The Maytag Bravos washer has been in existence for years and is reputable for its reliability, ease of wash, and high performance.
That, however, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a Maytag Bravos washer troubleshooting manual with you, as anything could go wrong.
A troubleshooting manual comes in handy in addressing issues like a washer that won’t start, spin, drain or move to the next cycle or one that is stuck on sensing, vibrates, makes grinding noises, leaks, or has a faulty dispenser, or lid lock.
With it, you can also interpret the error codes you see on your washer and act accordingly. On that note, we’ll discuss 10 of the most everyday Maytag Bravos washer problems and error codes you can troubleshoot with a manual.
Let’s get into it:
Common Problems to Fix with A Maytag Bravos Washer Troubleshooting Manual
Below is a table summary of the ten typical Maytag Bravos problems (which we’ll discuss further later) you can troubleshoot with the manual:
| Problem | Probable Cause | Troubleshooting | |
| 1. | Washer Won’t Start | Power issue, stuck start button or faulty control board, motor or lid switch | Check for power failure or stuck start button and replace faulty control board, motor, or lid switch |
| 2 | Washer Won’t Spin | Control board problem or a defective motor coupling, latch, lid switch, or drive belt | Replace the faulty component (control board, motor coupling, match, lid switch, or drive belt) |
| 3. | Washer Won’t Drain | The drain pump or pump belt failure or drain clogging | Replace the drain pump or pump belt if faulty and clean the drain |
| 4. | Washer Won’t Move To The Next Cycle | A dirty or faulty lid switch, or too much lint | Clean the lid switch if dirty or replace it if faulty and avoid too much lint |
| 5. | Washer Stuck On Sensing | The wrong setting, jammed keypad or faulty lid lock, control board, sensor, or timer | Check the setting, unjam the keypad and replace the faulty lid lock, control board, sensor, or timer |
| 6. | Washer Vibrates | Unstable feet or unbalanced load | Stabilize the washer’s feet on the ground and rearrange the load |
| 7. | Washer Grinding Or Clicking | Possible foreign objects in the drum | Stop the washers from running and take out the foreign objects |
| 8. | Washer Leaking | Loose connection, unbalanced load, or unstable washer | Fix loose connections, balance the laundry and stabilize the washer |
| 9. | Faulty Lid Lock | Obstruction (primarily by dirt) | Remove the obstruction and test for connectivity. Replace if faulty |
| 10. | Faulty Dispenser | Dirt clogging | Clean the dispenser |
10 Maytag Bravos Washer Problems to Troubleshoot at Home
Now here’s what to know about the ten problems shared in the table above:
1. Washer Won’t Start
So, your Maytag washer won’t start, and you can’t explain? If so, then you should watch out for any of these issues:
- Power issues – If your washer won’t start, it makes sense to check the power cord first to ensure it’s well plugged into the socket. If it is but not working, test the plug for continuity using a multimeter. It might be defective and need replacement.
- Stuck start button – Also, check the condition of the start button. It might be that the start button is stuck in. If so, try applying slight pressure to see if you can release it.
- Maytag Bravos washer control board problems – The control board, sometimes known as the display board, offers you access to essential buttons for washing, rinsing, and drying. If it’s faulty, which you can tell with a multimeter, the washer won’t start.
- Faulty motor or timer – If the motor or timer is defective, the washer won’t turn on. So, you also have to check the two to ensure they are working fine.
- Faulty lid switch – Remember to check the lid switch as it can prevent the washer from turning on if faulty. If it’s indeed faulty or broken, you should replace it.
2. Maytag Bravos Washer Won’t Spin
If your Maytag Washer doesn’t spin, the potential reasons include:
- Defective motor coupling – The motor coupling becomes weaker and wears over time, causing the washer not to spin. Once the washer starts making a grinding noise, you should check the motor coupling and replace it.
- Defective latch or lid switch – Check your washer’s latch and lid switch for faults using a multimeter. If any of them shows no continuity, they are faulty and thus need replacing.
- Defective drive belt – Don’t forget to check the condition of the drive belt. If the belt is broken, weak, or just loose, you should replace it as it will prevent the washer from spinning.
- Other reasons why your washer won’t spin are load imbalance or overload, wrong setting, faulty actuator switch, power failure, or poor drainage.
3. Washer Won’t Drain
Drainage is essential for the spinning of your washer. If your Maytag won’t drain, here are possible explanations:
- Drain pump or pump belt failure – If the drain pump or the pump belt is defective, the pump won’t be able to pump the water away, which means the wastewater won’t drain. Luckily, you can test the pump’s continuity with a multimeter to know if it’s faulty and replace it.
- Drain clogging – If the drain is clogged, wastewater from your washer won’t drain away. In that case, you’ve to unclog your washer’s drain and remove any kinks on the drain hose.
4. Washer Won’t Move to The Next Cycle
If your washer is just stuck on one cycle and can’t move to the next, here are the possible explanations:
- Dirty or faulty lid switch – If the lid switch is dirt-clogged or defective, it will prevent the washer from moving to the next cycle. So try cleaning it with rubbing alcohol but if it’s faulty, replace it.
- Too much lint – If you have too much lint on your laundry, it could interfere with the washer. To avoid that, make use of your washer’s lint filter and clean the washer thoroughly at least monthly.
5. Maytag Bravos Washer Stuck On ” Sensing”
Sometimes, the Maytag washer can’t go past the sensing mode. And if that’s the case, here are possible explanations:
- Jammed keypad – If a keypad gets stuck, it is difficult for the washing machine to go past the sensing mode. So, you should find it, unstuck it, and then run diagnostics to identify possible error codes.
- Faulty component – If a part like a lid lock, control board, sensor or timer shift actuator, or water inlet valve is defective, the washer may be stuck in sensing mode. So, identify which of these components is faulty and replace it.
- Wrong setting – If you use the wrong setting, your washer may fail to sense any other mode. In that case, you should know how to reset Maytag Bravos washer to restore its factory setting.
6. Washer Making a Vibrating Noise
If your washer vibrates fast and intensely, it shows that something is wrong. Here are the potential culprits:
- Unstable feet – If the washer feet are not touching the ground uniformly, the washer will vibrate when spinning. It could be that the washer is not level. To fix that, you should stabilize the washer on the ground and preferably position it on level ground.
- Imbalance load – Your washer could also vibrate because of an imbalance load. If so, you should stop the washer from running and rearrange the load before restarting.
7. Washer Making a Grinding or Clicking Noise
If your washing machine is making a grinding or clicking sound when spinning, there’s the possibility that foreign objects like coins, zippers, keys, pins, or jewelry are trapped in the drum.
If that’s the case, you’ve to stop the washing machine immediately and take out the clothes to identify and remove the foreign objects.
8. Washer Leaking
Your washer is leaking because of any of these reasons:
- Loose connection – A loose drain connection easily translates to leakage. To avoid that, check for loose connections and tighten up everything.
- Unbalanced load – An unbalanced load misaligns the basket, causing water to splash off the tub. So, ensure you balance your load before spinning.
- Unstable washer – An unstable washer may destabilize the drain’s water flow, resulting in leaks. So, ensure you stabilize the machine on the ground.
9. Maytag Bravos Washer Troubleshooting Lid Lock
If the lid lock has an obstruction, it’s likely to fail. So, you’ve to first look for a potential block and remove it. And if that doesn’t work, run a diagnostic to identify the error code and fix it.
You can also test the lid lock using a multimeter. If it doesn’t show some resistance, it’s defective and thus needs replacing.
10. Faulty Dispenser
If the fabric softener or detergent dispenser accumulates dirt for too long, it can become faulty. Sometimes the dirt clogs the water lines affecting the water flow valve.
To avoid such an occurrence, clean your washer and the dispenser regularly with a soft washing machine cleaning brush and hot water.
Common Maytag Bravos Washer Error Codes
Let’s now look at the most typical error codes to troubleshoot with a Maytag Bravos washer troubleshooting manual:
1. Maytag Bravos Washer Troubleshooting Error Code F51
Code FSI, also unknown as the Motor-Rotor Position Sensor (RPS) failure code, indicates a fault with the control board, sensor, or one of the connectors.
However, this fault is correctable by cleaning the affected part or replacing it.
2. Maytag Bravos Washer Troubleshooting UL Code
UL stands for an unbalanced load. So, you need to stop the machine and reorganize your laundry load evenly before restarting the washer.
3. Maytag Bravos Washer Troubleshooting LD Code
Code LD or F32 indicates a drain taking too long, possibly because of clogging or the drain hose is too long. Consequently, ensure the drain pipe height is not more than 96″ and unclog the drain hose, pump, and filter.
4. FOE2 (Code SUD/SD)
The error code FOE2 indicates over suds detection. It’s often a case of using too much detergent or overlying on non-high efficiency detergents.
So, the solution is to avoid too much detergent and stick to the use of HE (high-efficiency options).
5. Code FOE3
A FOE3 code shows an overload. You must have overfilled your washer or are washing something too bulky such as a heavy bracket or rag. In that case, you should stop the washer, take off the excess load, and restart it.
Other Error Codes
| Error Code | Interpretation | Solution |
| OFB (or FOE5) | Off-balance detected (or load imbalance) | Stop the washer and redistribute the load before restarting it |
| F1E1 | Main Control failure | Test the main control board with a multimeter and replace it if defective |
| F2E1 | The user interface (UI) button stuck | Identify the stuck UI button and try to release it manually |
| F3E1 | Pressure fault | Check for leaky or kinked pipes and fix them. Also, check the transducer |
| F5E2 | Failed lid lock mostly due to blockage | Check the lid lock for blockage and remove the blockage |
How Do You Run Diagnostics On a Maytag Bravos Washer?
You can run diagnostics on a Maytag Bravos by first placing the washer on standby mode. So, switch it on but keep the indicators off. Then, rotate the cycle selector three clicks to the right, one click to the left, and another click to the right.
Concluding Remarks On the Maytag Bravos Washer Troubleshooting Manual!
You now have a simple but well-packed troubleshooting manual for your Maytag Bravos washer. You can use it to identify the most typical problems and error codes and fix them accordingly. It allows you to start being your ‘own’ technician today.
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