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.
More about Keith →
Cathy W Hummel,
Please let us know brand and model number. Top load or front load?
If same issue of “Will Not Fill With Water” is happening with a brand new washer, then you may have an issue with your water pressure where the water hooks to the washer. Make sure your HOT and COLD water valves are FULLY open. Are the water hoses in good shape and not getting bent behind the washer when it gets pushed back to the wall?
-RR
Had a washer less than 4 years old. Stopped filling up with water. Just went and bought new washer. Same problem. Won’t fill up. What’s next?
To June Walker…
It is the way the Hotpoint washing machine is built that will not let you get really hot water. The only way to get really hot water when you set the temp control to “HOT” is to turn off the cold water supply line at the wall. This will slow down the pressure of the water coming in but eventually you will have hot water but because of the reduced flow rate you will also have wasted a lot of time waiting for the machine to fill.
-JIM
Got a new Hotpoint HSWP1000m4ww. Found that water temperature control does not let really hot water in UNLESS you turn off cold water supply going in to the machine. BUT, then the pressure on the hot water drops and takes much longer to fill. I know the pressure from the house supply is strong from disconnecting hot line from back of machine and turning on house supply valve and running water in to stationary tub. The pressure is plenty strong in that arrangement.
The washer is not going to run in the cycle until water level is at needed height. So, at the slow rate it is still going to run when that level is reached so why slow it down – the water is going to be hot that comes in to the washer if you turn the cold line off. I believe there is some kind of restricted component on the hot line. One or a combination of the wires it operating a part, not known where it is located, that restricts the hot water from coming in unless cold is mixed with it. As I said you can get the hot water to come in hot as the water heater will make it if you turn off the cold supply. If you leave the cold on it turns hot water to luke warm. Does anyone how to override this? Hotpoint says this rule affected all washers no matter the maker. Does anyone know what wires to remove or switch around to make machine do as I want in as far as water temp is concerned??
Shell,
If the water is running into the washer but it will not fill, then you have a siphoning issue. Make sure your water drain hose behind washer is not positioned too LOW or the water will siphon right out when filling.
-RR
Dawn,
The most likely component that is causing your issue is the water inlet valve may have a loose wiring harness, the drain hose is placed wrong therefore leading the washer to drain and keep filling, or the main control board is fried and needs replaced. You can look in the washer and trace wires to be sure no other components are loose therefore may be causing the malfunctioning.
What model number is your Samsung top loader?
-RR
I have a Samsung top loader washer that is only 3 yrs old. It keeps faulting and saying NF but there is water going into the machine. It will then drain and keep filling. Even if I try to put it on Spin cycle only it doesn’t seem to know what to do. We have put new hoses on it. Check the water pressure and filters. I just find out where we moved to there really isn’t anyone who will work on Samsung. They say they are too much trouble. What else can I do or is my washer pretty much done?