How to Check for a Bad Agitator in a Maytag Washer
- 1). Open the washer lid. Carefully look around the edges of the top of the washer opening for a small button. On some models, there will be a small indent where a piece of plastic is set. When the washer is closed, this button or indent piece is pushed, telling the washer the lid is closed.
- 2). Use electrical tape to tape down the button or stick the tip of a screwdriver into the indent to hold the plastic piece down. If you do not see either of these, proceed to Step 3. If you do see one of these, skip to Step 7.
- 3). Unplug the washer. Remove the screws holding the control panel to the top of the washer. Pull the entire panel forward.
- 4). Look for a white wiring harness in one of the corners inside the control panel. Disconnect this harness by pulling the two pieces away from each other.
- 5). Bend a small length of electrical wire into a semicircle. Connect this wire so each tip is in one of the two holes on the left side wire-harness housing. Wrap the connection with electrical tape. This will bypass the lid sensor.
- 6). Close the control panel. Plug the washer back in.
- 7). Turn the washer to a normal wash cycle. Open the lid if you closed it during a previous step. Wait for the washer to fill up with water.
- 8). Locate the agitator in the middle of the washer tub. Watch it carefully. If it is functioning properly, it will rotate back and forth. The water will swish around. If the agitator is bad, it may rattle or vibrate but not rotate.
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