out of the drum. This is a normal safety mechanism, because if the dirty water is still in the drum, the spin cycle could cause other defects. The real fault is that the machine no longer pumps the water. This is usually due to clogged hoses, foreign bodies in the lint filter or a defective pump. Once the error is corrected and the water can be pumped out of the drum again, the machine should spin as usual.
It is possible that the washing machine is not spinning because there is not enough laundry in the drum?
Yes, it does happen that the machine does not spin because there are not enough clothes in the drum. In this case, the washing machine is not able to distribute the weight evenly, so that the spinning process is disturbed. Even an overloaded drum sometimes prevents the machine from spinning correctly.
What can be done if the washing machine no longer spins??
The best way to rule it out is to first check that the machine is still pumping out the water. If this is not the case, look for blockages or foreign bodies. If the water is still being pumped out, the motor carbons and the shock absorbers should be checked. If you can’t find the problem yourself, you can contact the service team.
Is it possible to program the washing machine so that it does not spin??
It depends on the machine. Read the instruction manual or ask the manufacturer for advice.
Summary
If dripping wet laundry is taken out of the machine after washing, it can be assumed that the washing machine has not spun or has spun only slightly. In this case, you should first exclude all water-induced causes and check whether the siphon, the lint filter, the waste hose or the lye pump is clogged. if there are no foreign bodies interfering with the drainage of the water, other causes are also possible, such as incorrect loading, a bad installation location, a transport lock that was not removed, broken shock absorbers or used motor carbons. Only when these causes can also be ruled out, should you call in a service technician.
Article image: © gabi moisa / shutterstock
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12 comments
Miele washing machine W 3371 everything already cleaned, spins sometimes normal and then almost not at all despite correct load was before ca. 1/4 year quite normal.
Then I have to change to 8 minutes extra, then spins normally. This can not remain so in the long run, what else can I do without expensive monteur?
Thank you for your help.
With my MIELE softtronic W1734 was often during the last spin cycle apparently foam was spun, which was not pumped off. Result: the laundry was insufficiently spun and remained too wet (but no longer dripping wet). After two expensive MIELE customer service visits no change. Own observation: the foam normally rises next to the waste water pump in a rubber pipe to the very top, runs at the top, next to the drum, into a small rubber bowl, becomes liquid and runs back to the waste water pump, to be pumped off from there. This "rising hose" was dirty; the foam could no longer rise, so it remained in the area of the waste water pump and was not "disposed of".
Once the machine was switched off and then on again after a few minutes, a considerable amount of water was pumped out, and then it spun the laundry properly until the desired result was achieved.
I removed the lid and the housing (rear panel) of the machine, removed the hose leading to the top of the rubber bowl (be careful! Plastic clamps! aging phenomenon: hardening, risk of breakage), cleaned with hot water, reinstalled, and – everything top again. Working time: approx. 30 minutes, calmly.
Another possibility is a clogged level sensor due to detergent residues. The ends in a thin (ca. 10mm) hose, which ends at the very bottom of the outer drum, usually in a transition housing (and at the upper end operates the membrane can with the switches – blow into the hose at the bottom, then you will hear it click at the top).
remove the hose from the bottom of the housing and the housing from the drum – on bosch WFK2831 this is simply clicked on-.
Clean everything thoroughly, especially the drum outlet down there.
After reassembly everything should work again. Test run can be made simply times with unplugged hose, then one knows that it was this error.
My miele 1734 was exactly the same as described above, the machine simply does not pump out properly, this is also quite easy to determine when the final spin water with foam runs down the inside of the door.
The culprit is a thin hose that goes from the water pump up to the water inlet ca.1 m long . (hose clogged)
attention only for skilled craftsmen.
Thanks emil !
This was also the case for me.
Same machine (miele W1734), same problem:
after 10 years with 4-5 washes per week (=approx. 2300 wash loads) ran in the last rinse cycle still foamy water down the bull’s eye and it appeared the message "check dosage".
I had not suddenly changed!
After another 2 months, the machine spun the laundry more and more often not as dry as usual.
But I had also not changed the amount of laundry.
So I searched for the hose you described.
I describe times more exactly:
A. Drain water (lint filter)
B. Pull the mains plug
C. Remove detergent compartment
1. Remove the cover (2 screws),
2. pull the control panel carefully upwards, it’s only clipped, the wires stay on it
3. Loosen door seal from front (remove wire ring)
4. door lock from the front loosen (2 screws)
5. unscrew the front (3 screws on each side I think and a thicker one under the filler opening)
6. remove the front panel (note the emergency door opening at the bottom left) and put it aside.
7. unscrew left side panel (front u. Rear each 3 screws) and take off.
8. Now we look into the machine from the left and see a black hose system:
at the top left there is a rubber trap or odor trap (attention: water in it)!), which hangs on 2 noses (pull out carefully and pour out the water)
9. Two 10mm hoses go from it:
the short to the left is in the corner with a ¼-turn to loosen (attention rotation lock) (attention inside a ball) , but was almost clean.
The one to the right was the culprit!
It leads (via a Y-piece – can’t remember where the other one went) horizontally to the front and down to the pump – loosen the hose clamp there.
10. water poured out of the traps? Then
11. loosen the hoses and clean everything:
in the traps many old detergent residues celebrate a huge party
and in the horizontal piece of hose to the pump,
yes there was just tight!
You can feel it when you squeeze it.
I have massaged this section again and again vigorously and rinsed out the grind loosened with it to both sides.
Surely 10 – 15 minutes.
Maybe it works better with a long pipe cleaner? The plumber certainly likes to exchange.
But on sunday afternoon ..
The pure working time on the machine was about 60 minutes
and the effort was worth it (in my eyes):
– some research on the internet (youtube and various forums -like this one of course)
– vacuuming under the removed washing machine (finally after 10 years)!)
– look for a tool ( torx 20? And 30? And slot screwdriver f.D.door seal wire)
and a suitable bowl under the lint filter (baking tray or flat storage box)!)
– tinkering and cleaning the hose and of course
– put everything back together again ! (ohso: put the screws back in their usual places and put the hoses on with some liquid soap, don’t forget the clamp)
– plug in, clean up the tools, rinse the cloth, wash your hands ..
That was certainly all together a good 4 hours of leisurely activity, always with a cup of coffee nearby 😉
but: without further costs :-))
My washing machine no longer spun, everything else worked.Had it after 17 years already written off.But thanks to your tips I went to the thing on the track. Lo and behold, after so many years, something has hidden in the flow sieve.A ten cent piece was the cause.Now it works like clockwork again. Thanks for the tips.
thanks stefan, thanks emil !
That was it also with me.
Same machine (miele W1734), same problem:
after 10 years with 4-5 washes per week (=approx. 2300 wash loads), foamy water was still running down the bull’s eye during the last rinse cycle and the message "check dosage" was displayed.
I had not suddenly changed!
After another 2 months the machine spun the laundry more and more often not as dry as usual.
But also the amount of washing I had not changed.
So I looked for the hose you described.
I’ll describe in more detail:
A. drain the water (lint filter)
B. Pull the mains plug
C. remove detergent compartment
1. remove the cover (2 screws),
2. Carefully pull the control panel upwards, it is only clipped, wires remain attached
3. Detach door seal from front (remove wire ring)
4. Loosen the door lock from the front (2 screws)
5. Unscrew the front (I think 3 screws on each side and a thicker one under the filler opening)
6. remove the front panel (note the emergency door opening at the bottom left) and put it to the side.
7. Unscrew left side panel (front u. Rear 3 screws each) and remove.
8. Now we look from the left into the machine and see a black hose system:
top left is a gummi-traps or odor trap (attention: water in it!), which hangs on 2 noses (carefully pull out and pour out the water)
9. Two 10mm hoses go from it:
the short to the left is in the corner with a ¼-turn to solve (achtung drehsicherung) (attention inside a ball) , but was almost clean.
The one to the right was the culprit!
It leads (via a Y-piece – don’t know where the other one went) horizontally to the front and down to the pump – loosen the hose clamp there.
10. poured water from the traps? Then
11. Loosen the hoses and clean everything:
in the traps many old detergent residues celebrate a huge party
and in the horizontal piece of hose to the pump,
yes there was just tight!
You feel it when squeezing.
I have massaged this section again and again vigorously and rinsed the thus loosened grind to both sides.
Certainly for 10 – 15 minutes.
Maybe it goes better with a long pipe cleaner? The plumber will surely be happy to replace.
But on Sunday afternoon ..
Pure working time on the machine was about 60 minutes
and the effort was worth it (in my eyes):
– some research on the internet (youtube and various forums -like this one of course)
– vacuuming under the removed washing machine (finally times, after 10 years!)
– looking for tools ( torx 20? And 30? And slotted screwdriver f.D.door seal wire)
and a suitable tray under the lint filter (baking tray or flat storage tin)!)
– the tinkering and cleaning of the hose and of course
– put everything back together again ! (ohso: put the screws back in their usual places and put the hoses on with some liquid soap, don’t forget the clamp)
– plug in, clean up the tools, rinse the cloth, wash your hands ..
That was certainly all together a good 4 hours of leisurely activity, always with a cup of coffee nearby 😉
but: without further costs :-))
With our 13 year old miele softtronic W3525 allwater was the same problem. The washing machine no longer spins correctly or. The laundry was after the spin still dripping wet. I had already twice this container on the rear wall in the drain system removed and cleaned.
And since also always some "schmodder" came out I was of the opinion that was the cause of our problem.
Unfortunately, my wife reported again and again that the problem was there again.
I was already close to a new purchase when I stumbled across these comments.
And "holla the wood fairy" it was actually this small hose that ends from the pump on the left side up in a Y-piece and then leads over a shorter piece of hose in the container on the back side.
This was completely tight. I cleaned it thoroughly and put everything back together again.
And the washing machine runs again without problems.
Unfortunately, I now have a new problem, my wife had already looked forward to a new washing machine with wifi and app control and now she may continue to wash with the old 😉
Thank you and many greetings
ralf
Thanks hannes,
and the other of course.
Your description of the problem has also applied to us and it was the same problem. Only with the problems we had in addition again and again also the easy smell of rotten eggs. On the other hand we have a miele W 4144 WPS. (control element not forward but upward).
Here now also again the description of the problem, so that everything stands together nicely:
– at some point we noticed that the washing machine smells like rotten eggs every now and then. Have us then first bought washing machine cleaner and after repeated use, the smell was then also gone, has come back after a few weeks.
– then in the last rinse cycle, foamy water ran down the bull’s eye and the message "check dosage" appeared. (but had also not changed anything)
– after another 2 months the machine spun the laundry more and more often not as dry as usual. Or. Sometimes not at all. A manual spin after the wash worked, but not with the same effect as usual.
Here are my activities, but they differ only slightly from yours, since we have a miele W 4144 WPS as mentioned above:
A.Turn off the water inlet (just to be sure)
B. Drain water (lint filter / caustic filter)
C. disconnect the power plug
D. remove the detergent compartment
1. Remove cover (2 screws on the side under the small white covers)
2. Remove the cover of the control element by pulling it upwards (the rotary head simply stays on)
3. take out the screws of the electronic of the control panel and lift up the electronic and either put it on top, or just disconnect the three connected cables at the bottom and put them on the side. Attention, the big plug is locked, but the two small ones are not, even if you can also see a nose for unlocking there.
4. Remove the housing of the control panel with detergent compartment upwards. To do this, a screw must be removed on the right, in the middle the two plastic latches must be pushed back and at the detergent compartment a locking lug (is in a small hole where two different white tones can be seen (semicircle above, semicircle below)
5. Loosen the door seal from the front (remove the wire ring)
6. remove the door lock from the front (2 screws)
7. Unscrew the front (only one thick screw on the filler opening)
8. Remove the front panel (note the emergency door opening at the bottom left) and place it to the side.
9. Unscrew the side panel on the left (front, top and rear 3 screws each) and take off.
10. Now we look into the machine from the bottom left and see the lint filter / caustic filter. From there a thin (approx. 1.5 – 2cm) thick black hose to the top passes internally a spring and ends in a Y – piece, because in a thicker black hose ends, which comes from the detergent compartment. The other connection of the Y – piece goes to the right further to the lye box.
11. These two thin black hoses on the Y-piece and the Y-piece itself were very dirty, but you couldn’t feel them. The hose has been squeezed normally.
12. The short hose from the caustic box to the Y – piece is to be loosened at the caustic box with a ¼-turn (attention rotation lock) (attention inside a ball).
13. Loosen the long hose from the lint filter / caustic filter (loosen the hose clamp).
14. Pull the Y-piece itself carefully out of the large black rubber that comes from the detergent compartment by twisting it.
15. Y – piece with the short and long hose can now be removed completely.
16. The two hoses are now to be cleaned properly. For this purpose, the black hoses can also be carefully detached from the Y-piece again, if this does not work due to blowing or rinsing the hoses on the piece. (mine was in the long hose a ca. 10 cm long sausage of lint and other stuff. I could not get it out in one piece, only when I had pulled off the long hose from the Y – piece, I could blow the long sausage out and make everything neatly clean.
17. Then reinstall everything and ready.
Thanks to all who have described the problem and its solution here so accurately. Also our 12 year old miele W4466WPS did not pump off completely from time to time. Spin the laundry not "dry. Occasionally the message "check dosage" also appeared.
I didn’t want to call a miele service technician because I was afraid he wouldn’t be able to find the occasional problem.
I removed and cleaned the following parts after disassembling the top plate and the left side panel; they were quite clogged, especially the long hose was completely clogged:
– the long black hose with approx. 1.5cm diameter from the lye pump to the Y-piece below the detergent box. It runs in the front left corner of the washing machine. it is secured with a spring clamp at the socket of the lye pump.
– the Y-piece
– the short black hose from the Y-piece to the connection box for the wastewater hose on the rear wall. At the junction box, turn the hose connection 90° counterclockwise. While doing so, push away the plastic locking lug with the other hand.
For easier removal, I heated all hose ends slightly with a hair dryer.
All in all, as a layman, I have ca. 60 minutes used.
However, I had already done the main work of dismantling the front screws of the left side wall, hidden behind the front wall. After the last repair I simply did not mount it again. The side wall also holds with the three top and three back screws.
Question: can someone explain to me the function of these two hoses? There is still a thick drain hose from the lye pump. In addition, the two cleaned hoses are connected via the Y-piece to an inlet in the washing drum. Their purpose is not entirely clear to me, and thus also why the laundry was occasionally not properly spun dry. The pumping out of the water should work on its own via the thick hose.
Hello team heimhelden
my wife wanted to order a miele service technician. To solve the problem myself, however, I have done some research on the internet. Fortunately I landed on your site. The problem was exactly as described above. After 2 hours of work, the miele wachmaschiene worked perfectly again. Thanks to all who pass on such help. greetings from switzerland simon
Hello, our bosch washing machine no longer dries, I myself repair coffee machines, but of washing machines I have no idea. Here was explained in detail what it can be, I will now try to fix it myself.
Thanks for the tips.