GE Washer Won’t Spin: Troubleshooting Guide

If your GE washer won’t spin, it’s not really a problem you can just ignore. Your washer won’t clean effectively or remove the excess water from your laundry unless the issue is dealt with.

From simple issues like an unbalanced load to more complex problems like a broken drive belt, this guide will cover the most common reasons why your GE washer might not be spinning.

We’ll also walk you through the practical steps required to diagnose and resolve the issue, so you can get your GE washer spinning again.

How To Troubleshoot a GE Washer Not Spinning

The five tips below will help you identify the cause and fix a GE washer (top-load and front-load models) that won’t spin.

1. The Lid or Door Is Open

If the lid on a top-load GE washer is open, or the door on a front-load model, the washer won’t spin. The lid or door only needs to be open just a little bit to trigger this safety feature—it might even look closed at first glance.

This feature ensures the water stays in the washer during operation and that people or pets are not injured by the fast-spinning drum.

Here’s what you can try:

• Check for and remove anything (like laundry) that might be blocking the door, lid, or latch.
• Look for any residue or dirt buildup around the latch, lock, lid, or door. Wipe away the grime with a damp, soapy cloth.
• If it’s a front-load washer, open the door and close it firmly, making sure it clicks shut.

2. The Dispenser Drawer Is Open (Front-Load Washers)

On front-load GE washer models, the dispenser drawer needs to be fully closed, otherwise it won’t spin. So, it’s worth doing a quick check to make sure the drawer is shut entirely.

3. The Load Isn’t Balanced

A GE washer won’t spin if the load isn’t balanced. The machine might try to spin but then stop or start vibrating excessively. Common reasons for an unbalanced load include:

• The load is too big or too small.
• The appliance isn’t level.

How to fix an unbalanced load:

1. If the washer is overfilled, take out some laundry. Check your user manual for the recommended load size.
2. If the load is too small, add in a few more items. Try to avoid washing just one item on its own.
3. If the load is condensed in one part of the drum, spread it out evenly around the drum. Then restart the cycle.
4. Use a spirit level to check if the appliance is level. Then, adjust the leveling feet by twisting them clockwise or counterclockwise to raise or lower each corner until it’s level.

4. The Drive Belt Needs To Be Replaced

Drive belt issues are another common cause of a GE washer not spinning. This belt wraps around the motor and drum pulley and is what makes the drum spin during a wash cycle. When the belt breaks or comes off, the washer just won’t spin.

Replacing the belt is fairly simple and something most people can do themselves. You can purchase a new one easily online or at local appliance parts stores. Just make sure the belt you’re buying matches your washer model.

Follow these steps to replace the drive belt:

1. Unplug your GE washer and turn off the water supply.
2. Remove the drain hose from the wall.
3. Disconnect the hot and cold water supply lines from the washer’s inlet valve.
4. Tip the washer backward and prop it up with blocks, a chair, or similar, so you can access the bottom of the appliance.
5. Unthread the screws securing the protective belt cover to remove it and access the belt beneath.
6. Pull the old belt off the big pulley first, then the small pulley, to remove it.
7. Put the new belt on with the ribbed side facing inward. Start by looping it over the big pulley, then stretch it onto the small one.
8. Spin the pulleys manually to make sure the belt is aligned properly.
9. Reattach the protective belt cover, lower the washer back down, reconnect the hot and cold water supply lines, put the drain hose back into the wall, turn the water supply back on, and plug the washer back in.

5. The Lid or Door Switch Is Faulty

If the door switch on a front-load GE washer is faulty, the washer may think the door is open when it isn’t, causing the washer not to spin. Likewise, the same will happen if the lid switch on a top-load model is faulty.

Here’s how to check the lid switch on a top-load GE washer:

1. Unplug the washer and turn off the water supply.
2. Use a putty knife to release the clips securing the top panel. You may also need to remove the control panel first.
3. The lid switch is typically located at the rear of the lid opening or the underside of the top panel.
4. Disconnect the wiring harness from the old lid switch.
5. Remove any screws securing the lid switch in place.
6. Set the multimeter to continuity mode, place the probes on the lid switch terminals, press the switch manually, and check for a beep or near-zero resistance (good switch) or no beep/”OL” (faulty switch).
7. If faulty, place a new replacement lid switch in the same position, aligning it with screw holes.
8. Secure the new switch with screws and reconnect the wiring harness.

And here’s how to check the door switch on a front-load model:

Follow the same steps as above, except you need to remove the front panel (or sometimes just the door seal, depending on the model) to access the door switch, typically located near the door latch assembly.

Final Considerations

The tips above should have helped you identify and fix the most likely causes of a GE washer that isn’t spinning. If these steps have failed to help you address the problem, there may be a more serious problem at hand, such as a faulty control board, which typically requires professional assistance to diagnose and repair.

Other than that, you may also want to check the drainage system, as sometimes drainage issues can cause a washer not to spin. Finally, you could try resetting the washer by unplugging it, waiting for two minutes, and then plugging it back in again, as this will reset the control board and clear any temporary glitches that may be causing the problem.