Why is my dishwasher wash arm not spinning?
Low water pressure prevents the lower wash arm from spinning even when the interior is completely free of clogs. This stops the appliance from washing properly, leaving it stuck in a cycle of filling, sitting, and draining without cleaning the dishes.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Vacuuming up cleaned scale and flushing the dishwasherDid this help you?
- 2Checking the diverter motor and pump coverDid this help you?
- 3Replacing the water inlet valveDid this help you?
- 4Disconnecting and inspecting the circulation pumpDid this help you?
- 5Testing pump resistance with a multimeterDid this help you?
- 6Cleaning down the shaft near the pump and pressure sensor with a thin wire pipe brushDid this help you?
- 7attempting DIY repairs and replacing partsDid this help you?
- 8researching error codes onlineDid this help you?
- 9Searching online and trying to diagnose whether the issue is caused by a clogged drain pump, foreign obstruction, or broken lid switch.Did this help you?
- 10Manually emptying the drum and trying to pull the heavy machine out to access the back hoses and components.Did this help you?
- 11Replacing plastic partsDid this help you?
- 12Having a technician check and clean filtersDid this help you?
- 13replaced the actuator and splutchDid this help you?
- 14replace the whole gear caseDid this help you?
- 15Checking the fuseDid this help you?
- 16cleared the drain filterDid this help you?
- 17reset the washing machineDid this help you?
- 18using the standalone spin modeDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“i have a Maytag Bravos XL washer that’s only 6ish years old that was deciding when it did and didn’t want to turn and making awful noise, turns out it was the transmission, slider and wash plate I replaced all of those and I end up having to replace the motor rotor because the inner metal peice thag holds it on the shaft stayed in the old transmission and It broke when I tried to get it out, after all that you’d think there could be nothing else wrong since 75% of everything under has been replaced but of course not.”source ↗
“the washer now jitters back and forth and does not rotate and when I checked for codes it flashes E5 F7 which upon research could be all new problems and I just need some advice on where to go next, this washer is taking up to much brain space but I don’t have the funds to get a new one and I’ve put to much time and money to quit on it now”source ↗
“It's right after I turn it on and the lid locks. Goes to sense the load, makes this noise, and does not spin”source ↗
“The lower wash arm is a big geared contraption that logically looks like a geared motor shaft would have to engage with and spin, but everything I read says it's just water pressure that spins it.”source ↗
“There doesn't seem to be enough pressure to spin it.”source ↗
“the entire lower wash arm doesn't spin at all, and it's NOT an issue with being clogged inside of it.”source ↗
“My dishwasher had been making a high-pitched whistling sound for a couple of months but still operated fine.”source ↗
“Recently, the whistling got very loud and it stopped filling with water.”source ↗
“The whistling has stopped, and it’s getting water, but it is not washing anything. It’s just going through a cycle of; Fill, sit doing nothing, drain, repeat.”source ↗
“I’ve paid attention to the spray arms and they are not moving at all during the cycle.”source ↗
“Is anyone able to troubleshoot this Black & Decker portable washer?”source ↗
“Yes it still agitates, just no spin”source ↗
“My 2008 or 2009 Maytag Centennial MVWC300VW0 washer stopped draining in the middle of a load.”source ↗
“We just tried setting it to spin, and pulling out the dial to turn it on. No sound at all (no buzz or hum), and no movement.”source ↗
“Ya cambié las piezas plásticas y sigue sin funcionar. Un técnico revisó los filtros y está todo limpio y el brazo inferior gira perfecto y con buena presión de agua. Alguno sabe que puede ser????”source ↗
“What would cause the splutch assembly to crack and break like this?”source ↗
“I started having issues with the drum having minimal movement during agitate spinning and loads coming out soaking wet.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 23Washing machine light goes straight from sense to done
- 3Washing machine finishes cycle but drum won't spin
- 38Washer making a loud screeching noise during spin cycle
- 3GE dishwasher starts for a second and then stops with blinking lights
- 2Dishwasher lights blinking and won't start
- 5How to get off a stuck washer agitator after unbolting?