Counted from our technicians' notes on 20 Frigidaire washer service calls.
Front-loader or top-loader makes a difference
Frigidaire sells both, and they break in different ways. Front-loaders carry more electronics and depend on a door lock and a rubber door boot. Top-loaders use a lid switch and have fewer sensors.
Water sitting in the drum
A drain pump clogged with socks, coins or hair, or a pump that has simply failed, leaves water in the drum. The washer won't spin until that water is gone. A kinked drain hose looks exactly the same from the outside.
Won't start, won't lock, won't let go of the door
A front-loader's door lock assembly has to lock and report back before any cycle runs. On a top-loader, a broken lid switch stops it from agitating or spinning.
Leaks, fill trouble and a drum that won't turn
Front-load leaks at the door come from a torn or dirty boot seal most of the time, and things trapped in its folds can cut it over time. Slow filling points to the water inlet valve, whose small screens can clog with sediment, especially on hard water. A pressure sensor that misreads the level causes the opposite problem, overfilling or a washer that keeps adding water.
On direct-drive front-loaders, a fault in the motor or its hall (speed) sensor can stop the drum even though the washer still fills and drains.
E11, E21, E35 and E41
You'll find these on many Frigidaire front-load models, and they're the same codes Electrolux front-loaders use. Codes vary by model, and most top-loaders show few or none.
| Code | What it usually means |
|---|
| E11 | Long fill time. The washer isn't filling as fast as it should. |
| E21 | Long drain (pump-out) time. Water is leaving too slowly. |
| E35 | Too much water. The level reading from the pressure sensor is higher than it should be. |
| E41 | The door reads as open, even if it looks shut. |
Checks you can do yourself
- Open both water faucets all the way and look over the fill hoses for kinks or leaks.
- Make sure the drain hose isn't kinked or shoved too far down the standpipe.
- Close the door firmly and look for clothes caught in the seal.
- Check the breaker, and plug the washer straight into the outlet, not into an extension cord.
- Level the washer if it walks or shakes during spin.
The model tag is along the door trim on front-loaders. On top-loaders, lift the lid and look at the back of the tub opening.
Use HE detergent and actually measure it. Extra soap leaves residue that holds odors and can slow draining. On a front-loader, wipe out the door seal and leave the door cracked open between loads so the boot dries.