FIXED Whirlpool Cabrio WTW7000DW0 runs too long, backs up, doesn't finish correctly...

[honey_dave]

Model Number

WTW7000DW0

Brand

Whirlpool

Age

1-5 years

Hi all,
I have a WTW7000DW0 that is probably 3-5 years old. It has recently been acting very strange, and I wonder if anyone has any ideas.

Initially, the problem was that when a cycle would end, the lid would stay locked. The display would say "End" but also the "Locked" light would stay on and we couldn't open the lid. Thankfully, if you unplugged it for ~30 seconds, and then replugged it in, the lid would unlock and you could open it again.

After that, it started doing weird things with the cycles. It would start normally and say the load would take 58 minutes (or something similar depending on the setting). It would then proceed to run for a while and then stick at 25 minutes (or some other number) remaining for a long time, and sometimes even have the time remaining go up. If you left it long enough, it would eventually finish in 2-3 hours, but even then it wouldn't have gone through the spin cycle, so the clothes were sopping wet.

We were able to get it to do just the spin cycle using the "Utilities - spin & rinse" settings, but even this sometimes would not work correctly.

I'm thinking the Control Board needs to be replaced? Or is there any way to reprogram/reset it? If the Control Board does need to be replaced, I'm thinking I'll just start over with a new washer since a new CB is >$200 and a refurbished one is ~$120 online.

It doesn't give any error codes and I have left it unplugged overnight with no change in behavior.

Any thoughts anyone?

Thanks for the help!
Dave

 

[Jake]

Hi Dave,

Yes, you have a bad control board. I located another member with the exact same problem and the new control board fixed it:

FIXED - WTW7000DW Help-cabrio touch panel-reset option? No power! Lid locked!

I have a cabrio WTW7000DW and there is no power on the touch panel and the lid is locked. My wife says she has some towels and started it. Not 100% sure on that but I can't figure out how to reset it. Unplugging for few mins did nothing. I've never had this unit just not show any signs of...

www.applianceblog.com

Your model uses the exact same control board:
W10812423 Cntrl-Elec


Jake

 

[honey_dave]

OK, thanks for the help Jake. I replaced this control board because I figured that was logically the only thing it could be - and the guys at the local appliance parts store agreed.

So, I put in the new board, and then the first thing I went to do was do a spin to spin the old water out of there and get the clothes mostly dry and ready for the dryer (since the old control board wouldn't even do the spin anymore, there formerly was standing water and soaking clothes in there).

The washer with the new control board started up like it was going to do the spin just fine, and it did spin some water out of there, but after a few minutes it just went to F3E1 code. It just repeated that over and over. I tried shutting it off, unplugging, and plugging back in and still it just repeats that code and makes a noise like it's trying to get some water out of there. The basket isn't spinning or anything, and the lid is NOT locked, but it just keeps going like this. I'm going to try to leave it unplugged for longer and see if it will do a fresh load of laundry if I can get it to forget the error.

 

[honey_dave]

When I have it plugged in, the water pump (I assume) is on pretty constantly. You can hear it going, and I can also hear a trickle of occasional water coming out the drain discharge pipe. So that's just going continuously now and I can't do anything else with it.

 

[honey_dave]

The manual says F3E1 means "Water level sensing failure." and then the possible causes is listed as "Pressure sensor on ACU failure." And then it advises "Call for service." So I don't know what that means. Is the ACU the Control Unit I just replaced?

I see that on a different thread you recommended running this through diagnostics before doing anything with a replaced part. I didn't do that, nor do I understand how I would do that here. Jake, you said on that other thread, "Entry sequence: Press any 3 keys in the sequence 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3 with no more than 1 second between key presses. NOTE: Some models have replaced the “Clean” LED with “Completed.”
The Service Diagnostics Cycle will start when the door is closed. "

So does that mean just hit any 3 different touch sensor screens in succession 3 times in a row, and it should enter diagnostics? Right now, I can't get it to do anything but blink F3 E1 at me and run the pump. But maybe if I leave it unplugged overnight it will forget it.

 

[Jake]

Your mixing up the Whirlpool Dishwasher Diagnostics with your washing machine diagnostics.

I'm attaching your tech. data sheet below, Look on page 2 where it says: ACTIVATING SERVICE DIAGNOSTIC MODE

F3E1--->Pressure Fault is displayed when the main control detects an out of range System Fault pressure signal.
• Check pressure hose connection from tub to main control.
Is hose pinched, kinked, plugged, or leaking air?
• See TEST #6: Water Level, page 19.

Make sure there is no water in the tub, then blow through your pressure switch hose before you connect it to your control board.

Jake

 

[honey_dave]

Thanks Jake! I will try that!

 

[Jake]

Glad to help Dave, keep us posted.

Jake

 

[honey_dave]

Well Jake, you are a scholar and a gentleman. Thanks for all the replies, I believe it is back to fully functioning normally. We've run about 5 loads now that cycled thru nicely.

This morning I emptied the washer to take the wet clothes out. Then I disconnected the tube from the control panel and blew through it. It didn't seem like there was anything in it, but who knows? Anyway, reconnected the tube and plugged in the machine again (that had been unplugged overnight). I was happy that it didn't immediately give me an error code, so after a few minutes I turned it on. Still fine. I then ran a load with no clothes - a shortish (38 min) cycle - and it ran to completion fine. Then we ran a small load, then we ran a big load.

So I fully put the panels back in place on the machine now and it's all back in place towards the wall, so I'm hoping we'll be good to go for at least a few more years now.

BTW, the reason I decided to buy a new control board ($160+tax) rather than just ditch the washer and start over is that in checking with Whirpool, they let me know I bought this in December 2016. So it's only 2.5 years old. Hopefully, I'll get many more years out of it.

Thanks much!

 

[Jake]

Excellent Dave, that's great news that you are back in business again after doing what I mentioned, blowing through that pressure switch tube while no water is in the tub.

Thanks for the update!

Jake