Imagine loading a week’s dirty laundry into your washing machine and hitting ‘start’, only to realize that your Whirlpool Cabrio washer won’t start cycle. It surely must be frustrating, right?
Your Whirlpool Cabrio washer won’t start the cycle due to a power fault, an unlatched door, an incorrect setting, a low water supply, a stuck start button, a clogged drain, or a defective lid switch, timer, drive motor, or control board.
While figuring out the matter with your washer could be frustrating and time-consuming, don’t panic. I was in your situation recently, and fortunately, I was able to fix my washer without calling an expert.
This guide shall expound on the ten issues that rob your washer of the joy of starting the cycle and their possible fixes. I hope you find a solution and fix your washer like I did.
Here we go!
In a rush? If so, below are the quick fixes to the ten issues that could hinder a Cabrio washer from starting a cycle:
Quick Troubleshooting Guide for a Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Not Starting Cycle
| – | Problem | Quick Fix |
| 1. | Power Fault | Plug the washer cable to the power and turn it on. Drop using the extension cord, wait for power to return, and replace a tripped circuit breaker |
| 2. | Unlatched Door | Remove any obstructions around the door. If the door is damaged, replace it |
| 3. | Incorrect Setting | Deactivate all incorrect settings (like Child Lock and Delayed Start) at the control panel |
| 4. | Low Water Supply | Unclog the inlet valve and raise the water pressure to 120 psi |
| 5. | Stuck Start Button | Clean the stuck button with damp clothing. You can also use a toothbrush to rub it gently and get rid of any dirt around it |
| 6. | Clogged Drain | Unclog the drain filter, hose, or pump, and replace any faulty part |
| 7. | Lid Switch Fault | Replace the lid switch if it shows no continuity |
| 8. | Timer Fault | Replace the timer if it lacks continuity |
| 9. | Drive Motor Fault | Replace the motor if it is damaged |
| 10. | Control Board Fault | Replace the control board if it’s not working |
Why Your Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Won’t Start Cycle
Below are the ten reasons why your Whirlpool Cabrio washer fails to start the wash cycle and their fixes:
1. Power Fault
If your Whirlpool Cabrio washer fails to start after pressing the start button, the first diagnosis to make would be to check the power. If there’s an unsteady or inadequate power supply, your washer may fail to start the cycle.
Below are some of the power-related issues to check out:
- Unplugged washer – This happens when you use the power socket to plug in another appliance like the dryer. If you haven’t plugged your washer cable to power, your washer won’t start, no matter how many times you press the start button.
- Use of extension cord – Another case is using the extension cord. Maybe you are unaware that extension cords do not transmit enough voltage to start your washer.
- Power blackout – If there’s a possible blackout, your washing machine won’t receive any power and won’t start the cycle.
- Tripped circuit breaker – During a power surge, your home’s circuit breaker may trip without your knowledge. This could explain why your washer isn’t starting the cycle, as it doesn’t receive any power.
Possible Fix
Ensure you plug in your washer power cable and turn on the washer. Never use an extension cord and wait for power to return if an outage occurs. To check the circuit breaker’s continuity, use a multimeter and replace it if it fails to show any continuity.
2. Unlatched Door
Your washer door has to latch firmly for your washer to start the cycle. If the door doesn’t latch properly, your washer won’t start.
But what’s hindering your washer door from latching? Well, there could be loose clothing obstructing your door from latching. If that’s not it, then there could be physical damage to the latch hindering it from closing.
Possible Fix
Remove any clothing obstructing the washer door from latching. Also, check for any physical damage on the door and, if any, replace the door.
3. Incorrect Setting (Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Turns On But Won’t Start)
Sometimes, we choose the incorrect settings unknowingly. In such cases, the washer may have power but fail to start.
Some settings at the control panel lock all your washer functioning, including starting. Such settings include:
- Child Lock Setting – This lock control safety feature disallows your kids from using your washer in your absence. Once turned on, your washer won’t start the cycle.
- Delayed Start setting – Another setting that hinders your washer from starting is the Delay Start function. When you select the Delay Start setting, your washer will begin at the pre-selected later time.
Possible Fix
Deactivate any lock control setting that is on, including the Child Lock and Delayed Start settings.
4. Low Water Supply
Your washer needs power, water, and detergent. Water is essential in washing the laundry. If your washer fails to fill with water, the start cycle won’t take effect.
Below are some reasons why your washer fails to fill with water:
- Clogged inlet hose – Sometimes, the inlet hoses that supply water to the washer may get clogged with dirt and debris and hinder water from flowing to your washer.
- Low water pressure – Your home water pressure must be at least 120 psi for efficient flow. If it’s below this, your washer may receive an inconsistent flow of water, which may not even fill it.
Possible Fix
Unlock the supply hoses and use a water pressure gauge to measure your home water pressure. If it’s below 120 psi, raise it.
5. Stuck Start Button
Once you press the start button, it touches the start switch that initiates a start cycle. However, sometimes the start button may get stuck, thus hindering it from making contact with the start switch, and the cycle won’t start.
This could be caused by dirt, grime, or grease build-up on the start button, which often happens over time.
Possible Fix
Once you realize the start button is stuck, use a damp towel and clean around it to remove any foreign objects. You can also gently rub the button with a toothbrush until it unsticks.
6. Clogged Drain (Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Beeps But Won’t Start)
Sometimes, a washer beeps but doesn’t start due to a clogged drain. And if so, check out the following:
- Clogged filter – The filter serves as a sieve for all foreign objects, disallowing them from getting to the hose and blocking it. Over time, the filter can clog, causing wastewater not to flow through it.
- Clogged drain hose – If the filter is free from clogging, you should check out the drain hose. Debris and dirt can clog it, making it hard for wastewater to pass through.
- Damaged drain pump – If the pump isn’t clogged, it could be damaged and thus cause drainage issues.
Possible Fix
Ensure the drainage system is free from any blockages by unclogging the filter, drain hose, and pump and replacing any faulty parts.
7. Lid Switch Fault
If the latch is fine, don’t leave your washer lid yet. It’s now time to dig deeper into the lid switch. The switch acts as a door lock mechanism that prevents the washer from starting if the door/lid is open.
So, if your door/lid is latching firmly and has no issues, the lid switch could be defective. To confirm this, you should perform a multimeter test.
Possible Fix
Use a multimeter and test the lid switch continuity. If it shows no continuity, replace it.
8. Timer Fault
The washing machine timer controls most washer functions, so it’s likely to blame for a non-starting cycle. The timer has switches communicating to any washer components, telling it to function at an allotted time.
If the timer is impaired, it will not send such signals to the washer and thus could be why your washer isn’t starting the cycle.
Possible Fix
Locate your washer timer (behind the control panel) and check it for any physical damage. If there’s no damage, conduct a multimeter test and check its continuity. If it fails the test, replace it.
9. Drive Motor Fault
The washer motor channels transmission to power the washer parts. If the motor is damaged, your washer will start making loud noises but won’t start a cycle.
This means that some washer parts suffer from a lack of power, which affects their ability to start a cycle. Again, if your Whirlpool Cabrio washer stopped mid cycle, the motor is often to blame, as it stops running when it overheats.
Possible Fix
Replace a damaged motor.
10. Control Board Fault
The control board works like your washer brain. It provides an electronic response whenever you push a button and start any function you wish. So, your washer won’t respond to the start function if the control board is defective or dead.
Possible Fix
If the control board is dead, you need to replace it.
How To Reset Your Whirlpool Cabrio Washer
After attempting any fix or replacement of a defective component, you should reset your washer for optimal performance. Below is how to reset your Whirlpool Cabrio washer:
- Unplug the washer cable from the power or flip the breaker
- Wait for 3 minutes (to break the circuit)
- Replug the cable back and wait 30 seconds before powering your washer
How Do I Fix A Whirlpool Cabrio Washer That Won’t Start?
You can fix a Whirlpool Cabrio washer that won’t start by fixing any power-related issues, firmly latching the door, choosing the correct settings, and unsticking a stuck start button.
You should also replace the lid switch, timer, drive motor, and control board if defective, and lastly, don’t forget to clear the drainage system if clogged.
Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Won’t Complete Cycle
It’s a pain in the neck from your washer to start the cycle but fail to complete it. When this happens, the first diagnosis would be to check out power issues like power blackouts and tripped circuit breaker.
Don’t forget to check for any drainage system issues. It could also be that the washer just sensed an unlatching lid.
Concluding Thought on Why Your Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Won’t Start Cycle:
As seen, your Whirlpool Cabrio washer fails to start the cycle if there’s a power issue, unlatched door, incorrect settings, stuck start button, low water supply, or clogged drain.
It could also be due to a defective component such as the timer, lid switch, drive motor, or control power. Whatever the case, this guide will help you diagnose the issue and fix it without calling an expert.
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