Wife pressed the "Power" button on the Costco Whirlpool Duet Sport washing machine and then, when she pressed the separate "Start" button, something popped. She said it sounded like a sharp crack, like a "bottle breaking".
It has power (although I cycled the home circuit breakers anyway), but it won't do anything now when the "Start" button is pressed (nor when the "Cancel" button is pressed). All the lights on the front light up normally (it seems).
So, it will power up, but it won't do anything (e.g., no water turns on and no spinning occurs - in fact, there are no sounds whatsoever from inside). It won't even turn off with the "Cancel" button (although it will turn off when I unplug it and then plug it back in).
It was bought in 2008 and it gets used about once a week or so (a bit more now that we have my sister and her kids living with us).
Is the washer TOTALLY unresponsive (no lights at all)? Your comment that it "will turn off when unplugged" suggests there is *some* sign of life.
Can you get it into its built-in diagnostic (self-test) mode? From there, its easier to get an idea of what "popped" and your possible recourse. Check your user manual or google "Whirlpool Duet Sport Diagnostics"
The lights look normal. There are indicator lights for lots of things (e.g., water temperature, rinse cycles, alarms, timers, etc., all of which seem to be normal).
The only thing is that the "Start" button does nothing. No sounds. No water. No spinning.
Also, the "Cancel" button doesn't cancel.
I don't know how, but I will download a manual to see what it can tell me. At this point, I'm only asking if anyone has experience with a similar circumstance, where a "popping" sound presaged the Start button not working.
So, it's not completely dead (as you would expect if a "fuse was blown")
See below.
Chances are, some power semiconductor device expelled some "magic blue smoke".
Paraphrased from :
Duet Washer Diagnostic Test Mode
Your Duet washer needs to be in standby (Plugged in with all lights off)
Pick any three buttons on the control except power, start, or cancel.
Now press this button sequence RAPIDLY (within eight seconds) Button 1, Button 2, Button 3, Button 1, Button 2, Button 3, Button 1, Button 2, Button 3 You are pressing 9 buttons in 8 seconds so it needs to be pretty quick.)
If you've accessed the diagnostics, all the control lights will turn on and "888" will be displayed showing you all the time display lights are working. After a few seconds tall the washer's display lights will flash. If there are any saved error or fault codes the time display should now show the most recent error code.
[If this doesn't happen, try a different set of three buttons -- just in case one of the buttons happens to coincidentally be broken! I.e., instead of A, B and C, try A, B and D (in case C is broken); then, try A, C and D (in case B was broken); then B, C and D (in case A was broken)]
Remember which buttons you chose for #1, #2 and #3! You will be using them again to troubleshoot problems.
Note: If no buttons are pressed on the washer for 5 minutes the washer will exit the diagnostics mode.
Consult for an explanation of error codes displayed.
The first URL also gives some "test procedures" you can do to "force" the washer to perform specific actions -- which you can then observe to give more clues as to likely problems.
One of the advantages of microprocessor controlled devices is that they can provide some assistance *before* calling a "paid professional".
Note the procedure must be followed "to the letter". Also note the serial numbers for which that document applies. There are probably different sequences required to activate these modes on different versions of the "same" product (model numbers and names are only loosely correlated).
Do *any* of the buttons respond (by changing the displayed indicators) -- or are the displays "frozen", regardless of what you do?
I *think* the first thing that most front loaders do is try to lock the door after the cycle is commanded to begin. It's possible the door lock mechanism had/has a short and that let the magic blue smoke escape.
Unfortunately, if it took out the control board in the process (to the point where it is completely unresponsive even after cycling power), knowing where the short lies is probably small consolation. And, unless you can find and repair the short (or other failure), repairing/replacing the control board will just give you a repeat failure.
For my LG front loader - access is achieved by removing the top. There are other appliance forums that you might wish to search or post your enquiry ...
There was absolutely no smell, although we used to blow up electrolytic caps (the blue unipolar water tank type) by sticking them in outlets in physics class and then waiting for some unsuspecting student to turn the lights on in the Physics lab - and I don't remember any smell at that time.
Anyway, the wife screamed when it happened, so I was there within a minute, and I didn't detect any smell myself.
I'm very familiar with the electrolytic caps, and I am hopeful that I'll see something burnt or blown inside when I open it up.
Can you open the door to the washer? If not it may be the door interlock has failed. The sound could have been mechanical. If the door interlock doesn't work properly then it is likely the switch in the interlock is preventing the washer from working. I had a similar experience when the door seal failed and squirted water into the interlock switch. Eric
Thanks for the pointer, but I can't get any codes out of the Whirlpool duet Sport Washer WFW8410SW even though I have the following manuals as described on this post from more than two years ago on the same washer (but for a different problem).
I think the problem is that those (otherwise very nice) diagnostic-test instructions are for a newer model, as mine is a Duet Sport model number WFW8410SW.
I didn't have this information before, because the door won't open (which is where the sticker is); but I checked my records and my duet is the "8410", which doesn't have the blueish display screen that you see in the ones described at that (otherwise nice) web page.
All the buttons do all the right things. Everything lights up normally when I press the buttons. The only things that don't work, really, is that the door is locked and the washer won't start when I press the Start button.
Yeah, I "inherited" my sister's kids. She's the same sister whose house I had been fixing up a while ago after her divorce. So, I have both grandkids and her kids now, which is more kids at times than I had on my own when I was young and peppy! (Now I wear knee pads just to work on a washing machine!).
Having her as a permanent guest is like having a second wife!
So, I'd better fix this thing, before *both* of them kill me first!
You are correct in that the door is locked shut, under all conditions. Whether the washer is plugged in or not, or if the start and cancel are operated, the door won't open.
There is no water because the wash never started, so, it could be the door interlock. Right now I'm searching for a model-specific troubleshooting manual that can give me diagnostic codes.
The model number is WFW8410SW, Whirlpool duet Sport Washing Machine. My last thread on this washing machine was more than two years ago, which I found by going to
It looks like removing the bottom also gains access to things, which is shown in these two videos (although their problem is that it won't drain - which isn't my problem - but that's the same model as mine, which is the WFW8410SW where I think SW just means "white") so it's a WFW8410.
indicates a few more presses but I think you will see results after the first three.
If the door won't open, then the lock mechanism is either broken or the actuator to unlock it is not functioning. If the door won't *lock*, then the washer won't start because there is a switch in the mechanism that informs the washer that the door is, in fact, locked. (but, the washer should complain that it can't lock the door/"door open")
There should be a manual release of the interlock. Look in the manual. Once the interlock is manually disengaged the washer should try to function normally. If the manual door unlock doesn't work even when actuated then the mechanical linkage may be broken which is what the noise may have been. Or it may be that the switch in the interlock has corroded contacts like mine did from water squirting directly at the switch from a leaky tub seal. On my washer I carefully took apart the switch and cleaned the contacts inside. This fixed the washer operation. I still had to replace the belt, tub pulley, and tub seal. And my nice maple floor is warped under the washer from that damn seal leak. GRRR. If it is the interlock and if your washer is anything like my GE then you are in for some fun. If you enjoy fixing washers. I was pissed off at GE for the lousy construction. Still am for that matter. Eric
There is a place you can slied a screwdriver or table knife to unlock the door, if you need to.
The smarts are usually just one small PC board in the "console" at the back of the washer. Often there are a few angled screws and the while thing lifts straight up. (OK, looks like yours is a front load, so the construction is a bit different.)
Most of the newer machines, and I'll bet all of the recent front-loads, use
3-phase motors and VFDs integrated into the controller board. I suspect the load pop was something in the VFD blowing. You ought to pull the board and inspect for burst components or traces burned off the board. If you find any of that, it may be best to just replace the whole board (although it will be expensive.)
We have one of the super-efficient top loaders, and I've done quite a bit of maintenance on it.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.