Washer Not Spinning? 6 Common Causes and How to Fix Them

Why is my washer not spinning?

A washer only spins when several conditions are met at once: the water is gone, the lid or door is locked, and the load is balanced enough to spin safely. If any of these fails, the control pauses the cycle or shows a code. Samsung explains that the washer drains before it spins, so a drain problem keeps it from ever reaching the spin step ^[2].

That is why the six causes below run from the most common and easiest to the least common:

#	Cause	What you may notice	First fix
1	Unbalanced, too small or too large load	Drum rocks, slows, retries or shows an unbalance code	Redistribute the laundry; add or remove items
2	Water still in the drum	Clothes sit in water; drain code such as OE or 5C	Clean the pump filter (front-load), check the drain hose, cut detergent
3	Lid or door not locking	Cycle stops before spin; lid or door lock code	Close firmly, clear anything in the latch
4	Cycle or spin setting	Clothes come out very wet but the cycle finishes	Pick a cycle with a higher spin speed
5	Washer not level, or shipping bolts left in	Heavy shaking, walking, or a new washer that won't spin	Level all four feet; remove shipping bolts
6	Motor or drive fault	Drum won't turn even when empty; motor code	Call a technician

Is the load unbalanced, too small or too large?

An off-balance load is the most common reason a spin slows, stops or restarts. Samsung says an unbalanced washer won't spin at high speed and may spin slowly, stop mid-cycle or show an error ^[3]. The fix depends on what kind of load you have:

• Too small. Samsung notes that small loads collect on one side of the drum; add more laundry or reduce the spin speed ^[3]. Whirlpool also advises against washing a single item alone ^[6].
• Bulky. Sheets and blankets tangle into one heavy lump. Untangle and spread them by hand. LG suggests washing large blankets one at a time on the Blanket or Duvet cycle ^[8].
• Too large. Maytag says a heavy or uneven load makes the washer unstable, so it stops spinning to avoid damage ^[1]. Whirlpool top-load HE washers show OL when the load is too large ^[6].

Samsung gives a useful size guide: a small load is 3 to 5 pounds, or about one third of the drum, and a large load is 6 to 16 pounds, or about three quarters full. One pair of jeans weighs about a pound ^[3].

Pause the cycle, wait for the lid or door to unlock, spread the laundry evenly around the drum, close it and start a Spin Only or Rinse and Spin cycle. Brand unbalance codes are covered in detail in our LG washer UE code guide.

Is there still water in the drum?

If your clothes are sitting in water, treat it as a drain problem first. A washer that cannot drain will not spin, because the drain step comes before the spin step. Samsung says this directly in its no-spin guide and puts cleaning the pump filter first on front-load models ^[2].

Front-load washers. Unplug the washer, put down towels and a shallow container, and open the pump filter panel at the front bottom corner. Samsung's steps: drain the water through the small drain hose, twist the filter counterclockwise to remove it, brush off debris, check that the pump impeller is clear, then refit it clockwise until secure. Samsung suggests cleaning it about once a month or every 40 washes ^[2]. If the last cycle was hot, let the water cool first.

Top-load washers. Samsung and Maytag describe the pump filter as a front-load feature, so on a top-loader start with the drain hose. Our LG washer OE code guide walks through both washer types step by step.

Every washer. Check the drain hose for kinks and clogs, and clear any blockage in the hose, standpipe or utility sink ^[1]. Samsung says the hose should go at least 6 and no more than 8 inches into the drain pipe without an airtight seal, at a height of 18 to 96 inches for a standpipe ^[2]. Height limits differ by brand, so follow your installation instructions.

Too many suds. Excess detergent can stop the washer from pumping water out and spinning, so measure detergent and follow the maker's directions ^[1]. Whirlpool says to use only HE detergent in HE washers and shows a Sud code when it detects too many suds ^[7].

Is the lid or door locking?

The washer will only run when the lid or door is securely closed, so a lid or door that does not lock stops the spin. Maytag explains that the lid or door switch exists for exactly that reason ^[1].

• Top-load: Whirlpool's LdL code means the lid is not locking; check for items under the lid and detergent buildup around the lock ^[6]. LG's top-load dL code can come from objects in the lock or from use in a humid room ^[8].
• Front-load: Look for clothing caught in the door gasket. Whirlpool's F5 E2 means the door is not locking; remove anything blocking the door and make sure it closes fully ^[7].

Never try to defeat or bypass the lid switch or door lock. It keeps hands away from a drum that can spin at high speed. If the lock is damaged or the code returns with nothing in the way, LG directs owners to request service.

Is it the spin setting or the installation?

Did you pick a slow-spin or no-spin setting?

Sometimes the washer did spin, just slowly. Maytag says gentle, delicate and hand-wash cycles use slow spins that leave more water in the clothes; heavy duty or similar cycles spin faster ^[1]. Samsung UK adds that each cycle has a preset spin speed, and on most cycles you cannot pick a higher speed than the preset ^[4].

Look at the spin-speed option on your control panel. If your model offers a no-spin or hold setting, make sure it is not selected. Then run a Spin Only cycle with the care label in mind.

Is the washer level, and were the shipping bolts removed?

A washer that rocks on an uneven floor shakes harder during spin and may slow down to protect itself. Samsung says the washer needs a solid, firm connection at all four corners. If one corner wobbles, shorten the other legs first; on front-loaders, loosen the locking nuts, adjust the legs and retighten them, then run a small test load ^[3]. Unplug the washer before you tip or move it, and get a helper, because washers are heavy.

On a new front-load washer, check the shipping bolts. Whirlpool's F7 E1 code means the motor can't reach the speed the cycle needs, and its first steps are to confirm the shipping bolts are removed and the washer is not overloaded ^[7].

How do you fix a washer that won't spin, step by step?

1. Read the display. Write down any code before you reset anything. Meanings differ by brand and series, so check the table below, your manual or our error code lookup.
2. Deal with standing water. Clean the pump filter on a front-loader and check the drain hose on any washer.
3. Check the lid or door. Close it firmly and clear anything in the latch or gasket.
4. Fix the load. Spread it evenly, add items to a tiny load or take some out of a packed one.
5. Check the setting and the floor. Choose a cycle with a normal spin speed, level the feet and, on a new washer, confirm the shipping bolts are out.
6. Reset and test. For an unexplained code on its front-load washers, Whirlpool's reset is to unplug the washer for 5 minutes, then reselect the cycle ^[7]. Some Samsung washers also have a Calibration mode: empty the drum, hold Temp and Delay End for 3 seconds until Cb appears, then press Start; the drum turns for 1 to 3 minutes ^[2]. Check your manual for the exact buttons.

Common spin-related codes by brand:

Brand	Unbalanced	Not draining	Lid or door	Motor or drive
LG	UE	OE	dE; dE2 (front-load); dL (top-load)	LE
Samsung	UE, Ub	5C, 5E, nd	dC, dE, dL	3C, 3E
Whirlpool top-load HE	OFb; OL (too large)	drn	LdL	F# E# (system)
Whirlpool front-load	(not listed)	F9 E1	F5 E2	F7 E1

The table draws on LG's front-load list ^[9] and top-load list ^[8], Samsung's code list ^[5] and Whirlpool's top-load HE ^[6] and front-load pages ^[7]. On LG washers, LE means the motor is blocked, often by an overload or a foreign object; our LG LE code guide explains it.

When should you call a technician?

If the empty drum still won't turn after the drain, lock, load and setting checks, the problem is most likely the motor or the drive parts that turn the drum. Samsung says a washer that does not spin at all may need service for a motor issue, and to request service if the tub does not turn during Calibration mode ^[2]. Samsung UK adds that overloading can make the belt slip on older models, and that a drum that does not turn at all likely needs an engineer ^[4].

Depending on the design, the drive can include a belt, a motor coupling, a clutch or a transmission. Leave all of them to a technician, along with:

• a motor code such as LG LE that returns after you clear the drum, or Samsung 3C,
• a burning smell, grinding or a humming motor with no drum movement,
• a lid or door lock that is damaged or will not lock with nothing in the way.

Do not remove the back or front panels to test parts yourself. Browse more fixes in our washer repair guides, or see the Samsung and Whirlpool pages for brand-specific articles.