When a washer in San Leandro will not spin, will not drain, leaks or shakes across the floor, the cause is usually a drain pump, a door or lid lock, a belt, a suspension part, a water valve or a control fault. Each symptom leads down a different path, so the diagnosis starts by running the washer through its cycle — fill, wash, drain, spin — watching what it does and reading any error code.
No spin is often a no-drain
A washer will not go into spin while water is still in the tub. So a load that comes out soaking wet often has a drain problem, not a spin problem: a sock or coin in the drain pump filter, a kinked drain hose, or a pump that hums but does not move water. Front-loaders have a small access door at the bottom front for the pump filter; put down towels and a shallow pan before you open it.
If the washer drains but still will not spin, the usual causes are:
- An unbalanced load. One heavy item on its own — a bath mat, a single blanket — is the classic case. The washer tries to balance the drum, gives up and stops.
- The door or lid lock. The washer will not spin until the lock confirms the door or lid is closed.
- A belt, motor coupling or the motor. These are tested once the drain and lock check out.
- The control. Last on the list, and tested only after everything else.
Error codes worth knowing
| Code | Brand | What it usually points to |
|---|---|---|
| OE | LG | Not draining: pump filter, drain hose or drain pump |
| IE | LG | Not filling: supply valves, inlet hoses or inlet valve |
| UE | LG | Unbalanced load |
| 5E / 5C | Samsung | Not draining: pump filter, drain hose or drain pump |
| 4E / 4C | Samsung | Not filling: supply valves, inlet hoses or inlet valve |
| UE / Ub | Samsung | Unbalanced load |
Write the code down before you clear it. Other brands use their own codes, and we read them on site.
Finding the leak
| Where the water shows up | Likely source |
|---|---|
| Front of a front-loader | Torn door boot, or something caught in the seal |
| Under the detergent drawer | Clogged dispenser or too much detergent |
| Behind the machine | Inlet hose washer, inlet hose or drain hose |
| Under the center | Drain pump, pump hoses or the tub |
| Out of the standpipe or laundry sink | A slow or clogged house drain |
Too much detergent — or regular detergent in a high-efficiency washer — makes excess suds that push water out where it does not belong and can trigger error codes. Use HE detergent and measure it rather than filling the cap.
Shaking, walking and banging
- Shipping bolts. A new front-loader arrives with bolts in the back that lock the tub for delivery. If they were never removed, the machine shakes hard on its first spins.
- Level feet. All four feet should touch the floor with their lock nuts tightened. A sloped garage slab or a springy wood floor makes this harder.
- Suspension. Top-loaders hang the tub on rods or springs; front-loaders use springs and shock absorbers. Worn ones let the tub knock against the cabinet.
- Bearings. A roar during spin that grows louder over weeks is usually the tub bearings. On many front-loaders that is a large job, and it is where repair versus replacement becomes a real conversation.
Speed Queen, Miele and other brands
We repair front-load and top-load washers from Speed Queen, Miele, LG, Samsung and other brands. Speed Queen’s simpler, heavy-duty designs and Miele’s more electronic, feature-rich machines tend to fail in different ways, and our Speed Queen vs Miele washer comparison covers how they differ in durability and service. If the dryer next to your washer is acting up too, see dryer repair.
What affects the price
Most washer repairs fall between $89 and $450, and the published range includes the diagnostic. Pump filters, hoses, door locks and lid switches sit at the low end. Drain pumps, inlet valves, belts and suspension parts are in the middle. Motors, control boards and bearing work are at the top. You see the price before work starts, and repairs carry a 90-day warranty.
Before you call: safe things to check
- Both water valves behind the washer are open and the hoses are not kinked.
- The pump filter on a front-loader is clean.
- The load is not one heavy item on its own.
- The door or lid closes fully with nothing caught in it.
- The outlet works and the breaker has not tripped.
If the washer is leaking, turn off both water valves, and always unplug it before opening any panel.