Your Washing Machine Door Is Not Opening After Its Cycle

Is your washing machine stuck and the door won't open any more? Here are the different elements to check in order to repair your washing machine and open it once again.

THE POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR THIS ISSUE:

• There is a power supply issue

• The door handle is stuck or broken

• The door catch is broken

• The drain filter or pump is clogged

• The temperature sensor is defective

• The pressure switch is defective

• A fault code is being displayed

• The motherboard is faulty

There is a power supply issue

The first thing you should check is that your appliance is plugged in and the power is on. Do the lights come on? If this isn't the case, check that the appliance is plugged into the mains and that there is power to the plug socket. Try plugging another device into the same socket to make sure it works. Use this time to leave the washing machine unplugged for 20 minutes and then try opening the door without turning it back on again, as this may help to unlock the door.

The door handle is stuck or broken

The door handle is a lever that pulls on the door latch. The latch then disengages the door lock. If any of these parts are broken or damaged, the door will not open. You can unlock the door using a very simple trick, consisting of looping a piece of string or wire around the door and ensuring it slips in between the door and the bodywork. Then stand on the opposite side to the door handle and pull sharply towards you with both ends of the string or wire. On most washing machines, the door will unlock and you can inspect the various parts and see which is preventing the door from opening.

The door handle is stuck

The door safety lock (or door catch) prevents the washing machine door from being opened when the appliance is operating. If this safety lock is damaged, the door may not open. Check the condition of the safety lock and its electrical connector by inspecting it visually and replace it if it is faulty. How to check and test the safety lock on a washing machine door

The drain filter or pump is clogged

The drain pump drains the water out of your washing machine. The drain filter protects the drain pump from objects that could damage it. If the washing machine has trouble draining the water and if there's any of it left at the end of the cycle, it won't allow the door to be opened. If you notice that there is still water in the tub, empty the water out of the appliance via the drain filter (at the bottom of the front of your washing machine) and thoroughly clean the filter and the pump. Be careful not to cut yourself on any small objects (such as needles or paper clips, etc.) If the filter or pump is damaged, replace them.

The temperature sensor is defective

The temperature sensor (or NTC sensor) should normally be located on or near the heating element. It tells the electronic control module what the water temperature is. If the sensor is faulty and is sending information about the appliance being too hot, the door will not be authorised to open. Check the sensor using a multimeter set to ohmmeter mode. Disconnect all the connectors and place both the tester's tips on the heating element's two terminals to check for continuity (it should give a reading of around 20 to 30 Kiloohms depending on the brand). Replace it if the reading is off or if there is no reading at all.

The pressure switch is defective

The pressure switch allows your washing machine to detect the water level inside the tub. If the pressure switch is defective, it may not tell the appliance what the water level is. Your washing machine will then think that the water level is too high to unlock the door. If the tub isn't full of water but the door stays locked, you can try removing the top panel (frontloader) or the side panels (toploader) to get to the pressure switch. It is connected to a black, red or grey hose. Unplug it and if the door unlocks, you need to clean out the pressure chamber which clearly must be clogged. If the door still doesn't open, test the pressure switch using a multimeter set to ohmmeter position. Disconnect all the connectors and place both the tester's tips on the heating element's two terminals to check for continuity (it should give a reading). If there is no continuity, replace it if needed.

A fault code is being displayed

The fault code shows that the appliance has an anomaly. It can appear at any time during a cycle either via blinking lights or directly through a fault code displayed on the washing machine's digital display. The codes used are specific to each brand. You should therefore take a note of the code or the lights that are blinking and then check the appliance's documents to see what this corresponds to.

The motherboard is faulty

The electronic control module manages all your washing machine's functions (motor, heating, water, etc.). This motherboard may not authorise the door to open, especially if your washing machine is displaying a fault code (several blinking lights or a code displayed on the digital display). Don't assume it's the motherboard until after you've checked everything else however, as they can be costly.