Kenmore Front Loader Washer "Program Knob" broken off

[randyrue]

Model number 417.44092500

Carrying a couch past the washer and whacked the knob off the beast.

Found the knob but what broke is the "program knob pin" it sits on, Kenmore part # 134347700. Drilled a little hole in the stump and stuck in a small screw to try to pull it out but it appears that a flange sits behind the control console panel.

From the parts diagram/list it's not clear how I get the sucker out.

Does the whole panel need to come off to replace that pin? Is anything holding the buttons and springs / etc in place or does it all fly out when I take it off? Is this trivial or should I call a tech? (it's under warranty but I don't know if that warranty includes couch beatings)

Any advice appreciated (related to my broken washer, that is)

[Lawrence]

Botton line: I don't know. How old is the washer? You are unlikely to do much harm by taking it apart.

Almost all service companies who work on washers want to come to your home to work on it. This can get expensive with multiple service calls. Next time I buy I have already found a vendor who will allow me to bring the machine in for repair. They are hard to find. I'm guessing service calls make a good profit.

[dpb]

I would expect you'll have to disassemble the control panel to replace it. Don't know the particular model, but nothing I've ever had would have anything that is anything other than individual switches/knobs/ etc. so wouldn't worry much about the "fly-apart" scenario.

I don't know precisely what you're describing as the "program knob pin", but would be unusual I think for there to be anything except the whole control assembly that was a replaceable part -- it would be quite unusual to have a knob only that came out to be a single available part.

GE machines are pretty simple to pull the panel on -- there are two screws on the front bottom of the panel and four or six on the rear and it just rolls back. Who built your Kenmore I don't know, but many were Hotpoint which is GE.

I'm sure they won't think the damage warranty-related and doubt it would be covered even under an extended warranty/repair policy as it wasn't a failure but externally-caused damage.

[Eric9822]

I've never worked on this machine but it looks to me like the front panel (part#27) needs to come off in order to remove and replace the broken pin. The other buttons and springs may fall out when this is done but if you remove the panel slowly they should be contained and not go to far since the springs force should not be that high. It shouldn't be to difficult to put them back in the proper place, laying the washer on its back may help keep things in place while you re- install the panel. You may need to use a 2x4 or an equivalent as a spacer to keep the weight of the washer off anything that is mounted on the back of the machine.