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Your Maytag centennial washer stuck on sensing? Below are some practical troubleshooting ideas
A really annoying issue with Maytag Commercial Technology washers is they (sometimes) won’t move past sensing mode (Yeah, it could sense the load and even wash it but when it’s time to proceed, it does nothing and the lid might become locked!).
We will share with you some of the things to check and fixes to try when you encounter the issue of Maytag centennial washer getting stuck on sensing in this article.
Let’s dive in:
Maytag centennial washer stuck on sensing – simpler fixes to try early in your troubleshooting
Rebalance the load– Shifting the load around could be the solution (if the origin of the issue is an out of balance condition)
Try smaller loads –This helps too at times (there might too much weight there inside the washing machine for it to go mast the “sensing” phase)
Maytag centennial washer stuck on sensing -what else to do if you notice your Maytag washer sensing light blinking (Maytag washer sensing light on but won’t start)
Try to reset the washer
You reset washer by unplugging and waiting about a minute.
You then plug it back in and wait 30 seconds before you try to run it again.
This usually resets the board and could clear the error that might be causing the fault.
Alternative “reset” method
You can also attempt the following if the above did not help:
- Turn off water supply to the washer.
- Then unplug it from power supply.
- Wait a minute.
- Reopen the water supply.
- Plug it back in.
- Go ahead and hold down the power button for about 10 or more seconds.
Check if it will start to run fine now.
Reset the sensors
There is another trick you can try- that of resetting the sensors (because they’re the culprits now and then).
Here is how to do that:
- Cut off water supply to the washer.
- Proceed to disconnect the hoses (from the washer)- You will have some water running out so be sure to have some towels with you.
- Wait about 1 minute.
- Reconnect the hoses (to the washer).
- Turn water supply back on.
That’s it! Try it and see if it helps.
Run self-diagnostics
If this did not work, it is best to run self-diagnostics on the washer.
You see, doing that will give you a better idea of what exactly to isolate (it could produce useful error codes when in diagnostics mode).
Follow these steps to put it into diagnostic mode and pull out the fault codes- remember it will tell you pretty easily what the likely culprits are:
- Unplug the washer and let it sit for about 30 sec.
- Now plug it back in then wait approximately 2 minutes (Don’t touch anything).
Now rotate the dial counterclockwise to the top/12 O’clock position and then start the following dial sequence:
- Turn the knob left (one click) then right (one click) then right (one clock still) and then right (still one click) and then left (one click) then finally right (one click).
In other words, you just do Left=> Right => Right => Right => Left => Right in about 6 seconds (be sure to finish the sequence in not more than 6 seconds).
- All lights should now start to flash.
- Once all the lights are flashing (to show it’s in diagnostics), turn the knob to the right once.
- Next, press the START button to take it entirely into error code mode.
- Once you’re there, rotate the knob to the Right(clockwise) one more time and it is going to display the first error code.
You want to note how the light sequence will flash(the pattern) so that you can decode through by checking what each code (shown on the screen along with their lights) means.
That way, you will know what mechanical parts to fix (or swap out).
In short, the action to take obviously depends on the specific error code.
For example, Error code F5 E2 could appear meaning that the door lock switch has in all probability malfunctioned and a replacement is needed.
So be sure to retrieve the tech sheet from inside the washer (you must get the top up to access it) – the service sheet will have the step-by-step instructions of running a diagnostics test and how to decipher the error codes.
Quick Tip: Always do a hard reset first before trying to enter diagnostics mode- doing a fresh hard reset via power turn off is a good way to make sure it’s “Ready” and won’t turn on unwanted options when you’re rotating the dial.
Maytag washer stuck on sensing -How to clear the error code
Before proceeding to complicated and costly fixes, try to erase the error code from the memory as it resolves the problem (on occasion).
To do that, just unplug it for about 15 seconds then press and hold the start/cancel for a couple of seconds.
If you’re still having a hard time, then you should proceed to re-run the error code mode to allow you to narrow down on what’s defective (it can be a bad actuator, clogged water valve or even a loose wire).
Maytag centennial washer stuck on sensing – other specific fixes that you can try
Depending on what you observe on running self-diagnosis, below are some fixes and tricks worth a shot:
1. Replace your Maytag centennial washer actuator
If your Maytag centennial washer is still stuck on sensing, perhaps the culprit is the shift actuator- if it is defective and unable to change position, there is a huge chance that it will bring the sensing issue..
The solution is straightforward here- you will very likely need to change out the actuator and then recalibrate the washer for it to get back up and running.
Of course, it is not easy to take apart the washer but that is what you will absolutely need to do to reach the part- and you want to check your exact part number before buying (it is on your old actuator).
Here is a great video to help you do the replacement.
Do that and see if it will resume working perfectly.
2. Look for a burnt out capacitor(s) on the control board and replace
Another probable cause is a fried capacitor(s) on the board so open the washer up and look around the motherboard for a burnt capacitor.
If you find any, go buy a matching part number (they’re incredibly cheap) then solder it in.
Just to remind you, it’s always a good idea to run a new calibration cycle after the installation of any new part when it comes to Maytag centennial commercial technology washer models.
Maytag washer goes from sensing to washing complete – Wrap up
Generally, the best way of being sure what is causing your Maytag centennial washer to get stuck on sensing is running self-diagnostics because it points you to the part that might be the exact cause.
Before that, try to reset the washer’s computer as described in the article.
Go ahead and see if you will be lucky with these steps.
