Why Your Washing Machine Isn’t Spinning & How To Fix It

When it comes to your washing machine not spinning, it can occur either during the wash cycle (which is often discussed as the drum not turning) or at the end of the wash – when the appliance doesn’t perform the fast spin cycle.

In this article we cover both issues, providing you with the advice and guidance required to fix it yourself at home, with minimal cost but maximum returns.

Drum Not Turning:

If your drum doesn’t spin during the wash cycle, but still fills with water and drains, it is likely to be suffering from one of three faults.

Snapped Drive Belt/ Drive Belt Slipped:

Over time as a result of general wear and tear your washing machine’s drive belt can snap or slip off. If this happens, it will prevent your drum from spinning when a wash cycle is in progress, but the appliance will still fill and drain.

You can test if the drive belt is the reason behind your drum not spinning by physically spinning the drum yourself. If there’s little to no resistance and no motor noise, the fault is with the drive belt and this will need replacing. The easiest way to replace the drive belt on your washing machine is explained in the video below.

Worn Carbon Brushes:

One of the most common faults behind a washing machine drum not spinning during the wash cycle is the carbon brushes becoming worn. This is particularly common as the appliance ages.

Thankfully replacing the carbon brushes on a washing machine is a DIY task which you can do at home, by following the advice outlined in the video below.

Uneven Loads:

From time to time we’re all guilty of washing uneven loads – whether this is because we’re in need of a single item of clothing in a hurry, or the wash basket is overflowing so we cram as much as we can into the appliance.

Unfortunately, uneven loads can have a detrimental effect on your washing machine with excessive vibrations having the potential to put extra and undue stress on the bearings / drum. In some machines the balance sensors will detect an uneven load straight away and prevent the drum from spinning, if this happens you’ll need to adjust the load and try again.

Spin Cycle Not Performed:

After completing the wash and drain cycle, if your washing machine then fails to perform a spin cycle there’s a good chance – as above – the carbon brushes are worn, the belt has slipped / snapped or there is an uneven load.

To rectify either of these issues, you’ll need to follow the advice outlined above.

A further reason for your washing machine failing to perform a spin cycle is because it is unable to drain water – and this will be evident by a pool of water still sitting in your washing machine.

In such a situation, you will need to manually drain the appliance and this can be done in one of two ways. The first is via a drain tube, which can be found behind the kick-flap near to the filter on your washing machine – however, it is worth noting this process can be slow and labour intensive. Alternatively, the drain house can be disconnected from your sink and placed in a bucket to siphon the water.

If during either of these processes no water comes out, it’s likely you’ve got a blockage, and you can rectify this by following the advice outlined by Josh in our “How to Diagnose Washing machine Drain and Pump Problems” video, below.

Understanding why your washing machine isn’t spinning and knowing how to fix it yourself can help save you money in both the short and long term. Not only will you be able to diagnose and repair a washing machine fault yourself, but it can also help you take preventative steps to ensure such faults do not occur in the future.

Should you find you require washing machine spare parts and accessories to keep your appliance working, at eSpares we have an extensive selection for all makes and models – available with the option of next day delivery and at great prices.

Tags: Washing Machine, Washing Machine Drive Belt, Washing Machine Repair