Maytag is a reliable washer brand. Its Bravos washers are known for their smooth operation. But just like any other washer brand, Maytag Bravos washers also experience malfunctions, and one common problem is when a Maytag Bravos washer won’t spin.
Your Maytag Bravos washer fails to spin due to a power problem, incorrect spin setting, unbalanced load, unclosing lid, faulty door latch or lid switch, clogged drain pump, or a defective drive motor, motor coupling, shift actuator, stator assembly, or control board.
While any of this could be why your washer won’t spin, I will explain all 13 possible causes and their immediate fixes. In the end, you can bring your washer to regular operation.
Let’s dive in!
In a rush? Below is a summative table with the 13 probable causes why your Maytag Bravos washer fails to start.
Maytag Bravos Washer Won’t Spin – Quick Troubleshooting Guide
| – | Probable Cause | Quick Fix |
| 1. | Power Problem | Check if there’s power. If it’s out, wait for it to be back. Also, check the circuit breaker for continuity and replace it if it shows no continuity |
| 2. | Incorrect Spin Setting | Ensure you choose the correct wash spin setting according to your wash load and size |
| 3. | Unbalanced Load | Redistribute the laundry or remove excessive clothes if your washer is overloaded |
| 5. | Unclosing Lid | Check the lid, and if it has obstructions, remove them. If the lid is damaged, replace it |
| 4. | Faulty Door Latch | Examine the door latch for damage and replace it if it’s damaged. Also, test it for electrical continuity with a multimeter. If it fails the test, replace it |
| 6. | Defective Lid Switch | Test the lid switch for continuity, and if it fails the multimeter’s test, replace it |
| 7. | Worn-out Drive Belt | Visually examine if the belt is, damaged, frayed, or overly stretched and replace it |
| 8. | Clogged Drain Pump | Check the drain pump for kinks, twists, or bends, and straighten it out. If it’s clogged, unclog it using a drain snake, and if it’s damaged, change it |
| 9. | Faulty Drive Motor | If the motor hums or is worn out, or is excessively noisy, replace it |
| 10. | Defective Motor Coupling | Check if the motor coupling is broken or damaged, and if it’s damaged, change it |
| 11. | Faulty Shift Actuator | Replace the shift actuator if it’s damaged |
| 12. | Damaged Stator Assembly | Check the stator windings for wear or damage. Replace the windings if damaged |
| 13. | Dead Control Board | Test the control board power terminals using a multimeter, and if they show no continuity, replace the control board |
Why Won’t My Maytag Bravos Washer Spin?
Below are the 13 probable causes why your Maytag Bravos washer won’t spin:
1. Power Problem
Sometimes, your washer won’t spin the clothes if the washer doesn’t even start. One reason why it won’t start is due to a lack of power. Start by confirming if your washer is plugged into the wall socket and if it’s on.
Also, check if there’s power. If there is and your washer won’t start, you can plug in another appliance and check if it works. Suppose it doesn’t. Check the circuit breaker.
During power oversupply, the circuit breaker trips. You can determine its fate by testing it using a multimeter.
Quick Fix
If the power is out, wait for it to be back. If the circuit breaker is tripped, you need to replace it.
2. Incorrect Spin Setting
Maytag washers have multiple wash cycles and spin settings. For example, you can use a gentle cycle for delicate items or ones prone to stretching.
The hand wash cycle is ideal when washing small items like baby clothes, but you can use a delicate cycle if you wash bulky laundry.
That said, choosing a wash cycle goes hand in hand with selecting the correct spin setting. The spin speed also dictates how fast or slow your washer should spin and how much wastewater it should drain.
But given that each wash cycle is different, you should carefully determine the spin speed you should use.
It’s advisable to use a faster speed for small loads and a slow speed for bulkier, heavier laundry. If you don’t choose your setting correctly, your washer may fail to spin.
Quick Fix
Select the correct wash and cycle setting with a few clicks on the control panel. So, ensure you choose them correctly.
3. Unbalanced Load
An unbalanced load is another common explanation for a washer that won’t spin. This usually happens when heavier, larger items clump on one side, causing an imbalance that stops your washer from spinning.
Also, you may have overloaded your washtub with many clothes that cause an imbalance and prohibits the washer from spinning.
Quick Fix
To remedy the situation, start by redistributing your laundry or removing some clothes in case of an overload.
You should ensure you wash large, bulkier, and heavier laundry like towels together with small items. Also, follow your manufacturer’s guidelines on capacity, as most recommend filling your washer ¾ or to the brim.
4. Unclosing Lid
If you don’t close the washer lid correctly, your washer won’t spin or agitate. You should always close the lid correctly when you load your washer.
Sometimes the lid may fail to close due to obstructions like hanging or loose clothes, or at times it may fail due to damage.
Quick Fix
If there are obstructions, remove them, but if the lid doesn’t close due to damage, replace it.
5. Faulty Door Latch
The door latch keeps the door shut during a wash cycle. Your Maytag Bravos washer won’t start or spin if the door doesn’t latch properly. The door latch may fail electrically or mechanically.
Mechanically, you can visually examine the door latch and check for damage or wear. You can also test the latch electrically with a multimeter.
Quick Fix
If the door latch is damaged or lacks continuity on the multimeter, replace it.
6. Defective Lid Switch
The lid switch is a safety feature preventing your washer from draining or spinning when the washer is open. However, if it’s defective, it will prohibit your washer from spinning.
But before you can conclude that it’s defective, check out the plastic tab that activates the lid switch.
Since it’s plastic, it can crack or break and won’t activate the lid switch when it happens. One way to know whether the plastic tab works fine is to notice if the lid clicks when closing. If it’s not, the plastic tab is faulty.
What if the part visually seems okay?
Now you can turn the lid switch. When closing the lid, you can diagnose a defective switch if there’s no audible click. Use a multimeter to test for the lid switch continuity. It should read zero.
Quick Fix
Check if the plastic tab on the lid switch is broken or cracked. If it is, replace it. If the plastic tab is okay, test the lid switch using a multimeter, and if it shows no continuity (reads above or below zero), it is defective and needs replacing.
7. Worn-Out Drive Belt
If you have checked the switch and the load and don’t find anything amiss, the issue could be with the belt. The drive belt is usually suspended around the drum by two pulleys and helps smooth spinning.
Over prolonged usage, the belt loosens, becomes frayed or damaged, and won’t enable spinning. But how can you know that the belt is worn out?
The easy way is to visually examine it for looseness by removing the back panel. The second way is to listen to the sound your washer makes. The likelihood of a damaged belt is high if it makes a loud squealing sound.
Quick Fix
Examine the belt for looseness. If it’s overly stretched or damaged, replace it.
8. Clogged Drain Pump
The drain pump helps remove wastewater from your washer by forcing it through the drain hose. During each wash cycle, the water may drain multiple times.
However, this won’t happen if the drain pump is defective or clogged, which may hinder your washer from spinning. If your washer stops mid-cycle and water is left in the wash tub, it may point to a defective drain pump.
You can first visually examine the drain pump for kinks, bends, or twists. If it’s straight, check it for clogging by disconnecting the drain pump from the hose.
You can pass water through it, and if it won’t drain or drains slowly, there’s no doubt it’s clogged. Lastly, your washer won’t drain due to a defective or damaged drain pump.
Quick Fix
Straighten and bend, twist, or kink on the drain pump. Unclog it using a drain snake if clogged. If it’s damaged, use a multimeter to test for its continuity, and if it shows no continuity, replace it.
9. Faulty Drive Motor
Though the drive motor rarely misbehaves, we cannot overlook it as it sometimes fails to function normally. However, you should check the other washer components before turning the motor. But if you cannot figure out the issue, check the motor.
Ensure that the motor is getting power. If it is, listen to what happens when you start the washer. If the motor doesn’t run but hums, is too noisy or doesn’t even turn freely, your washer won’t spin.
Quick Fix
If the motor hums too noisy or won’t turn freely, change it.
10. Defective Motor Coupling
The motor coupling connects the washer transmission to the motor. If your washer has seen its better days, the motor coupling may suffer general wear.
Sometimes it may fail to function when you overload the machine to protect the transmission and the motor from failing.
Quick Fix
Remove excess laundry from your washer. If the washer is not overloaded, check if the motor coupling is broken or damaged, and if it is, replace it.
11. Faulty Shift Actuator
The shift actuator helps change your tub rotation from agitation to spinning. So, if your tub is neither agitating nor spinning, the shift actuator may be at fault.
Quick Fix
Inspect the shift actuator for damage, and if damaged, replace it.
12. Damaged Stator Assembly
The stator assembly interacts harmoniously with the rotor creating a strong electromagnetic force that rotates the washer tub in any direction. If the stator windings are damaged, your washer won’t spin.
Quick Fix
Inspect the stator windings for damage and replace them if they are damaged.
13. Dead Control Board
Your washer control board supplies voltage to all washer electrical components. If the control board is dead or malfunctioning, it won’t send power to the motor during a spin cycle. Furthermore, the washer won’t initiate spinning if the motor doesn’t receive power. You can know if the control board is dead by checking out burning signs or testing its power output terminals with a multimeter.
Quick Fix
Use a multimeter to check if the control board has continuity. If it shows no continuity, replace it.
Maytag Front Load Washer Won’t Spin
If you own a front-load Maytag washer, it may fail to spin due to the following:
- Wrong setting selection
- Power issues
- Defective drive belt
- Faulty lid switch assembly
- Clogged drain pump
- Dead control board
Maytag Top Load Washer Won’t Spin
Your Maytag top loader may fail to spin due to the following:
- Incorrect spin setting
- Damaged stator assembly
- Faulty drive motor
- Lack of power
- Faulty shift actuator
- Dead control board
- Unbalanced load
- Faulty lid switch
People Also Ask
1. What Causes a Maytag Washing Machine Not to Spin?
There are several reasons to explain a washer that won’t spin. Start by checking if there’s power, if you have selected the correct spin setting, if the lid is closed correctly, or if the load is balanced.
If you have done all that, the cause could be a faulty component, including the lid switch, drive belt, drain pump, motor, motor coupling, shift actuator, or control board.
2. Maytag Bravos Won’t Spin Out Water?
Your Maytag Bravos fails to spin out wastewater if the drain pump has twists, kinks, or is excessively bent. Another reason is that the pump is clogged or may be damaged. Evaluate all these causes and fix them where applicable.
3. Maytag washer Drains but Won’t Spin?
If your Maytag washer drains water effectively, the drain pump works okay. The reason to explain why it won’t spin is attached to a power failure, faulty belt, defective lid switch, faulty door latch, dead control board, or a defective motor.
Closing Thought On Why Your Maytag Bravos Washer Won’t Spin:
There are many reasons to explain a Maytag Bravos washer that won’t spin. The best part is that you will save yourself expert costs, as most of the reasons are DIY fixable.
Start by checking if there’s power, your spin setting selection is correct, and the load is balanced. Then ensure the door latch and lid switch are working, and the drain pump is clean.
If that doesn’t solve it, check and replace a defective belt, drive motor, motor coupling, shift actuator, stator assembly, or main control board.
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