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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My Washing Machine has started to stall out during the fill cycle repeatedly for some reason just today….
I just washed a load last night with no issues, but today I start it, and it adds a small stream of water, but then stops. This will happen sporadically, and is confusing as the valves are all opened properly, and as I said it was working fine last night.
If I mess with the knobs, it will start another small stream of water, but this is new, and never had to be done before.
The machine is a GE top-load which does have a few years on it, and I am hoping will not need to be replaced!!
I have had an LG front loader for four years. All of a sudden, it is leaking water when I turn it on. The water seems to be coming from the front/bottom. The back of the unit is dry, the clothes inside the drum are dry, the soap is still in the dispenser, but I have water all over my floor. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.
Erika,
Please tell us the make and model of your Washing machine.
-RR
The orange light on my washer comes on and no water, then it makes a strange noise…whats the problem?
Juanita,
If you heard the sound of water coming into the washer but the washer did not fill with water… Did you try and run a wash cycle or was this the initial hookup of your washing machine?
-RR
I have a Frigidaire affinity front load washer and when we hooked it up after a few minutes it sounded as if the water was running in. But there appears to be no water in it. It quit sounding like it was running in it.
Warm water is good. It’s a new inlet valve. All I do is unhook the cold water hose from either end and hook it back up. Works fine for awhile. No kinks in hoses. When it goes to a trickle it will come back to good flow after a few seconds on its own. Screens are clean, new inlet valve, water on all the way, no kinks, and comes and goes when it pleases. Thanks.