If you have a Maytag clothes washer and the door will not unlock, it may be because of one of these common problems. It might be that the washer is still full of water, lint is jamming the components, a door interlock switch issue, or you could try to cancel the wash cycle and wait.
Maytag washer door won’t unlock
Washer door unlock fix: Cancel the wash cycle, wait for it to drain the water and the door should unlock, OR pull the green string near the detergent area, OR pull the lever on the bottom of the door switch, OR unplug the washer for 5 minutes to reset. These 4 things should unlock your washers door.
How to unlock Maytag washer door?
If there are no errors with the washer and no components are faulty, you can try and cancel the wash cycle, press and keep holding the CYCLE END or CANCEL button and wait a few minutes and the door should unlock on its own. This will work with all washers if you are able to cancel the wash cycle manually.
If the door still will not unlock, then the water level may be at too high of a level in the washers tub for the washer to unlock the door in a safe manner.
What if the washer is full of water?
If the washer is full of water and the door is locked, it would be better to drain the water out of the washers tub before unlocking the door. Draining the water from the tub will allow the door to unlock once it is empty of water.
The washing machine can be safely drained of water by moving the washer drain hose lower than the washer drum and let gravity do its job. Let the water flow into a drain or a bucket. If the washer is not full of water continue troubleshooting below.
There should be a safety lever (tear shaped tab) on the very bottom of the door lock that can be pulled until a clicking sound is heard to manually unlock the washer door. This safety lever can only be accessed from the inside of the washer.
How to take off the top washer panel?
- Remove power to the washer.
- Remove two screws on the two lower front corners of the washer.
- Pull down on the bottom of the front panel to remove it from the two plastic clips at the top of the front panel.
- Then lift upward on the top of the washer to remove the top panel and access the tear shaped tab that can be pulled to unlock the door.
If you remove the top washer panel, you can reach down into the washer and pull the tear shaped tab at the bottom of the door lock and it will unlock the door.
On some of the Maytag washing machine models, there is a green plastic rope/string located near the detergent area that if pulled, will unlock the door. You may have to remove part of the dispenser with the lid part that opens to see the green plastic string. Once you find the green string, pull it and the door will unlock.
How to reset override Maytag washer?
- Find the OFF button that is located to the right of the washers START/PAUSE button.
- Depress the OFF button in 20 to 30 seconds of starting the wash cycle and cancel the wash cycle.
- Let the washer drain by depressing the OFF button if water is still in the wash tub.
- The washer will now drain and the washer will have been reset.
How to Release a Stuck Washing Machine Door
If you are still cannot open your Maytag washer door on model numbers mvw7232hw, mvw6200kw, mah5500bww, or mah6700aww, you may have an obstruction or faulty part that is preventing the door from allowing it to open.
If you still have issues with your washer after reading the info above, leave a comment below and include your model number and someone will assist you.
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 →
Bianca,
Washing Machine Model MVW7232HW Turned Off Mid Cycle:
There might be an issue with the main control board of the washing machine.
The washing machine might have shut off in the middle of the cycle, and the smart screen might not be functioning.
The locking mechanism might not be releasing, which is preventing you from accessing your clothes.
To get your clothes out, you can manually unlock the door by unplugging the washer and waiting a few minutes and it should unlock.
-RR