What’s agitation? For washing machines, agitation is a vigorous motion that helps in removing stains or dirt from your clothes. What does that mean? It means that the agitators in your Hotpoint washing machine are responsible for cleaning your clothes.
So what happens when your agitator fails or it won’t agitate? It’s quite easy to guess. Your washing machine will not be able to clean or properly wash your clothes.
So what do you do? Get a new Hotpoint washer? While that will immediately solve the problem, it’s not the most cost-effective solution.
That’s why in this article, we have outlined the different reasons behind your Hotpoint washer not agitating and we have also provided you with step-by-step instructions to get your washer agitating again.
How To Fix Hotpoint Washer Won’t Agitate or Spin
If your Hotpoint washer fails to agitate or spin your clothes, there are several potential causes to investigate. The agitator assembly, drive system, and electrical components are all susceptible to malfunction and may need troubleshooting and repairs or replacement.
1. Agitator Assembly Issues
Problems with your agitator assembly can stop your trusty Hotpoint washer from agitating or spinning. Some of the assembly problems leading to your washer not agitating are:
Damaged, Worn, or Stripped Agitator
At the heart of a top-load washer is the agitator component itself. This plastic agitator shaft extends from the bottom portion through the center of the tub, moving back and forth to drive clothes through the water and cleaning detergent.
If the agitator drive shaft is damaged or worn out, it can no longer move properly to clean clothes. To diagnose this washer problem, visually inspect your Hotpoint agitator for cracks, stripping, or surface damage. If the plastic is worn or parts are broken, replacement is needed.
Broken Agitator Coupler
The agitator coupler is a small plastic piece that attaches the base of the agitator to the transmission shaft beneath the wash tub. Like the agitator itself, it engages with splines to transfer rotation from the transmission to the agitator.
If this coupler piece (or rubber coupling) is damaged or cracked, the spinning force of the transmission shaft will not be transferred to the agitator. This means that if you have a cracked coupler, you’ll have to replace it.
Replacing a damaged agitator coupler is a straightforward fix.
Faulty Directional Cogs
On dual-action agitators, small hard plastic agitator cogs called directional cogs are located under the upper portion of the agitator. They engage or interlock the bottom agitator section.
After years of use, these plastic cogs can wear down and begin to slip, failing to properly engage the upper agitator portion. Replacing a full set of directional cogs can restore proper agitation motion.
How to Fix Agitator Assembly Issues
For Agitator issues, simply replacing the agitator will get your machine functioning properly again. To replace a damaged agitator, follow these steps:
- Unplug the washing machine from the power source for safety.
- Remove the top panel and access the agitator assembly.
- Use pliers or a wrench to loosen the central bolt and remove the agitator.
- Inspect the agitator and coupler for any cracks or worn parts.
- Order replacements for any damaged components. Consider an agitator repair kit for full overhaul.
- Follow kit instructions to install new agitator, coupler, cogs, seals, etc. Verify parts engage correctly.
- Tighten the central bolt securely with a wrench.
- Replace the top panel and plug in the washer.
- Test for proper agitation.
2. Drive System Problems
Issues with the mechanical drive system can also lead to a Hotpoint washer not agitating or spinning.
Broken Drive Belt
The drive belt transfers rotational force from the electric drive motor to the transmission beneath the tub. If this belt is loose, worn, or broken, the motion will not properly translate. Inspect the belt for damage or slack and replace it if needed.
Note: The drive motor itself can also malfunction, seizing up or failing to reach full rpm when called upon. If you confirm the motor is not spinning properly, using a multimeter to check windings and replacing the drive motor (if needed) will return agitation and spin function.
Bad Motor Coupler
Between the transmission and motor is a motor coupler, similar to the agitator coupler. It also relies on splines to transfer the motor’s torque.
The coupler can wear down or break over time, which can cause it to slip and fail to engage the transmission fully. Replacing a failed motor coupler will allow the motor to once again drive the transmission.
To replace a bad motor coupler, do these:
- Unplug the washer and open the cabinet to access the motor.
- Locate and identify the motor coupler between the motor and transmission.
- Loosen any bolts or clamps securing the coupler. Slide it off the motor and transmission shafts.
- Inspect the shafts and clean off any residue buildup with emery cloth.
- Slide the new coupler onto the shafts, aligning splines. Make sure it is fully seated.
- Tighten bolts or clamps to secure the coupler in place.
- Reassemble the cabinet, plug in the washer, and verify proper operation.
Faulty Transmission
Inside the transmission, a set of gears converts the rotating motion of the motor into proper agitation and spinning motions. If these gears become excessively worn or jammed, the transmission will fail to operate. A faulty transmission can make your machine produce strange noises.
Most often, you will need to replace the complete transmission assembly if it is confirmed faulty.
Faulty timer
Finally, the timer controls power to the drive motor based on the cycle selected. If the timer is defective, it may not energize the motor.
Similarly, the selector switch dictates what speed the motor runs at for agitation versus spin. If either the timer or selector switch is confirmed faulty with a multimeter, replacement is needed.
Follow these steps for a timer replacement:
- Unplug the washing machine and disconnect the water hoses.
- Remove the console panel to access the timer mounting.
- Disconnect the wiring harness from the timer terminals. Note wire positions.
- Remove the timer mounting screws and extract the timer from the console.
- Install new timer, attaching wiring harness to matched terminals.
- Secure the timer with mounting screws, and reattach the console.
- Reconnect water lines, plug in the washer and test the function of the timer.
3. Electrical issues
Several electrical components can fail in a Hotpoint washer, preventing proper agitation and spin. Some of the most common component failures responsible for your Hotpoint machine not agitating or spinning include:
Faulty Lid Switch
The lid switch assembly is a safety device that prevents the washer from running when the lid is open. If this switch malfunctions, it will not allow the motor drive circuit to energize even with the lid closed.
Testing the electrical continuity of the lid switch with a multimeter and replacing if faulty will resolve this issue. Replacing a faulty lid switch is easy, here’s all you need to do:
- Unplug the washer and open the top cabinet.
- Locate the lid switch near the top of the washer frame.
- Label and disconnect wires, remove mounting screws.
- Install the new lid switch, and attach wires to matching terminals.
- Secure the lid switch with mounting screws, close the cabinet.
- Plug in the washer, test function by lifting the lid to ensure it stops.
Bad Water Level Switch
The water level pressure switch engages when the tub is filled to the desired level, sending power to the drive motor.
If this pressure switch is corroded or defective, motor power will not initiate. Testing switch continuity and replacing the switch will restore proper operation.
Burnt Out Motor Control Board
The motor control board provides power to the drive motor based on the inputs from the washer timers, switches, and sensors. If the board has shorted circuits or burnt-out components, it may fail to send activation signals to the motor.
Testing board circuits with a multimeter or inspecting for physical damage like burnt spots can identify a faulty board that requires replacement.
Do these to replace a damaged motor control board:
- Unplug the washer and open the control console panel.
- Locate the motor control board and unplug all wire harnesses.
- Remove the mounting screws and extract the control board.
- Install replacement board, attaching all wire harnesses.
- Secure the board with mounting screws, and close the console panel.
- Plug in the washer, and test for proper wash cycles and agitation.
Other electrical issues to look out for are a defective door lock mechanism that fails to latch and engage properly or a damaged stator inside the motor windings that prevents the rotor from turning.
Electrical troubles can be tricky to diagnose, so methodically check crucial components that carry power to the drive motor.
Hotpoint Washer Not Spinning? 12 Ways To Easily Fix It
How To Fix Hotpoint Washer Won’t Agitate But Will Spin
If your Hotpoint washer fails to agitate your clothes but the tub still spins, there are a few specific components that could be malfunctioning. Here are some of the most common reasons:
1. Damaged or Worn Clutch
The clutch assembly connects the transmission to the inner tub and allows the drive system to spin the tub.
Over time, the friction surfaces in the clutch can wear down. When the clutch wears out, the transmission shaft will still be able to turn the wash tub for the spin cycle, but the damaged clutch slips when trying to engage the agitator back and forth motion.
Unfortunately, the clutch is not repairable and the entire component must be replaced. Examine your clutch to check for signs of wear or damage. If worn, replacing the full clutch assembly will restore both spin and agitate capabilities.
2. Broken Lower Agitator
On some dual-action Hotpoint agitator models, a failure of the lower agitator can prevent proper agitation while still allowing the tub to spin normally.
Inside the agitator, plastic dogs or cogs connect the upper and lower agitator sections. If the splines on the lower agitator become stripped or broken, this connection is lost and the upper agitator will not engage. The transmission can still turn the tub, giving the appearance of a normal spin.
Replacing the full lower agitator provides an easy fix and will allow clothes agitation once again.
3. Faulty Shift Actuator
The shift actuator is the component responsible for shifting the transmission between agitate and spin modes.
If the actuator or its electrical control circuit becomes defective, the transmission may default to the spin mode and get stuck unable to agitate. The washer tub continues spinning as normal but without agitation.
Testing the actuator and replacing it if faulty will return proper operation. The main control board may also need troubleshooting if power is not reaching the actuator.
4. Defective Main Control Board
While not always the cause, a malfunctioning electronic control board can produce the symptoms of a Hotpoint washer spinning but not agitating.
The control board (the brain of the washer) provides power to the drive motor and other components based on input signals like cycle selection and timer progress. If the board has stopped sending voltage to the drive motor during agitation, this function will fail while spin may remain normal.
Check the door lock, lid switch, and other inputs first before replacing the board. Visually inspect for shorts or burnt-out circuits. Use a multimeter to confirm if the board has stopped providing the voltage outputs needed during the wash cycle. Also, check for a burning smell – a shorted board can also give off a burning smell.
Replace the main control board if necessary to restore a fully functional washer.
Conclusion
A non-agitating Hotpoint washer can usually be fixed by methodically inspecting components like the agitator, clutch, and control board to identify and replace faulty parts. Doing repairs yourself saves on service costs. With some effort and new parts, you can get your Hotpoint washer agitating dependably again.