Washer Stuck on Spin Cycle: Causes plus Safe Checks and When to Stop

Quick answer: an uneven load, suds or trapped water explains most cases

Most machines that seem frozen in the last cycle phase are still working. They are retrying. Samsung's guidance names a sign of an unbalanced load. The timer sticks and pauses, for example with nine minutes left. Meanwhile the drum turns slowly in both directions to spread the clothes. For very uneven loads that can add up to 30 minutes, according to Samsung's spin troubleshooting page.

So wait a few minutes before you decide anything is broken. Then work down this order:

• Drum full of water, cycle going nowhere: suspect the drain or suds.
• Time frozen near the end, heavy sound of thumping: suspect the load.
• Drum turning with nothing else happening: suspect a control or timer fault.

Two problems share one name: a cycle that never ends and a washer that won't stop spinning

People say "stuck on spin" about two faults. The fixes do not overlap.

The cycle will not finish

The display or dial sits in the spin phase far longer than a normal spin. This is almost always a balance, suds or drain issue. A machine that keeps retrying is protecting itself.

The drum keeps turning when it should stop

You paused the cycle or lifted the lid, yet the drum still turns. On a top load machine the lid switch is meant to cut the spin. Treat a drum that keeps going as a safety fault. Unplug the washer and do not run it again.

Washer stuck on spin cycle won't drain: what to check when water stays in the drum

A washer will not spin out a tub that is still full. So a drain fault can freeze the cycle at the spin phase. A full tub is the usual reason a cycle never gets past the spin. Whirlpool's front load help lists four causes for a washer that is not draining. They apply to most machines with a drain hose. The causes are:

• A clogged drain pump filter.
• A hose pushed more than 4.5 inches into the drainpipe.
• Tape or a tight fit that seals the hose.
• A standpipe lower than 30 inches.

Details are on Whirlpool's not draining page.

If the filter is clogged with lint, coins or a sock, the pump hums but moves little water. A repair guide from Paradise Appliance Service adds a kinked or clogged hose to that list.

Suds and heated options that stretch the last phase for a very long time

Whirlpool explains that the displayed time is only an estimate. It depends on the load, the cycle, water temperature and pressure and unbalanced-load detection. The number can sit still near the end while the machine works. The company adds that a Sanitize or Steam option turns on the heater. That can lengthen the cycle and keep the time unchanged for long stretches. See Whirlpool's cycle time page.

Suds are the quieter culprit. A code such as Sd, 5d or SUD can show on some models. The machine adds water and time to clear the foam. Use only HE detergent in the listed amount. Skip "no splash" liquid chlorine bleach, because its thickener can cause suds. For a suds lock, try a rinse and spin cycle first. Paradise suggests bailing out the water by hand if it will not clear.

Why the washer spin cycle never ends when the load keeps tripping the balance sensor

Spinning an uneven load shakes a machine hard. So every modern washer watches for it. LG says an unbalanced error, UE, means the laundry has piled up on one side of the drum. That a load too big or too small can cause it. LG's fix list is practical. Take out pillow stuffing, wash blankets on a bedding cycle, spread the clothes out and restart a spin. Read the full steps on LG's UE error page.

Two details worth keeping:

• LG says laundry nets should be no more than two-thirds full. It also says to wash two or three nets together with clothes rather than one net alone.
• Samsung says to leave about a hand's width between the laundry and the top of the drum.

A single heavy item is the classic trap. A bath mat, rug or one comforter has nothing to balance it. Add a few towels.

Door latch, lid switch and the stuck-on-spin tangle on top load and front load washers

The door or lid has a switch so the drum cannot spin while it is open. A switch or latch can give intermittent signals. Then the machine starts a spin, loses the signal and stops. It may repeat that over and over. Mr. Appliance lists a "broken or stuck spin switch" among nine causes in its washer spin guide. An Axis Repair guide notes the causes of a washer that stops mid-cycle and refuses to spin. These include an off-center load and a partly clogged drain pump. Or an intermittent door lock or lid switch.

Listen for a click when you close the lid or door. No click, or a loose or cracked latch, is worth a technician's time. Never tape, wedge or bypass the switch, because it is a safety interlock.

Washer timer stuck on older mechanical models

Washers with a dial timer can stall because the timer motor fails or plastic gear teeth strip. A parts retailer's forum thread describes a machine that stopped before moving to rinse and spin. A responder suspected the timer unless the control knob was broken (discussion here). That is a diagnosis job, not a guess to try on your own.

Washer stuck on spin cycle causes ranked, with who fixes each one

Safe checks for a washer that will not leave the spin cycle

These steps need no tools. They follow the Samsung, LG and Whirlpool help pages linked above.

1. Pause the cycle and wait a few minutes to let the balancing attempts finish.
2. Unplug the washer, open the door or lid and look for standing water.
3. Spread the laundry evenly and remove any single bulky item. Aim for about two-thirds of the drum.
4. Clean the drain pump filter if your model has one. Keep a towel and shallow pan ready for the water.
5. Check that the drain hose is no deeper than 4.5 inches in the drainpipe. It must not be sealed in or kinked.
6. Rock the washer to see whether it wobbles, and adjust the feet until it sits level.
7. Run a drain and spin or spin only cycle with the drum empty. If it spins and ends, the load was the cause. If not, the machine may be faulty, as Samsung notes.
8. Unplug it for five minutes, then plug in and try again. Whirlpool lists this power cycle as a standard step.

Signs you should stop and call instead of running another cycle

• The drum keeps turning with the lid or door open.
• A burning smell, smoke or a tripping breaker.
• Violent shaking or banging that leveling does not cure.
• Water on the floor near the cord or outlet.
• The cycle stalls again after you cleared the filter and balanced the load.

Switch off the power and shut both water taps before you call.

What a technician checks after the load, drain and suds are ruled out

With the power off, a technician tests the lid switch or door lock for continuity. The technician looks at the drain pump and its wiring. The pressure switch tells the control how much water is in the tub, so it gets checked too. Then comes the timer or control board. On top load machines the motor coupling and drive belt are next. iFixit's community answers list those parts for a stuck-on-spin complaint.

That order avoids replacing an expensive part for a clogged filter. You should hear the likely part and whether the repair is worth it before any work starts.

Repair or replace a washer that keeps freezing in the spin phase

Cheap, common parts are usually worth fixing at almost any age. A lid switch, door lock or drain pump fits that rule. The Axis guide says an older machine with a bad motor, control board or tub bearing often tips toward replacement.

Weigh the machine's age, how often it has failed and whether the part is a switch or a board. We tell you what we find and say plainly when a repair is not worth your money.

Prevention: keep spin from turning into a repeat call

• Wash bulky items with a few towels, never alone.
• Measure HE detergent every time.
• Clean the drain pump filter every few months if your model has one.
• Keep the washer level and the drain hose loose and unkinked.

Washing Machine Repair Shreveport fixes washers stuck in the spin phase across Shreveport LA

If the checks above did not clear it, call (318) 858-7194. Washing Machine Repair Shreveport serves Shreveport LA with local technicians, and a person answers. Tell us the brand and whether it is a top load or front load. Say which phase it freezes in. Our washing machine repair page covers the full job. The service area page lists the nearby communities we reach.

If your washer simply will not begin a cycle, see the guide to a washer that will not begin instead.

Sources and further reading

• lg.com: Lg front load washer how to resolve a ue error 2015445396240
• samsung.com: What to do if your washing machine does not spin as expected
• producthelp.whirlpool.com: Cycle time is not advancing front load washer
• producthelp.whirlpool.com: Not draining front load washer
• appliancepartspros.discourse.group
• cpsc.gov: Samsung recalls top load washing machines
• ifixit.com: My+machine+is+stuck+on+spin+cycle