How good is the quality of your washing machine. Find out if it's worth fixing!

Washing machines

Washing machines are generally "very good" and if you wash 7/8 loads per week the machine should last for 6 to 8 years before a real fault develops. Faults that occur before this time are usually caused by the users and are not an actual fault of the machine.

Here are some typical user faults

  • Not draining

    • This fault usually occurs because of a blockage caused by coins, nails, screws, buttons, collar stiffeners, fluff, rubber bands or even broken credit cards. These are just some of the many things that escape from pockets into the drum, and then from the drum into the drain pump.

    When such items enter the pump, pumping will be affected. Drain failure is the most common problem with washing machines and is nearly always caused by the user. Once the pump is cleared, everything is fine again.

    Symptoms
    The symptoms of a machine that has failed to drain can vary from one machine to the next. It can cause some users to think the worst. They often think that the programmer is faulty and throw away their perfectly good machine without any hesitation. What a waste- especially as the same thing is likely to happen to the new replacement machine!

  • Smells

    • Another example of waste is when people throw their washing machine out because of the smell. Smells are usually as a result of bacteria growing in the machine. Often smells can be controlled by changing the soap product, and finding a better way of managing smells is much, much cheaper than buying a new machine!

  • Broken door handles

    • This problem is usually caused by impatient users. There is normally a two minute delay at the end of a wash cycle. Levering the door before the end of the delay time may put a force on the plastic lever causing a gradual break each time untill finally one day, it snaps completely.

  • Overloading

    • The very first thing I want to say to users of washing machines is: Do not overload it! Overloading a washing machine is a very easy thing to do by people who lead bussy lives but it can cause some major problems. This is because people fail to stick to manufacturer's loading guidelines.

    It is not reasonable to buy a machine that is rated at 5kg say, then use it well above that weight. It is a bit like buying a donkey and working it like it's a shire horse! That donkey will give up, lay down and will not move. Equally, a washing machine will not stand up to excessive work that it is not designed for.

    These are some problems caused by overloading

    1. Damaged drum bearings

      2. This is a problem brought on by a combination of poor design quality and continual overloading. This problem usually starts with water escaping through the seal then entering into the bearings.

      Rust sets in and a gradual deterioration of the bearings begins. Deterioration is evident by a gradual increase in noise level which may only be noticable after a long period of time.

      If the problem is ignored and allowed to get progressively worse over a long period, the extent of the damage may increase. The damage may not just be limited to bearings but may extend to the drum shaft, the drum and the heater element.

      This is a mechanical fault that if caught early can be repaired at a reasonable cost. If the damage is limited to bearings only and the rest of the machine is unaffected, replacing the bearings will normally render the machine mechanically sound again for another 5 to 6 years.

      Engineer's opinion

      It is quite common to find that if a user is inclined to overload a machine, they nearly always have bearings problems. From that point of view, if the damage is limited to just bearings and the rest of the machine is ok, repairing would be a much cheaper option than replacing the machine. Mechanically, the machine will last for another 5 to 6 years if it is repaired.

      Not all washing machines have bearings problems. There are a few brands that hardly ever have bearings problems. These brands are considered to be of a very good quality. These brands are also very reliable in many other areas and as such they enjoy a 5 and 4 star reliability rating below.

      Other problems caused by overloading

    2. Broken suspension
    3. Damaged motor
    4. Damaged modules

    We should be in no doubt that there are no advantages in overloading. Not only is it a costly exercise, overloading can result in unclean clothes if the clothes are not allowed to fall about inside as the drum rotates. There should always be a gap between the clothes and the top of the drum.

Real faults

These are faults that users have no control over. One such fault is guaranteed to occur sooner or later, depending on the regularity with which the machine is being used. That fault is:

  • Drum not turning

    • If you wash regularly, say 6/7 loads per week for 6 - 8 years, the machine will suddenly develope a "no spin fault". This is a fault that is directly related to use and is a natural process of wear and tear. The more often you wash the faster the rate of wear.

    This is not the end of the machine though. This fault can be easily fixed at a reasonable cost and the machine will be good again for another 6 - 8 years of use. This is the general trend with machines that are in the hands of careful users who wash regularly but avoid overloading.

Star quality explained

5 star rating

These brands are generally top class. It depends on usage as to how long a washing machine would last , but expect a lifespan of 20 to 30 years with carefull use and ongoing maintenance. Faults should be repaired without hesitation.

4 star rating
These brands of machines are very good mechanically. Their overall design and quality are very good. Carrying out repairs to these brands is nearly always the way to go, depending on cost.

3 star rating
These brands are an average type of machine. They are generally prone to bearings problems with one or two exceptions. If a brand does not suffer from bearings (noisy on spin) problems, it will normally have major faults such as motor or program boards. All these faults may well be related to overloading.

2 and 1 star rating
These are the budget "throw away" type machines. However it would not be wise to throw this machine out because it has developed a fault.
It is highly possible that the fault is one listed and is cheap to fix.

Washing machine star quality, repairable faults and engineers opinion
BRANDS QUIRKS AND PECULIARITIES BRAND - QUALITY ENGINEER'S OPINION
  1. Drum not turning
  2. Not washing hot
  3. Not draining water
  4. Cannot undo filter
  5. Takes in water when not in use
  6. Leaking
  7. Filter will not unscrew
 This is just one of the very few brands that share this 4 star rating. The overall reliability of these machines far exceed those of other brands that are below it. These machines are definitely not the throw away type.
  1. Drum not turning
  2. Not washing hot
  3. Not draining water
  4. Cannot undo filter
  5. Takes in water when not in use
  6. Leaking
 After you have owned a Whirlpool washer for a little while, the following may happen, especially if you do a lot of washing (4 - 5 loads per week) and it is a few years old.

One day you will go to use it and it will not work. You select your usual program and press start. The door will lock up but it will not take in water. Occasionally you may hear clicks coming from the timer. You select spin and nothing happens. You select a drain position and maybe it will make a draining noise.
Generally it does not look good, and you may even think the machine has come to the end of the road. You may be surprised to learn that the chances of revival are very high and we can help you to find the fault, so please search for The Solution