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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I have an Admiral Brand top loading washing machine. During the wash cycle, it will start to fill. The water will run for a few seconds then stop. The rinse cycle run without a problem. What could be the cause of this. If I stand there and restart it over and over. Or if I fill it in other ways the load will wash without another incident.
We woke up this morning to no water due to a main water break. It is now fixed. Upon cutting on my washer cold water sputtered out and then stopped and machine now sounds like it is humming. Hot and warm water comes out normal but no cold. Just a humming noise.
Ron,
If your Kenmore top load will go into agitation mode first, then there is an issue with the timer mechanism or the control panel wiring.
Is there a pause for time for “water to enter” the washer before it goes straight into agitation?
Or does the washer go straight into agitation mode?
If it pauses, we would suspect the water is not getting to the washer and possibly the water inlet valve is faulty or the water is not getting to the washer.
It is either the timer mechanism is failing or the water is simply not entering the washer.
Let us know what you find and give us more info if you need more assistance.
-RR
Washer won’t fill at all goes immediately to agitation.
Kenmore elite probably 196 or 98 top load.
When I start my barely year old Amana top load washer and it starts to fill with water immediately it continues to run water but never fills. But if it senses fill and hesitates like 15-20 sec. it holds water. As if I have an intermitant valve sticking open problem. Also it used to sometimes complete a cycle. Now it doesn’t ever. It will make it all the way to the rinse cycle than stop. The wash light will come back on. And I have to turn it to the spin/drain cycle to remove the remaining water. And it always leaves soap residue on my the clothes. At 1st I thought it was just me and didn’t understand how this new HE machine works and was doing something wrong. But I have reviewed the service manual and troubleshooting. And found no solution
I have a Samsung WF330ANB/XXA. i can only use the delicates and wool setting, all other settings results in no water filling and no error codes indicating no water flow. I checked the hoses, cleaned the screens, reversed the hoses as the hot water line has low pressure and the results are the same. I ran diagnostics and water inlet test seemed to pass, only thing that came up was the silver nano kit was abnormal, looking on samsung site i found no reference to the silver nano kit.
I have a Kenmore series 100 HE and it only fills up 1/4 of the way… tried washing a comforter and didn’t wash it well.. soap residue was still on it. What can I do for the tub to fill up with water? (I’ve tried ALL settings and it continues to only fill up 1/4) thanks!