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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Shannon,
Have you checked to be sure the cold water inlet valve is getting the correct voltage? You may have a bad cold water inlet valve. What exactly happens when you get the FL error code?
-RR
Hello. I have a whirlpool front load washer. My Model number is WFW9250WW00. I recently got error code FL. I have taken both valves off,cleaned both of them, and cleaned screens. I have checked for creases and clogs in hoses. I have noticed that I get the error message whenever I wash cycle on cold. I recently washed a load on hot cycle and the cycle ran all the way through. Could my cold water valve be bad? Any help would be very appreciated.
I have a whirlpool H2O low Cabrio top load washer that when I put clothes in it and start a load it starts sensing, starts to fill up with water and then stops. Then it drains the water and gets stuck on wash mode. I have ran Diagnostics on it but nothing comes up. What do you think could be wrong with it? please help.
Nancy,
That is usually the sign of a bad water pressure switch. If you have replaced it the clear tubing may be clogged and need to be cleaned. You may have installed the pressure switch wrong or installed one that is not compatible with your washer. Recheck the pressure switch, wiring, and clear tube.
-RR
Zachary Barnett,
Can you give us the model number of your Crosley washer?
-RR
My Crosley washing machine takes a long long time to fill with water or it will start filling right when we start it. It also will not complete all the cycles once it stops washing it will drain but not spin so we have to turn it to drain and spin and that doesn’t always work. I have to keep turning it off then on waiting for the lights to stop blinking I just need to know if it has sensors in it that I might need to change.
I have a Maytag Centennial washer model #MVWC300VW1. Water would run continuously even when level was reached and load knob was hard to turn and would only reach medium. I changed the water valve and water level switch but not the clear tubing. Now the water stopped running constantly but it still only reaches medium level. What should I try next?