Your Maytag Bravos washer isn’t fail-proof. It may fail at some point, and when it does, you’ll need the most straightforward Maytag Bravos washer troubleshooting manual, and that’s where this quick guide comes in.
It could be that your Maytag Bravos washer won’t turn on, spin, or drain. Or perhaps the washing machine leaks, stay on sensing mode, or vibrates.
Those are six issues I’ll discuss and help you troubleshoot. Moreover, we’ll look at how to run diagnostics to find hidden faults and address a few typical codes and their troubleshooting.
Let’s jump in!
In a hurry? Consider the quick Maytag Bravos washer DIY troubleshooting manual below.
Quick DIY Maytag Bravos Washer Troubleshooting Manual
| Problem | Likely Cause | Quick Fix | |
| 1. | Washer Won’t Turn On | Failed power supply, active Control Lock, or open lid | Check the washer’s power supply, deactivate the active Control Lock, and firmly latch the lid |
| 2. | Washer Won’t Spin | Lack of power, wrong setting, load overload/imbalance, excess detergent, unlatched lid, or broken belt | Ensure the washer turns on and select the correct spin setting. Avoid overloading the washer and evenly distribute the laundry. Avoid detergent overuse, properly latch the door, and replace a broken belt. |
| 3. | Non-Draining Washer | Clogged drains or pump or a pump failure | Clean the drains and pump, and if the pump is defective, replace it |
| 4. | Leaky Washer | Load overload or imbalance or loose connection | Keep the drum ¾ full and evenly redistribute the load. Fix any loose water connection or call a plumber. |
| 5. | Washer Stuck on Sensing Mode | Electronic glitch, unlatched door, or washer overload or imbalance | Reset the washer, properly latch the door, keep the drum ¾ full, and ensure the washer is stable |
| 6. | Vibrating Washer | Load or washer imbalance | Ensure both the washer and the laundry are balanced |
6 Common Maytag Bravos Washer Problems (Troubleshooting Manual)
Below are common Maytag Bravos washer problems you can try troubleshooting yourself with a manual:
1. Maytag Bravos Washer Not Turning On
If your Maytag Bravos washer won’t turn on, it’s more likely because of the lack of power. In that case, watch out for any of these power-related issues:
- Power outage
- Loose plugging
- Tripped breaker
- Blown-up thermal fuse
- Defective power plug or socket
- Use of the extension cord
While the lack of power is the most likely reason your washer won’t turn on, it’s not the only one. Sometimes the washer fails to start due to an active Control Lock or an open lid.
Fix
First, check the washer’s power supply. That means ensuring it’s plugged into the socket (not the extension cord) firmly and turned on. Then check if the breaker is tripped, flip it back on, and use a multimeter to determine if the thermal fuse, power plug, and socket have continuity. If they don’t, replace them.
Meanwhile, disable Control Lock (by long pressing it for a few seconds) if it’s active and try to close the lid firmly. If the lid doesn’t shut, watch out for its troubleshooting later in this post.
2. Maytag Bravos Washer Won’t Spin
Your washing machine needs to spin the clothes to clean them. Several issues, however, can stop that from happening.
Here’s what to look for when your Maytag Bravos washer is not spinning:
- Failed power supply – Your washer might not be turned on. In that case, watch out for the above-shared reasons.
- Wrong setting – Your washer won’t spin if you opt for a no-spin setting; sometimes, you may not even notice it if it’s a low-spin.
- Load overload/imbalance – If the clothes are more than ¾ full or out of balance, the drum won’t spin.
- Excess detergent – Excess detergent will lead to excess suds that stop the washer from spinning.
- Unlatched lid – The washer doesn’t start with an open lid, and unless it starts, it won’t spin.
- Broken belt – Also, expect the washing machine not to spin if the washer belt is broken.
Fix
Check the earlier shared tips to ensure your washer turns on if it doesn’t, and ensure you use the correct Maytag washer cycle and setting. If the load is excess, reduce it to ¾ full and ensure it is evenly redistributed.
Avoid using too much detergent if there are excessive suds. And also, on detergent, only use recommended detergent, preferably HE (high efficiency) options.
Furthermore, ensure you firmly latch the lid and replace the belt if damaged.
3. Maytag Bravos Washer Won’t Drain
Good drainage is pivotal for the running of the washer. If the washer doesn’t drain properly, it’s likely not to spin, and here are the issues to check:
- Clogged drains or pump – The washer won’t drain if the drains or the pump are clogged. That’s likely to happen when you fail to clean them routinely.
- Pump failure – The washer will also fail to drain if the drain pump isn’t working.
Fix
Check the drains and pump for clogging and clean them. Meanwhile, inspect the drain pump for wear or damage and replace it if that’s the case.
4. Maytag Bravos Washer Leaking
There are at least three reasons why your Bravos washer will start leaking, and they are as follows:
- Load overload – If the drum is overloaded, water may overflow and leak out when the washer tries to spin,
- Load imbalance – If the clothes are out of balance, water may also leak out as the washer attempts to run.
- Loose connection – If loose connections are within the washer’s water supply, the water may also leak out.
Fix
Reduce the laundry size if the drum is overloaded and keep it ¾. While at it, ensure the clothes are even, and if there’s any loose connection, try to fix it or call an expert plumber.
5. Maytag Bravos Washer Stuck On ” Sensing”
While a Maytag Bravos is expected to take about 2-3 minutes to try and auto-sense the load before it starts running, some issues may force it to stay in the sensing phase for a long time.
Here are the likely reasons your Maytag Bravos washer won’t go past sensing:
- Electronic glitch – Like all electronics, the washer may suffer a hitch, which is fixable with a reset.
- Unlatched door – Sometimes, the washer will start with an improperly latched door, but only to stay in the sensing phase.
- Washer overload – If the load exceeds the ¾ threshold, it may refuse to go beyond the sensing phase.
- Washer imbalance – If the washer is out of balance, the sensor may fail to detect the wet load, forcing the washer to remain in the sensing phase.
Fix
First, reset the washer to fix a potential glitch, and here’s how to reset Maytag Bravos washer:
- Turn off the washer from the wall socket
- Plug it out and wait for 5 minutes
- Plug it back in and turn on the wall switch
If the door is improperly latched, firmly latch it, and don’t overload the washer. What’s more, ensure the washer is sitting on a stable surface.
6. Maytag Bravos Washer Vibrating
Your Maytag Bravos washing machine will likely vibrate excessively due to a load imbalance or the washer being out of balance. So, check the two.
Fix
Ensure the clothes are evenly distributed in the drum, and while at it, firmly position the washer on uniform ground. Adjust its feet if all of them aren’t firmly touching the surface.
Other Issues
Maytag Bravos Washer Control Board Problems
The main control board is a very integral part of the washer. Its failure often means the paralysis of the washer’s functions. For example, a failed main control board could be why your Maytag Bravos washer won’t turn on, and if it happens to turn on, it won’t spin or go beyond sensing mode.
Fix
If the control board is defective, replace it. But to avoid a misdiagnosis, rule out the other issues shared above, and if you’ve doubts, talk to a washer expert.
Maytag Bravos Washer Troubleshooting Lid Lock
If the lid lock fails, the lid won’t shut; if it doesn’t close, the washer won’t start or even spin. Overall, you can tell if the lid lock has an issue by checking for the presence of the error code F5E1, F5E3, or F5E2.
And if so, the cause could be any of these:
- Obstruction around the lid lock
- Broken lid lock
- Failed lid switch
Fix
Check if something is obstructing the lid lock and clean it off. If the lid lock is broken, replace it. Meanwhile, check (with a multimeter) if the lid switch has continuity and replace it if it doesn’t.
How Do You Run Diagnostics On a Maytag Bravos Washer?
It’s essential to know how to put your Maytag Bravos washer on diagnostic mode to identify hidden faults and fix them. Generally, here’s how to run diagnostics on a Maytag Bravos washing machine:
- Put your washer on standby mode – i.e., ensure it’s still plugged into the socket, but don’t turn it on
- Rotate the cycle selector on the control panel one/two clicks counterclockwise to clear any previous sequence
- Rotate the cycle selector three clicks clockwise and wait for half a second after each click
- Turn the cycle selector one-click counterclockwise to enter diagnostics
If there are any error codes, find out their meaning, and below is a quick guide you can use.
Common Maytag Bravos Washer Error Codes
Here are some common Maytag Bravos washer troubleshooting codes that may pop up on your washer:
- Maytag bravos washer troubleshooting UL code – The error code UL or OFB indicates the load is out of balance. So, you’ve to check it and try to redistribute it evenly.
- Maytag bravos washer troubleshooting error code f51 – The error code F51 indicates a control board or sensor fault. Before anything, you should try to reset the washer, but if that doesn’t work, call a washer expert to check the control board and sensor.
- Error Code OL – The code OL indicates an overly-large load. In that case, check the load size and reduce it. Keep the drum capacity under ¾ full.
- Maytag Bravos washer troubleshooting LD code – The error code LD or DRN indicates a drainage problem. In that case, you’ve to check the drains for clogging and clean them, and if the drain pump is defective, replace it.
Concluding Thought:
Above is a handy Maytag Bravos washer troubleshooting manual you can use to fix your washer when it fails. That includes when it won’t start, spin, or drain when it’s stuck on sensing mode, leaks, or vibrates, and when facing control board or lid lock issues.
Don’t, however, forget to run diagnostics when you are not sure about the cause of the problem. At least, that’ll allow you to find hidden fault codes that you can troubleshoot.