badtothebohn
Premium Member
- Model Number
- MVWX500XW
- Brand
- Maytag
- Age
- 1-5 years
Initial symptoms were that the washer, in the middle of a normal cycle, would stop for ~ 10 min (when it should be transitioning between 2 different activities in the cycle), after which the lid would unlock and then resume. If I pushed pause after lid unlocked, it would lock and resume. Which was manageable, but now, the machine, upon the beginning of a cycle will lock, unlock, lock, while it does its usual minor agitation and water, then stop.
Being un-handy but nerdy, I searched the internet for the technician manual, where I put it in diagnostic mode and did an automatic test where it did everything but spin and would refuse to unlock the lid at the end of the test. So, doing a manual test, I was able to get it to do everything (hot/cold valves, fabric softener, drain, both agitation types, and lid lock), but it wouldn't spin (the first time I did a manual test, it did spin on low, but didn't on subsequent tests on low or high). It sounds like it's setting itself up to get into a spin (basket turns a bit), then pauses like normal, but doesn't begin the spinning to higher RPMs. And, I can't get it out of the spin test or unlock the lid, so I have to unplug the machine to get it to unlock. Pulling up fault codes in the diagnostic mode, one of the ones I get is "basket speed sensor fault". Which seems consistent with the other symptoms, as the documentation says that the machine has to begin from 0 RPM. If the machine doesn't know it's at 0 RPM, it would wait until the basket gets to that speed, so it can begin.
Reading the technician manual, it has me go through tests 3a (drive system-shifter) and 3b (drive system-motor). Test 3b seems unnecessary because I could get it to agitate, so I work through 3a. I get through steps 7 of test 3a and have to stop because, even though my multimeter let me test resistance in step 6, I can't figure out how to test voltages with the probes while the J16 connector is plugged in. Don't know if going down this method of testing is even worthwhile, if I know what the likely cause is.
Am I making the right conclusions?
Thanks,
Adam
Being un-handy but nerdy, I searched the internet for the technician manual, where I put it in diagnostic mode and did an automatic test where it did everything but spin and would refuse to unlock the lid at the end of the test. So, doing a manual test, I was able to get it to do everything (hot/cold valves, fabric softener, drain, both agitation types, and lid lock), but it wouldn't spin (the first time I did a manual test, it did spin on low, but didn't on subsequent tests on low or high). It sounds like it's setting itself up to get into a spin (basket turns a bit), then pauses like normal, but doesn't begin the spinning to higher RPMs. And, I can't get it out of the spin test or unlock the lid, so I have to unplug the machine to get it to unlock. Pulling up fault codes in the diagnostic mode, one of the ones I get is "basket speed sensor fault". Which seems consistent with the other symptoms, as the documentation says that the machine has to begin from 0 RPM. If the machine doesn't know it's at 0 RPM, it would wait until the basket gets to that speed, so it can begin.
Reading the technician manual, it has me go through tests 3a (drive system-shifter) and 3b (drive system-motor). Test 3b seems unnecessary because I could get it to agitate, so I work through 3a. I get through steps 7 of test 3a and have to stop because, even though my multimeter let me test resistance in step 6, I can't figure out how to test voltages with the probes while the J16 connector is plugged in. Don't know if going down this method of testing is even worthwhile, if I know what the likely cause is.
Am I making the right conclusions?
Thanks,
Adam
Last edited: