If you’re finding that your clothes are still wet after your washer has finished a cycle, there’s a good chance it’s not spinning properly.
Not only does this mean you have to contend with sopping wet clothes that take an age to dry, but it also means the clothes haven’t been cleaned properly as without proper agitation, the dirt cannot be removed from the clothes.
If this happens to you, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to explain what causes this problem and give you all the information you need to get it back in working order as quickly as possible.
Why is your GE Washer Not Spinning?
The good news is that this is more often than not a simple user error where the wrong setting has been used or detergent type has been loaded in.
In some rarer cases, there may be some kind of component issue that requires some assistance from a technician. So let’s take a deeper look at what causes a GE washer not to spin.
1. A Power Supply Problem
Dryers need a stable power supply to work properly. If there’s been a power surge, the circuit breaker may have tripped and require resetting.
Additionally, GE recommends not using the washer on a power strip, multiplug, or an extension cord as these are inherently unstable in their power delivery and can often fail to supply adequate power to the washer.
2. The Washer isn’t Level
The washer drum has to rotate pretty quickly on its mounting system, so when it’s not level with the floor it can cause the clothes to bundle up on one side.
This not only reduces the effectiveness of the wash, but can put extreme strain on the drum mounting system and potentially damage the washer.
We’ll need to ensure the washer’s level with the floor so it can spin properly.
3. The Washer’s been Overfilled
Of course, it’s tempting to just jam as many clothes as you can fit in the washer at one time. But this can reduce the effectiveness of the wash by preventing the drum from spinning properly due to the high weight being thrown from side to side.
Not only that but when the water isn’t able to circulate the clothes can’t agitate correctly, resulting in unclean clothes by the end of the wash.
Ideally, the washer should be no more than 75% full for a single wash cycle.
4. The Cycle Setting is Wrong
Modern GE washers have a lot of settings to help you pick the perfect wash cycle for your clothes.
But some of these settings may be causing the spinning problems.
The first thing to look out for is the delay cycle setting, which will prevent the cycle from beginning until a pre-determined amount of time has passed.
This can give the impression of the washer not spinning, when it’s actually just waiting based on the chosen cycle setting.
You may have also picked a delicate cycle setting when in fact you needed to wash heavy clothes, so they didn’t clean correctly.
You’ll need to review and adjust the cycle settings accordingly.
5. The Drain Filter is Blocked
Before draining from the washer, the water must pass through a filter. Over time this filter can become blocked up, which causes the washer to fill with water.
This can heavily affect how well the drum can spin and leave you with wet and inadequately cleaned clothes by the end of the cycle.
You’ll need to remove and clean the filter to help the washer drain better.
You may also find that the drain hose is kinked too, which can cause the same problem, so that should also be straightened out.
6. The Wrong Detergent is being Used
Many GE washers are high-efficiency machines. These machines require a particular kind of detergent called ‘HE detergent’.
This detergent is specially designed not to produce excessive suds, which regular detergent would do on a high-efficiency front-load washer.
Additionally, you may also be using too much of the detergent and need to reduce the amount used as indicated on the packet.
7. The Water Inlet Valve is Loose
The water inlet valve is a small device that opens to allow water to flow into the machine. Once the washer has enough water it should close tightly to prevent any more water from flowing in.
As water inlet valves wear down they can still let in water even though they are supposed to be closed.
When this happens, it will need to be replaced with a new one.
8. The Drive Belt is Failing
The drive belt connects the motor to the drum in order to make it spin.
Sometimes drive belts can work themselves loose due to excessive vibration and must be re-attached to the washer.
But they can also wear down over time and need replacing.
You’ll need to inspect the drive belt for wear and either re-install it or replace it with a brand-new one if necessary.
9. The Door Latch/Switch is Faulty
The door locking mechanism is an important component in the functionality of a GE top load washer. Not only does it need to create a water-tight seal to prevent water from leaking out of the fridge during a wash, but it also has a sensor that lets the washer know the door is closed.
If this door switch becomes faulty the GE top load washer will believe the door is still open and shut itself down mid-cycle to prevent leaks.
Here you’ll need to test the door switch with a multimeter and if it’s found to be faulty it should be replaced.
How to Fix a GE Washer Not Spinning
The good news is most of these fixes are easily doable at home without any specialized tools or skills.
However, in certain situations, a technician may be needed to replace some components.
1. Restore the Supply of Power
If the washer doesn’t have a stable power supply it either won’t turn on or won’t spin at full efficiency.
The first thing to check is the circuit breaker, it may have been tripped due to a power surge and should be flipped back to the on position.
If this doesn’t work you should make sure that the washer has its own dedicated outlet and isn’t on a powerstrip or multiplug.
2. Level the Washer
If the appliance is not level with the floor it will struggle to spin properly.
To level it out you can use a spirit level to find out which corners need raising or lowering.
Once you have an idea of which corner is too low you can adjust the feet at each corner of the washer to raise it higher or lower as needed.
3. Don’t Overfill the Washer
Ideally, the washer shouldn’t be more than 75% full at any one time or it will have trouble operating.
If it’s too full consider taking some clothes out and running a second cycle, while it might seem less efficient this is always a better option than running one full cycle which doesn’t clean the clothes well.
Additionally, you should ensure the clothes are spread out evenly and not bundled up together. Otherwise, it can throw the balance off and make the drum struggle to spin.
4. Adjust the Cycle Settings
The first thing to do is to ensure the delay timer is turned off. Unless you are specifically looking to wash your clothes with a delay so the cycle finishes at a particular time this option doesn’t have any use.
Secondly, you should check the cycle type you are using. Don’t wash heavy items on a light cycle.
If you are not sure or have a mixture of delicate and heavy items to wash at the same time, consider just running a ‘normal’ or ‘standard’ wash cycle to be safe.
5. Unblock the Drain Filter
If the drain filter is clogged, the dirty water won’t be able to drain away, which keeps your clothes wet and can prevent the clothes from cleaning properly.
- Locate the filter for your particular machine, this is usually located near the trap door on the front of the washer or next to the weather pump by the drain hose. If you are not sure, refer to your user manual.
- Start by wiping down the filter housing with a cloth.
- Remove the filter and let it soak in a sink filled with warm water and a bit of dish soap. Soak it for about 10 minutes to loosen everything up.
- Then take a soft brush and gently remove all the buildup stuck in the filter.
- Give it some time to dry, and then re-install it.
It’s a good idea to run a short cycle after cleaning to make sure any loose debris gets flushed away before you put your next clothing batch in.
6. Use the Correct Detergent
If your dryer is a HE (high-efficiency) dryer you should ensure you are using the correct detergent type or it may produce excess suds.
Likewise, you should only use the amount specified on the packet. Although it might seem like using more will produce even cleaner clothes, this doesn’t actually help and usually ends up causing more problems.
7. Check and Replace the Water Inlet Valve
If you have tested the water inlet valve and found it to be defective, the best thing to do is contact GE customer support who will arrange for a replacement valve and assist you with installing it.
8. Check the Drive Belt
Open the GE washing machine and locate the drive belt; if it’s worked its way loose, you can simply re-attach it.
However, while doing this, you should also inspect the belt visually; if it looks worn and frayed, it’s already old and should be replaced with a new one.
9. Fix the Door Lid Switch
If the door lid switch isn’t working, the machine won’t start a cycle as it believes the door hasn’t yet been closed.
Once again this component can be difficult to self-service so we recommend contacting GE support who will help you get it replaced.