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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Hi I have a Admiral washing machine it is not filling up with water I changed the inlet water valve and I changed the selection or knob.but its still not working.it spins on cycle and fills up on rinse.what can the problem be?
I have a Kenmore top loading machine that will not fill properly in the hot cycle. It begins to fill but shuts off after about 15 seconds and it’s not even close to the proper level.
We have an Inglis top load washing machine, I would assume 6 years of age.The city has been turning off our building’s water access occasionally as of late, to make city-wide repairs (basically they repaired all the water pipes below the main road directly in front of our building, and the road has been repaved). Usually there’s just been air in the lines upon water return and once we turn on the tub for a few seconds everything’s fine and back to normal. The other day the water was turned off again. Once we regained water access I performed 3 back-to-back loads of laundry as normal. A week later, the washer would only draw cold water (even on the warm water setting) and so for that one load I accepted it and ran it through with cold. Today, the very next load after the cold usage wash, I can not get ANY water at all to come out to begin the process however, the fill light flashes. Not completely sure where to start with this situation, hopeful any info I’ve provided may trigger a starting place.
I have a Kenmore washer. When I start the washer, water will begin to run, however, it never fills up. It will just instantly drain. It also won’t spin.
I have a newer Samsung top load washer model number WA40J3000AW/A2. The filters in the washer, mainly the cold water line, keep getting clogged and it won’t fill with water. Do the filters come out some how to be properly cleaned? I have tried pulling them out, but they do not budge. I am unable to clean them to get the washer to run a cycle! Very frustrated with this issue, I have never had this problem with a washer before.
Tonya Bock,
If water is coming out the bottom of your Frigidaire washing machine instead of filling the drum, this simply means the water inlet valve or water hoses are loose or disconnected.
Check the back of the washer to be sure the water hoses are secure, if so, then there is a loose or disconnected water line from the water inlet valve to the drum.
Check inside the washer if needed and re-secure the loose water line.
Unplug washer from power when checking.
-RR
My frigidaire stackable washer and dryer, when filling with cold water, water does not go into drum. Instead it runs out the bottom of washer onto floor. Tried filling manually, when washer becomes completely filled with water it immediately drains water out, but does not spin. PLEASE HELP!!! …