Couldn’t agree more about the filter—most folks don’t even know it’s there until things start going sideways. Resetting is like hitting snooze on a leaky roof: fine for now, but the drip’s still coming. I’ve seen filters so packed with gunk you’d think someone was storing spare change in there on purpose.
One thing I’ll add—sometimes it’s not just lint and coins. Had a call last month where someone’s kid stuffed a Lego in the filter. Washer sounded like it was chewing gravel. Quick cleanout and it was back to normal, no parts needed.
If you’re already poking around, give the hoses a look too—those little mesh screens love to clog up and mess with water flow. Takes an extra minute but can save you from some head-scratching later.
Long story short: resets are handy, but filters (and hoses) are where the real magic happens... or disasters, depending on your luck that month.
Title: Spin cycle issues: unplug and reset or dive straight into the filter?
Seen way too many folks try the ol’ unplug-and-pray routine, then call me when the washer’s still acting up. Here’s what I’ve run into more times than I can count:
- Resetting might clear an error code, but if there’s a sock jammed in the filter, you’re just buying time. Had a job last winter—lady swore her machine was haunted because it kept stopping mid-cycle. Pulled out the filter and found half a dog toy wedged in there. Machine ran fine after that, no reset needed.
- Those mesh screens on the hoses? People forget about them until water’s barely trickling in. I’ve pulled out everything from sand to bits of old Teflon tape. Not glamorous work, but it saves a lot of headaches.
- Not every spin issue is a filter problem, though. Sometimes it’s a busted lid switch or a worn belt. But honestly, filters and hoses are the low-hanging fruit—easy to check, and they cause more trouble than most folks realize.
- One thing I’ll push back on: resets aren’t totally useless. Sometimes electronics just get weird, especially after a power surge. But if you’re resetting every week, something’s up mechanically.
If you’re already down there, might as well check everything you can reach. Saves you from crawling behind the washer twice. And yeah, I’ve seen coins, Legos, even a wedding ring once... but never spare change on purpose (yet).
If you’re already down there, might as well check everything you can reach. Saves you from crawling behind the washer twice.
Couldn’t agree more with this. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve had to pull a machine out twice in one visit, I’d probably have enough to buy a new set of hoses for my own place. Folks really underestimate how much gunk and random stuff ends up in those filters and screens. I’ve fished out everything from hair ties to what looked like a petrified raisin (don’t ask).
One thing I’ll add—when you’re checking the mesh screens on the hoses, take a close look at the condition of the hoses themselves. I’ve seen plenty that are starting to bulge or crack, especially the cheap rubber ones. If they’re more than five years old or showing any signs of wear, it’s worth swapping them out for braided stainless. Saves a lot of water damage headaches down the line.
On resets, yeah, they’re not totally useless, but sometimes people treat them like magic fixes. If you’re resetting more than once in a blue moon, there’s probably something else going on—could be a bad door latch sensor, could be an unbalanced load tripping things up. Had one machine that kept “needing” resets because the drain pump was half clogged with lint and bobby pins... cleared that out and it stopped acting up.
Funny enough, I’ve actually found spare change in filters on purpose—some folks use their washers like piggy banks without realizing it. Not sure if that’s wishful thinking or just bad luck.
Bottom line: if you’re already moving the machine or poking around underneath, check everything you can get your hands on. It’s usually something simple before it’s something expensive.
if you’re already moving the machine or poking around underneath, check everything you can get your hands on.
That’s been my rule after getting burned once—tenant called about a “weird noise,” I just reset it and left. Two days later, water everywhere because a hose finally gave out. Now I always check hoses, filter, and under the unit in one go. Learned that lesson the hard way.
