Maytag Stackable Washer and Dryer Troubleshooting Guide!

You expect to turn to your Maytag stackable washer and dryer troubleshooting manuals when either appliance fails. But realistically, these manuals can be too cumbersome, and sometimes not sure what to check, and that’s where this guide comes in.

This troubleshooting guide will help you fix your stackable unit when either the washer or dryer won’t start or spin, the washer won’t drain, or the dryer won’t dry.

So, I’ve selected these six issues because they are the commonest and the easiest to fix DIY, even though most of us spend money on them paying for experts. We’ll dissect each issue to highlight the most likely causes and what to do to fix them.

Before any further do, let’s get into the troubleshooting.

In a rush? Check out the six earlier mentioned problems and their troubleshooting in the guide below:

Quick Maytag Stackable Washer and Dryer Troubleshooting Guide

–	Problem	Likely Cause	Quick Fix
1.	Stackable Washer Won’t Start	Failed power or water supply, locked controls, unlatched door, or error code	Ensure the washer has power and gets water, disable the control lock, properly latch the door, and reset the washer to clear any error code
2.	Stackable Dryer Won’t Start	Failed power, unresponsive control panel, locked controls, wrong cycle, or unlatched door	Ensure the dryer has power, wipe the control panel clean and dry, disable the child lock, choose the correct cycle, and firmly latch the door
3.	The Stackable Washer Won’t Spin	Failed power, error code, laundry unbalance/overload, unlevelled washer, low spin setting, excess suds, locked controls, unlatched door or broken belt	Ensure the washer has power, reset it to clear an error code, and evenly balance the load without overloading. Select a high-speed spin, don’t use too much detergent, disable the control lock, properly latch the door and replace a broken belt
4.	Stackable Dryer Won’t Turn/Spin	Failed power, locked controls, unlatched door, a broken belt, or faulty motor	Ensure the dryer has power, disable the child lock, firmly latch the door, and replace the belt or faulty motor
5.	Stackable Washer Won’t Drain	Laundry overload/imbalance, excess suds, clogged lint screen, blocked drain hose, incorrect drain hose, height or faulty drain pump	Evenly balance the laundry without overloading, don’t overuse the detergent, and clean a clogged lint screen. Unblock the drain hose and set it not higher than 96 inches, and replace a faulty drain pump
6.	The Stackable Dryer Won’t Dry	Inadequate power, dryer overload, soaking wet laundry, clogged lint screen, blocked vent, or defective heating element	Ensure the dryer has sufficient power, reduce the load to ¾, and spin-dry before loading into the dryer. Clean a dirty lint screen or vent, choose the right vent type, and replace a defective heating element

Common 6 Maytag Stackable Washer and Dryer Problems for DIY Troubleshooting

Below are six issues associated with Maytag stackable washer and dryer units for DIY troubleshooting:

1. Maytag Stackable Washer Will Not Start

Remember, the washer and dryer are separate appliances for a stackable unit. So, sometimes one may start, and the other may not.

In case of a Maytag washer not starting, it could be because of these reasons:

Failed power supply – Your stackable washer won’t start if it doesn’t power on. So, check its power supply to ensure everything is okay. Issues to consider here include a power outage, an unplugged or defective power plug, a defective socket, a tripped breaker, or the use of an extension cord (which is not advisable).

Failed water supply – Lack of power is not the only thing that could prevent the washer from starting. The washer may also fail to start due to lack of water, and issues to check out are a turned-off water supply valve, a blocked hose, or a defective inlet valve.
Locked controls – A stackable washer won’t start if the control lock is on. That’s because it locks every control on the control panel, including the start button.
Unlatched door – Maytag washers don’t start when they detect an open door. So, perhaps, the door is not fully open, but as long as it’s firmly latched, the washer won’t start.

Error code – Some errors, such as F8E1 and LF, can prevent the washer from starting immediately.

Fix

Ensure the washer has a proper power supply by:

Resetting a tripped breaker

Firmly plugging in the power cord
Replacing a power plug or wall socket that won’t show continuity on a multimeter
Plugging into the wall socket, not the extension

Also, ensure the washer’s power supply is turned on and there are no kinks. Then disable the control lock, properly shut the door and reset the washer to eliminate an error code.

Here’s how to reset Maytag stackable washer:

Option 1 – Unplug the stackable washer for at least 10 minutes and then plug it back in.

Option 2 – Hold down the start switch for at least 10 seconds until the display light goes off.

2. Maytag Stackable Dryer Not Starting

If it’s the dryer alone that won’t start, the cause could be any of these:

Failed power – Consider the issues shared earlier to see if your stackable dryer won’t start because of the lack of power. And, of course, you must first rule out an outage.

Unresponsive control panel – If you touch the control panel with dirty, dusty, or wet hands, the controls won’t respond, and the dryer will not start.
Locked controls – If the child lock function is on, it’ll lock the controls, including the start button, and that prevents the dryer from starting.
Wrong cycle – Settings like Time-Dry and Auto-Dry may prevent the stackable washer from starting. So, you may need to deselect them and opt for a different setting if that’s the case.

Unlatched door – Just like the washer unit won’t start because of an unlatched door, the dryer unit will fail to start if its door is open. Sometimes, the reason is an obstruction, like a trapped cloth.

Fix

Use the earlier tips if your dryer has no power to ensure it gets enough power. Then wipe the control panel dry and clean if you have touched it with wet or dirty hands.

Disable the child lock by long pressing it and choosing a normal cycle setting. Check if anything is blocking the door and remove it. Then try to firmly shut the door before starting the dryer.

3. Maytag Stackable Washer Won’t Spin

Your stackable washer won’t clean the clothes if it doesn’t spin. Many times, the causes for that are as follows:

Failed power – The stackable washer will also fail to spin without an adequate power supply. So, again, consider issues like a power outage, tripped breaker, unplugged or defective power plug, or a non-working outlet.
Error code – An error code won’t just prevent a stackable washer from starting but also from spinning.

Laundry imbalance/overload – For the clothes to turn inside the drum, they must be evenly spread; secondly, they shouldn’t be in excess. If any of the two issues happen, the washer won’t spin.
Unlevelled washer – One reason the clothes go out of balance is an unlevelled washer. That could be due to failing to adjust the washer’s feet accordingly and not placing the appliance on leveled ground.
Low-spin setting – If you choose a no-spin cycle, your washer won’t spin, and while it may turn under a low-spin setting, the impact is minimal for anyone to notice.

Excess suds – Extra suds can prevent the stackable washer from spinning. That may happen due to using extra or non-HE detergents that foam more than their HE siblings.
Locked controls – A closed control panel also stops a stackable washer from spinning since it disables every control. So, check for an active control lock.
Unlatched door – If the washer door isn’t properly latched, the washer won’t start, meaning it won’t spin. Check if the reason is an obstruction or a broken door latch.

Broken belt – The other issue that could stop a stackable washer from spinning is a broken belt. If the belt is broken, the drum won’t turn, so the washer won’t clean.

Fix

Use the earlier tips for the washer if it doesn’t have power, and if there’s an error code, reset the washer to clear it. Meanwhile, ensure you evenly distribute the laundry in the drum and don’t load more than 3⁄4 full.

Disable the child lock if it’s active and firmly latch the door. Remove any obstruction on the door and replace a broken drive belt. If you still can’t troubleshoot it, consider calling an expert.

4. Maytag Stackable Dryer Won’t Turn/Spin

Sometimes the dryer drum won’t turn, preventing the wet clothes from drying properly. If so, then the reason could be any of these:

Failed power – Your stackable dryer needs adequate power to spin. In that case, watch out for an outage, tripped breaker, unplugged cord, and faulty power socket.
Locked controls – Since child lock locks the entire control panel, the dryer won’t start as that also locks the start button. So, check if that’s the case.

Unlatched door – An open door also prevents a stackable dryer from turning, stopping it from drying the clothes.
Broken belt – If the drive belt is broken, it won’t turn the drum, preventing the dryer from spinning. So, you may need to disassemble the dryer to inspect the belt’s condition.
Faulty motor – If the drive motor is defective, the drive belt won’t turn the drum even if it’s in proper working conditions. In that case, your dryer won’t spin.

Fix

Ensure your dryer has adequate power, and disable the child lock if it’s active. Remove any obstruction on the door if it’s open, and try to latch it firmly. If the motor or drive belt is defective, replace it.

5. Maytag Stackable Washer Dryer Not Draining

Good drainage is vital to thorough cleaning by a washer. So, if your Maytag stackable washer doesn’t drain, then it won’t thoroughly clean the clothes, and the most likely reasons for that are:

Laundry overload/imbalance – Don’t expect your stackable washer to drain if the laundry load exceeds ¾ capacity or is uneven. Remember, these are the same issues that stop the washer from spinning.

Excess suds – Excess suds won’t just stop the washer from spinning but also from draining if it happens to turn. Issues that could cause that is excess detergent or non-HE detergents.
Clogged lint screen – Wastewater won’t go past the lint screen if it’s clogged. That’s part of the reason you should wash the lint screen regularly.
Blocked drain hose – If the drain hose is dirt clogged or has several kinks/twists, it’ll prevent the washer’s wastewater from draining.

Incorrect drain hose height – Ideally, the Maytag washer’s drain hose shouldn’t be more than 96 inches off the ground. If it is, then the wastewater won’t drain.
Faulty drain pump – The washer depends on a proper working drain pump to pump out the accumulating water. That, however, won’t happen if the drain pump is faulty.

Fix

Evenly load the clothes in the washer and don’t go past the ¾ line. If excess suds exist, reduce the detergent and use only HE options.

Clean the lint screen, drain the hose if dirt-clogged, and remove any kinks. Meantime, keep the drain hose height under 96 inches and replace a faulty drain pump.

6. Maytag Stackable Dryer Not Drying

What’s the essence of a stackable dryer that won’t dry? Surely, nothing! While one of the reasons a dryer won’t dry clothes is failing to spin (shared earlier), here are other reasons:

Inadequate power – If your stackable dryer doesn’t get enough power, it won’t get hot and will not dry the clothes. So, you must ensure no tripped breaker, loose plug, or case of using the extension cord.

Dryer overload – Excess wet load can prevent the dryer from drying as the clothes won’t have enough space to turn and for the warm air to circulate.
Soaking wet laundry – The clothes should be damp but not soaking wet when you load them into the dryer. If dripping wet, the dryer will take much longer to get hot and dry the clothes.
Clogged lint screen – A clogged lint filter can prevent warm air from circulating inside the dryer, and that stops the dryer from drying the clothes.

Blocked vent – If the air vent is dirt clogged, kinked, collapsed, or narrower than 4 inches (diameter-wise), it’ll restrict airflow, preventing the dryer from drying the clothes.
Bad heating element – The heating element’s job is to warm the inbound cold air, so the dryer will fail to get hot when it overheats and burns. You can know if that’s so if the heating element won’t show continuity on a multimeter.

Fix

First, ensure your stackable dryer has power (using the tips shared earlier). If the drum is more than ¾ full, reduce the load size, and you may need to return the clothes to the washer and run the drain cycle if they are soaking wet.

Meanwhile, clean the lint screen and dryer vent if they are dirt-clogged, and replace the heating element if it lacks continuity.

Closing Remarks

Shared is a simple but practical guide to a Maytag stackable washer and dryer troubleshooting. Consider it when either unit doesn’t start or spin, the dryer won’t dry clothes, or the washer won’t drain.

You may often troubleshoot the problem, meaning you wouldn’t need to call Maytag or spend money on a local washer and dryer expert.