5 Reasons Your Whirlpool Washer Stuck On Sensing Or Wash Cycle! 2025

It’s frustrating when your Whirlpool washer is stuck on sensing, especially when there’s an enormous load of laundry you want to wash.

When this happens, confusion begins to creep into your mind as you might not know the source of your dilemma.

Nevertheless, there are several reasons behind this abrupt change in your Whirlpool washer. Let’s look at a few of them below.

Your Whirlpool washer might be stuck on sensing when there’s a fault in your water inlet valve, main control board, shift actuator and drive motor. Furthermore, the wrong washer setting, a defective sensor, load imbalance, electric failure, and a clogged drain are possible causes of this problem.

In this article, I’ll outline and thoroughly explain why your Whirlpool washer is stuck on sensing. I’ll go further to accentuate the ways you can resolve this problem.

Contents

What Is the Sensing Mode on a Whirlpool Washer?

Whirlpool Washer Stuck on Sensing or Wash Cycle

The sensing mode on a Whirlpool washer serves its purpose by stabilizing the amount of water needed to wash your laundry.

Many new Whirlpool washers usually come with this feature to ensure a smooth wash cycle.

It also ensures that the water in the washer isn’t low and fills it with the right amount.

You must be wondering how this is possible. How exactly does the sensing mode work? Your Whirlpool washer has a sensing light which indicates the washer is in sensing mode.

The sensing spins in the washer usually take two to three minutes before the water enters the laundry.

If you set your Whirlpool washer to auto-sensing mode, the process will continue until the right amount of water fills the washer.

Afterward, the sensing light will stop blinking, and it’ll go back to normal.

Unfortunately, if the sensing light continues to blink, there’s a problem somewhere. This may indicate that your washer is stuck in sensing mode.

Fortunately, all new Whirlpool washers are under a one-year warranty, beginning from the point of purchase.

Hence, you can utilize this opportunity to your advantage if your Whirlpool washer is new.

If you encounter this dilemma, you can simply contact Whirlpool, and they’ll handle the problem diligently.

On the other hand, if your Whirlpool washer is not new, you can reset it provided you follow the right instructions.

Note that many Whirlpool washer models harbor different techniques of resetting.

Therefore, I’ll advise you to always refer to your owner’s manual or user’s guide of the specific model of your Whirlpool washer.

Nevertheless, I’ll outline some resetting techniques that work on most models of Whirlpool washers.

Below are some of the resetting techniques you can try.

First, switch off your Whirlpool washer.

Unplug your washer’s cable from the socket.

Wait approximately 15-20 minutes, and plug the washer cable into the socket.

Switch the socket and check if the washer is back to normal.

Why Your Whirlpool Washer Is Stuck in Sensing Mode?

Your Whirlpool washer stuck on sensing mode can automatically ruin a well-planned day.

You might have to delay some activities to resolve the problem immediately.

This problem often occurs when the sensing spins fill your washer with the right amount of water. Just then, your washer fails to go past the sensing mode.

Admittedly, this situation can be extremely annoying, and you might begin to freak out, especially when you don’t know what to do.

But what could be the reason behind this sudden issue? Without further ado, here are the five reasons for this dilemma.

#1. Faulty Water Inlet Valve

The water inlet valve is responsible for releasing water into the washer for a smooth wash cycle.

So, when it ceases to perform this function, the water sensor fails to sense the right amount of water.

Hence, your washer becomes stuck in the sensing mode for a long time. This may happen when the water inlet valve is clogged, preventing water flow.

You can rectify this using a multimeter to test its functionality. If this continues, you must replace the water inlet valve immediately.

#2. Wrong Washer Setting

Your Whirlpool washer is an appliance that carries out every instruction you want it to perform.

Therefore, you must be careful when choosing the settings. Your washer might become stuck in sensing mode when you pick the wrong setting.

In most cases, this happens when users don’t know how to use their washers. You should refer to your user’s guide and follow the proper instructions.

#3. Clogged Drain and Water Supply Line

When your drain pump and water supply line are clogged, your washer may be stuck in sensing mode. This might happen if they are faulty and accumulate a lot of water.

You can check the drain pump and water supply line to unclog the dirt and water. However, it’s best to replace them with new ones.

#4. Electric Failure

Your Whirlpool washer usually needs stable electricity to function effectively.

If the voltage surpasses 120v on the control board, your Whirlpool washer will remain in sensing mode. An electrical fault might also cause the washer to remain in sensing mode.

When this happens, your Whirlpool washer displays an electric fault error to notify you.

To ensure stable electricity, utilize a multimeter to test the amount of voltage infiltrating your control board.

You must purchase a new control board if the voltage is over 120v on p1-3-p1-5.

#5. Faulty Timer

The timer usually detects signals which enable your washer to move from one cycle to another.

When it becomes faulty, it fails to pick up signals, and your washer remains in sensing mode.

In this scenario, you can use a multimeter to check the functionality of the timer. If it fails to work, replace the timer with a new one.

How Do You Remove a Whirlpool Washer From Sensing Mode?

The first step to removing your Whirlpool washer from sensing mode is identifying the source of the problem.

This could come from different parts of your washer, like the main control board and drive motor.

However, the easiest way to remove your Whirlpool washer from sensing mode is to reset it instantly.

Resetting your Whirlpool washer is pretty simple! You just need to unplug the washer’s cable from the socket and plug it in after half an hour.

Notwithstanding, you can follow the methods below to remove your Whirlpool washer from sensing mode.

#1. Repair the Main Control Board

When your Whirlpool washer is stuck in sensing mode, you might want to check your main control board, as it might be the culprit.

However, this problem is less likely to occur as it might be the last source. The fault often comes from the components on your main control board.

On the other hand, the main control board might be faulty. In this case, removing the main control board and replacing it with a new one is best.

To do this, disconnect all the electrical wires and remove the control board. Reconnect the electrical wires to the main control board.

Ensure to turn off your Whirlpool washer before you remove and fix your main control board. Afterward, your washer will go back to normal.

#2. Use a Multimeter

Ensure to use a multimeter to check for the continuity of the components of your washer. This way, you can easily diagnose the source of the problem.

You can easily carry out a few troubleshooting hacks to remove your washer from sensing mode. Alternatively, you can easily consult an expert to help you out.

Why Is My Whirlpool Washer Stuck In a Single Wash Cycle?

Many homeowners are often perplexed when their Whirlpool washer is stuck in a single wash cycle.

But what could be the reason for this? I’ll highlight some reasons responsible for this issue below.

#1. Broken Timer

The timer is essential to your Whirlpool wash, affecting the wash cycle.

When the timer breaks or becomes faulty, it fails to function, and your washer remains stuck in a single wash cycle.

You can replace the broken/faulty timer. You can purchase a new timer for $120.

Although it’s a little expensive, it’s much better than purchasing a new washer.

#2. Faulty Lid Switch

The lid switch of your washer inspects if the door of the washer is open or closed.

Therefore, if the lid switch is faulty, it’ll be unable to carry out this function properly.

For instance, if the door is open and the lid switch cannot detect it, the washer will be stuck in a single wash cycle.

You can use a multimeter to check for continuity. If the problem extends, you can replace the lid switch.

#3. Blocked Filters

When the filters of your washer are blocked with debris, they will remain in a single cycle.

To eliminate this problem, check your filters and remove the debris blocking the passage of water.

Why Won’t a Whirlpool Washer Start a Wash Cycle?

It’s nerve-wracking when your Whirlpool washer fails to start a wash cycle after you’ve loaded your laundry.

But what could be behind this? I’ll briefly highlight some reasons for this fault and the solutions in the table below.

Reasons	Solutions
Defective thermal fuse	Utilize a multimeter to check and fix the fuse.
Defective power supply	Check the power supply source and ensure it’s correct and stable.
Defective line fuse	Use a multimeter to check for continuity and fix the fuse.
Defective door lock	Check the door lock and replace it if necessary.