It’s a particularly frustrating scenario …. You put a load of wash in the machine, set it going and leave for work, expecting to come home and remove the clean washing, only to find that the washing machine door has jammed and won’t open!
It’s a fact that washing machine doors rarely have doors stuck closed before you load a wash – the annoying fault generally always occurs when the washing cycle is finished, and leave you with the dilemma of getting the washing out and figuring out why the door is jammed.
What to do when your washing machine door won’t open
The first step is to ascertain if there is still water in the drum of the machine. If there is, check the filters (which could be messy if water runs out). There could be a blockage.
It’s important to know that some makes and models of washing machines will lock the door closed if there is water in the drum. Try running a spin/drain cycle to get rid of the water.
Once the water is drained out the door should open. If not, or if there was no water in the machine, it is likely there is a problem or fault with the door locking switch.
This could be down to a faulty pressure switch, which is not allowing the cycle to reset to empty, so it fails to release. You can try turning off the mains power and leaving the machine for around 10 minutes before switching it on again to see if the door unlocks.
You should also check the door and handle (they can be fragile) for damage, and gently try to manipulate the handle to open it, with the power to the machine turned off for safety’s sake.
A last resort would be breaking the lock open to recover your load of washing, but we’d recommend that before you do that you call in a Capital Repairs washing machine repair technician to investigate.
Reasons why a washing machine door is jammed closed
Rather than force the door, and thereby cause more problems and a more expensive repair, if your washing machine door sticks closed it’s best to call a professional to diagnose and fix the issue.
We usually find that a jammed washing machine door is down to one of the following:
- Drainage problems – this could be caused by anything from a blockage in the filter or drainage hose, or a faulty pump.
- Pressure Switch – this component of your washing machine identifies the water level inside the drum, and controls the filling and draining cycles. If it doesn’t work properly, the door lock won’t be released.
- Faulty Interlock Circuits: Washing machine door latches are secured by an electrical coil mechanism for delayed opening to protect users from moving parts. The Interlock circuit can become faulty for a variety of reasons – usually loose, burned or overheated wiring.
- The door lock mechanism is broken.
How to fix a washing machine door
The problems mentioned above are relatively inexpensive and quick for the professional washing machine engineers to repair, and we’ll have your faulty appliance up and running again in no time.
It’s not safe to try to make DIY repairs to your washing machine door – you may do more harm than good.
You can take preventive measures to keep your washing machine door operating without a hitch by keeping your washing machine filters clean and checking each load of washing for foreign objects that may cause a blockage in filters or hoses. Be patient and wait for the door lock to release on completion of a wash – forcing the door open could break the handle or locking mechanism. Don’t overload the washing machine so as not to upset the pressure switch.
