As described in the tutorial How to Repair a Washing Machine, one problem you may have preventing your washer from working is a faulty switch on the washer's door (front loading) or lid (top loading). Michael Chotiner is an expert in appliance repair and shares his knowledge for Home Depot. Here are some tips from Mike on troubleshooting a washer lid or door switch.

Top-loading machines have a lid switch; front-loaders have a door switch.

Both are a safety feature that prevents the washer from operating when the lid or door is not fully closed. The switches on different models work in different ways and can keep the machine from operating because of either mechanical or electrical faults.

It’s usually necessary to remove the cover on the control panel and/or parts of the washing machine’s cabinet to gain full access to the lid switch for testing and replacement. Consult the washer manufacturer’s user manual to find the best ways for doing that.

The tools you may need include nut drivers in various sizes, Phillips and straight blade screwdrivers, a stiff putty knife, a wire-cutter/stripping tool and needle-nose pliers.

Unplug the washing machine or turn off the breaker that controls the washer circuit before starting any work on the washer.

• Locate the lid or door switch.
• Check that the striker or tab designed to activate the switch is aligned with the opening it’s supposed to fit into. If it’s not, you may be able to bend it with pliers to realign it, or on a front-loader lift the door by adjusting and/or tightening the hinges so that the striker engages easily with the switch.

• Test the switch for continuity with a volt-ohm meter. If you are not experienced using a volt-ohm meter, call a licensed electrician to complete this step. On some models you can test the switch terminals directly while the switch is in place; on others you need to test at the wiring harness, which may be located at the control panel, so some disassembly may be required.

1. Set your volt-ohm meter to 'RESISTANCE x 1'. If you can see the terminal connections with the switch in place, touch the test probes one on each. With the lid closed (switch open), the meter readout should be at or close to 0.00. With the lid closed (switch engaged), the reading should be 8 (infinity).
2. If you can’t readily find the switch terminals, trace the wires leading from the switch back to the wiring harness. Disengage the plug and insert the tester probes in the outer holes, and take readings with the switch open and closed. If the results are other than readings of 0.00 and 8 respectively, the switch is bad and needs to be replaced.

 

• Replace the lid/door switch. Obtain a new lid switch by providing the washer brand, model number and serial number to your appliance parts dealer. To replace the switch, make sure the machine is unplugged and then disengage it from the housing as needed. Cut the wires as close to the old switch as possible.

1. Take the new switch from its package and hold in place on the housing to make sure that it will fit. Cut the wire leads on the new switch to a length that gives you as much as you’ll need to easily splice them with the wires that lead to the control panel not so long as to leave an unmanageable excess. Strip about 3/8-in. of insulation from the ends of the wires that will need to be spliced. Twist the wires together with wire nuts, and re-install the switch. Secure any excess wire bundles with zip ties or electrical tape.