If you are having trouble with your top or front loading washing machine not filling with water, here are some quick fix tips. This guide will show you what to do if your washing machine will not fill with HOT or COLD water. Both of these issues can be fixed by doing a few simple checks.
The main causes your washing machine is not filling with water MAY BE:
1. One of the water valves (hot or cold) supplying the washer with water has been turned off or closed.
2. Your washer has a shutoff valve on the back that may be in the closed position.
3. There may be a water filter on your washer that is clogged and tells the washer computer (control board) to not allow water to enter.
4. A hose or water connector on the back or inside the washer is defective or clogged.
5. The water to your home has been turned off temporarily (the city may be doing work outside and did not notify you).
If the washer is brand new…
Check the back of it to be sure there is not a shutoff valve in the closed position near the water hose connection.
Many of the newer front load HE machines have a shutoff valve and sometimes during shipping it is put into the closed position.
So your problem with your washing machine not filling with water may be as simple as just turning the valve to open.
Your washing machine may have a shutoff valve in the
water connection assembly, make sure it is not closed.
If the washer is not new and is suddenly NOT filling with water…
Your NEWER washer may have a water filter installed.
If so it may be clogged and telling the computer to not allow water to enter.
If your washer has a special filter, clean or replace it and test the washer for water flow.
If there is no filter on your washer then you will need to take further steps to find the problem.
Check to be sure the water supply valves that supply
water to your washer are not closed or off.
To determine if a valve may be shut…
Unplug the washer and slide it out from the wall to leave space to access the water valves.
Locate the 2 water valves (one is for hot water and one is for cold water).
If both water valves are open (hot and cold) then there is a problem in the washer or the water supply hoses.
Check to be sure that somehow the washer water valve has not been shut (may or may not be something on your washer but if so it is located on back of washer).
If you assume water is going to the washer and ALL valves are open, go to the next step below.
The HOT and COLD water lines will connect to the back
of your washer similar to the picture above.
To determine if water is being supplied to your washer…
Turn off the 2 water valves and remove the hoses from the back of the washer (not the wall).
Hold the ends of both hoses pointing into an empty bucket and open the valves.
If water flows then you know the hoses and valves are not clogged or defective. (This procedure will verify water flow to the washer and you can rule out a problem with the hoses or valves located on the wall)
While you have the water hoses disconnected, look into the hose connections on the back of the washer.
Make sure that there is nothing clogging the screen or in the hose connection.
If there is anything clogging the screen or blocking the connection, remove it and reinstall the hoses and test washer.
Some other tips and suggestions…
On most washers, if water flow is going to the machine but the machine will not fill with water, you probably have a bad water valve on the machine itself.
You can remove the water valve or hose connectors and see if there is anything visibly wrong with it.
Sometimes they crack and block water flow to the washer and may leak.
Washers that have a water shutoff valve on the back can sometimes fail in the closed position.
There are also hoses that are in the machine that may be clogged or possibly pinched.
This issue can be fixed yourself but taking the machine apart may be necessary to access all the hoses and water lines.
Feel free to ask us washing machine questions by using the comment form below and we will troubleshoot your issue for free and in a timely manner.
Written by Keith Schneerer
Certified Appliance Tech · Founder, RemoveAndReplace.com
Keith has spent 30+ years repairing machines, starting as a military mechanic and later maintaining food processing equipment before moving into appliance repair. He founded RemoveAndReplace.com to share field-tested repair advice.
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AL LARY,
What make and model is your washer? If no water is entering your washers tub, have you checked the water valves behind washer to be sure they are fully open? Have you checked for bent or crimped water hoses? Checked the water inlet valve to be sure it is not clogged and the solenoids are operating properly?
-RR
The DIAL is set at NORMAL all OPTIONS are on EXCEPT the spin speed, the time setting comes on as 1:29 and no water enters the machine, it will appear to operate for 10 minutes then nothing. ALL OTHER OPERATIONS AND SETTINGS WORK JUST FINE, I just do not have a normal wash operation, continued use of the other washing options such as bulky, heavy, delicate. I would think would in time cause some other problem. CAN YOU HELP OR NOT PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
Sarah,
If the washer is NOT filling with water then yes it could be the hoses. The NO SPIN issue would be caused by something else.
The Frigidaire affinity front load washer E5E error indicates a communication issue. Check the wiring between the control board and the speed control board. Correct the wiring problem if any. If the wiring is okay, replace the control board. If the problem is not corrected, replace the speed control board.
-RR
Hot water will not fill, just cold. Took off hose from both ends one end at a time to clean screen. No screen in either end? Old machines use to have screen on end of hose, that if it got grain of sand in it or something else it wouldn’t call for water. Can’t find any issues inside panel. Only hot water that won’t work.
I have a Samsung front load VRT washer that will now not fill with water after running the clean cycle. It does not give an error code, it just says garment add, then door lock light comes on then goes off after a few seconds but machine still trying to fill with water. This machine is like four years old.
There are no error codes showing. Nothing is kinked or anything. Would water not coming in also cause it to not do anything in the spin only cycle when i put it on that.
There isn’t an error code coming up. Nothing is bent or crimped. We have well water if that makes a difference. I found on another site if you press and hold the start and cancel button at the same time it would show an error code but all that comes up is E5E. Would the hose issue also cause it to not spin on the spin cycle only?