Washing machine sticks or stops mid-cycle

A very common fault on washing machines is when the program timer fails to complete the cycle and stops part way through. Many people blame the program timer for this but although it is a possible cause, there are many more likely causes for this fault. The program will stick if the heater isn't working, if the thermostat fails, if it can't fill up with cold water for the rinses, if it can't empty the water etc. There are too many possible causes of this fault to be able to give anything other than rudimentary advice. However, the common causes of a washing machine sticking that can easily be fixed are filling and emptying problems.

Check that the cold water supply is available to the washing machine, which is a common cause for sticking on rinses. If the washing machine appears to stop mid-cycle and isn't filling with water on rinses then see Washing machine won't fill with water (or no water goes into washing machine) before calling an engineer. If the washing machine can't drain the water out then it will stick on the rinses, or it will abort with an error code. If you can see water still inside the washing machine then check the following advice Washing machine won't empty water

Washing machine error codes

These days, most washing machines are controlled by software in computer-type modules. If a fault occurs, the washing machine will often abort the program and display an error code. This could be in the form of a letter and number (such as F10 or E2) or by flashing neon lights. If your washing machine is aborting the program, and lights are flashing, make a note of which neon(s) are lit up or flashing. This is invaluable information which can be reported to an engineer. For information on other washing machine error codes, see Washing machine displays an error code

Indesit error codes

If a modern Indesit washing machine has option buttons on the front panel, which come on when the corresponding option is selected, then the error fault codes are shown by flashing the on off light rapidly and lighting one or more of the option lights. At the same time, the selector switch will often click round and round. Make a note of exactly which option lights are lit, and an engineer can look up the error code.

Modern Indesit washing machines that don't have option lights will usually convey the error code by rapidly flashing the on off light a certain number of times. For example, error code 7, will cause the on off indicator light to flash seven times, pause for a second and flash seven times again.

Book appliance repair : If you want to find an engineer to repair your washing machine, washer dryer, dishwasher, tumble dryer, cooker, fridge, freezer or other kitchen appliance you can find a choice of repairers on my Book appliance repair page.

Washing machine empties water and aborts programme just after starting, or mid-wash

Sometimes a washing machine will fill with water as normal, but instead of washing, it could just sit there for several minutes before draining out all the water and turning itself off. Another possibility is that the washing machine could start out washing okay, but halfway through the cycle it may suddenly drain all the water and turn off.

With most washing machines these days this behaviour should be accompanied by an error code. The error code could be a readable code on the display or one indicated through flashing lights with (or without) accompanying option lights that may light up. For further details see the following articles - Washing machine stops with an error code | Washing machine stops with lights flashing | Program selector knob (dial) clicks round continuously

If your washing machine suddenly switches off and drains the water but does not have any flashing lights or any option lights lit up that may indicate an error code then the only clue is to observe the exact point of the wash cycle that triggers this behaviour.

Here are some general pointers -

If it aborts within the first 10 minutes of a wash it could be that the heater isn't working and it has detected the water isn't getting any warmer and timed out on heat ( Washing machine isn't heating up the water )
If it aborts after 20 - 30 mins or so whilst still on wash and the water is clearly getting hot it could have detected the water is overheating. This could be caused by a faulty thermistor, which is a modern thermostat. It's usually situated next to or pushed inside the heating element and is a type of resistor which changes its electrical resistance according to its temperature. Overheating is a tricky one to diy repair
Some washing machines will abort if they detect any one of the parts has a slight leak to earth. A megger meter would be needed to check for this and only engineers tend to have them. Insulation tests involve putting 500 v CD through the machine.

Appliance Repairs

If you want to find an engineer to repair your washing machine, washer dryer, dishwasher, tumble dryer, cooker, fridge, freezer or other kitchen appliance you can find a choice of repairers on my Book appliance repair page.