Whirlpool Cabrio washers are famous for their cleaning efficiency, reliability, and top performance. However, like any other washer brand, they occasionally fail, necessitating basic Whirlpool Cabrio washer troubleshooting.
Overall, you can troubleshoot a Whirlpool Cabrio washer that won’t start, won’t fill, won’t spin, has lid lock problems, is stuck on sensing, or has bad bearings. That’s doable with this guide!
While dealing with a malfunctioning washer is annoying, it’s easier to troubleshoot it DIY, saving on time and repair costs. Some may require a simple tweak, while other fixes need you to soil your hands a bit.
This guide shall expound on the six common Whirlpool Cabrio washer problems, their causes, and fixes. Ultimately, we will also learn how to put your Whirlpool Cabrio washer on diagnostic mode, interpret errors, and reset your washer.
Here we Go!
Are you in a rush? Below is a table summary of the seven issues common to a Whirlpool Cabrio washer and their fixes.
Quick Guide to the Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Troubleshooting
| – | Problem | Likely Cause | Quick Fix |
| 1. | Non-Starting Washer | Power failure, unlatched door, locked controls, or unplugged power cord | Wait for power to return, latch the door properly, deactivate the Child Lock, and firmly plug your washer cable into the power |
| 2. | Washer Won’t Fill Up With Water | Low water pressure or defective water inlet valve | Raise the water pressure to at least 20 psi. If the inlet valve is clogged, unclog it |
| 3. | Non-Spinning Washer | Washer overload, unlevelled washer, load imbalance, damaged drive belt, clogged drainage system | Remove some clothes and ensure your washer is at ¾ full. Level the washer legs and ensure they are stable on the floor, redistribute your laundry, replace a damaged drive belt, and unclog the drainage system |
| 4. | Lid Lock Problems | No power, clogged drain, malfunctioning pressure switch, defective lid switch, damaged door strike or door hinge | Wait for power to return, unclog the drainage system, and replace the pressure or lid switch if they show no continuity. Replace the door strike or hinge if defective |
| 5. | Washer Stuck On Sensing | Washer overload, low water, load imbalance, defective lid switch, clogged drain | Remove the excess clothes, unclog the inlet valve for water to fill the washer, redistribute your laundry, replace the lid switch, and unclog the drainage system |
| 6. | Bearing Problems | Worn out bearings | Replace the worn-out bearings |
6 Common Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Problems
Below are the common problems widespread among Whirlpool Cabrio washers, their causes, and quick fixes:
1. Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Won’t Start Cycle
You expect your washer to start when you press the start button. Unfortunately, your Whirlpool Cabrio washer won’t start due to these issues:
- Power failure – If there is a blackout in your locality, your washer won’t start, no matter how many times you hit the start button.
- Unlatched door – The door has a sensor that tells the washer to start when the door closes. Your washer won’t start the cycle if the door isn’t latching correctly, even with a slight opening.
- Locked controls – If the Child Lock setting is active, it inactivates the control panel, including the start function, stopping the washer from starting.
- Unplugged power cord – To error is to humans. We, at times, forget to plug the washer cable to power. This often happens if you share the electric outlet with another appliance, like the dryer.
Quick Fix
Check for power. You can turn the lights on. If there’s a possible blackout, wait for it to return. But if there’s power, check if the door is latched correctly. If not, ensure you give it a good slam.
If not, check if the Child Lock function is active and deactivate it. Lastly, check if you have plugged the power cord to power. If not, plug it firmly.
2. Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Not Filling with Water
What a shame to start your washer only to realize that it won’t fill with water or fills slowly. Well, your Whirlpool Cabrio washer isn’t filling up with water due to any of these reasons:
- Low water pressure – Your washer needs a sufficient flow of water to begin the wash cycle. If water doesn’t flow and fill the washer, it could be due to low water pressure. Your water pressure must be at least 20 psi for the washer to fill.
- Defective inlet valve – Another cause of water not flowing to the washer is a faulty valve. The inlet valve is the pathway through which water flows to the washer. It can clog with dirt or debris, mainly when using hard water.
Quick Fix
Use a pressure gauge and measure your home water pressure. If it’s below 20 psi, raise it. But if the water pressure is okay, check the inlet valve. If it’s twisted, try straightening it. If clogged, unclog it.
3. Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Not Spinning
When your Whirlpool Cabrio washer either does not spin or won’t spin fast enough, the following could be the cause:
- Washer overload – If you overload your washer above its capacity, it will struggle to spin. This, in turn, gives you poorly washed clothes, which are soaking wet at the end of the cycle.
- Unleveled washer – If the washer’s legs are not standing on even ground, it will struggle to spin the laundry.
- Load imbalance – Uneven washer leads to load imbalance. When the clothes lean on one side, it becomes difficult for your Whirlpool Cabrio washer to spin-dry them.
- Faulty drive belt – The drive belt helps your washer spin as it holds the drum in position. However, its rubber nature makes it prone to wear naturally. If it loosens, your washer will have difficulty spinning or won’t even dare spin.
- Clogged drain system – If it’s neither of the above, then your washer won’t spin clothes if there’s blocking in the drainage filter, hose, or pump, as spinning and draining goes without a say.
Quick Fix
Load your washer to ¾ full, level the washer legs and ensure it stands on more stable ground, redistribute your laundry, replace the drive belt if damaged, and unclog the drainage system.
4. Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Lid Lock Problems
You could tell a problematic washer lid lock if the lid won’t lock or unlock or remains stuck, and if so, it could be due to the following:
- No power – If there was a power disruption during the wash cycle, maybe due to an outage, your washer lid fails to unlock if the washer is still full of water.
- Clogged drainage system – The drain pump is responsible for getting rid of wastewater from the washer. If there is any blockage in the drainage system, wastewater won’t drain, and your washer lid/door won’t unlock if the washer is full of water.
- Malfunctioning pressure switch –The Whirlpool Cabrio washer water level sensor or the pressure switch determines how much water is in the washer. If it’s defective, it may tell that your washer is still full when it’s not. If this happens, your washer lid won’t unlock.
- Defective lid switch – The lid switch keeps your washer locked during washing. If it’s faulty, your washer may not lock or unlock.
- Defective door strike – The door strike also ensures the washer door remains closed during washing. If it’s faulty, your washer may fail to lock and start a cycle or remain locked after a wash cycle ends.
- Damaged door hinge – Your washer lid/door is held to position by the hinges. If the hinges are rusty or damaged, your washer will fail to lock the lid.
Quick Fix
Wait for power to return, unclog the drainage system, use a multimeter to test the pressure and lid switches continuity, and replace the faulty one. Replace a defective door strike or hinge.
5. Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Stuck On Sensing
Every washer goes into the sensing phase for 3 – 5 minutes to determine the load weight, size, water level, load balance, and door lock. If your washer goes beyond 5 minutes, then it’s stuck in the sensing phase due to the following issues:
- Washer overload – If the washer exceeds the 3/4 capacity, it will surely stick to sensing mode.
- Low water – If your washer doesn’t fill with water, it will stick on sense since there’s not enough water to wash the laundry.
- Load imbalance – Your washer load should be even before the cycle begins. If it detects a load imbalance, it will stick to sensing.
- Defective lid switch – The lid switch communicates to the washer to start the cycle if it detects a properly latched door. If the switch malfunctions or detects an unlatching lid, your washer will stick on sensing.
- Clogged drainage system – Your washer will stick on the sensing phase if the drain filter, hose, or pump is heavily clogged.
Quick Fix
Remove the excess clothes, unclog the inlet valve for water to fill the washer, redistribute your laundry, replace the lid switch if defective, and unblock the drainage system.
6. Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Bearing Problems – Troubleshooting
Your washing machine has bearings on the outer tub, which support the drum rotation. Unfortunately, most bearings have a lifespan of 10 years.
So, if your washer is older than ten years, and you hear a sound like a jet engine ready to take off, the bearings are bad. That’s, however, not the only washer-bearing issue.
Other Whirlpool Cabrio washer-bearing problems include a slow spin cycle, excessive shaking, a non-spinning washer, and a washer aborting the wash process mid-cycle.
Quick Fix
Replace the worn-out bearings
Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Diagnostic Test
If you don’t find any fault with your Whirlpool Cabrio washer, but it still won’t work right, putting it in diagnostic mode is a good idea. This way, you’ll be able to find errors that could be ailing your washer.
Below are the steps to follow:
- Ensure your washer is on standby mode
- Select any buttons, excluding Stop, Start, or Power buttons
- Press and hold the selected button for 3 seconds
- Release it for 3 seconds
- Press and hold it again for 3 seconds
- Rerelease it for 3 seconds
- Press and hold it one last time for another 3 seconds, and your washer will enter the diagnostic
Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Troubleshooting Codes
Once your washer is on diagnostic, you can find underlying fault codes. Below are some common Whirlpool washer codes and their meaning for easier troubleshooting:
| Error Code | Meaning |
| oL | Washer overload |
| uL | Unbalanced load |
| LF | Washer taking too long to fill with water |
| Sd | Excess suds detected |
| LD | The washer is taking too long to drain |
| F8E6 | Open lid |
| F5E2 | Lid not locking |
| F5E3 | Lid not unlocking |
| HC | Reversed cold and hot hoses |
| F#E# | System error |
Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Reset
A reset is most advisable after a component change or when you can’t figure out the issue with your washer. To reset your Whirlpool Cabrio washer, you need to follow these easy steps:
- Unplug your washer from power
- Wait for 5 minutes
- Replug the power cord back
Closing Thought
The above Whirlpool Cabrio washer troubleshooting guide will help when your Whirlpool Cabrio washer doesn’t start, fill, or spin. You can also use it to fix lid lock and bearing problems. The good news is that you can fix any of the above issues DIY, thus saving time and repair costs.