Whirlpool owns Maytag, and has for years, which is exactly why so many lid lock assemblies interchange between the two brands even though the badge on the front says something different. I’ve pulled the same part number off a Whirlpool Cabrio and a Maytag Bravos more times than I can count, and once you know the platforms are shared, shopping for Washer Lid Lock Parts Whirlpool, Maytag gets a lot less confusing.
Here’s a short video walking through how these lid lock assemblies get tested and swapped, which is worth watching before you order anything blind:
That said, “interchangeable” doesn’t mean every lid lock fits every top-load washer. It means the two brands used enough shared engineering, especially on the direct-drive and Cabrio/Bravos-style platforms, that the same physical part and connector layout shows up under different part numbers or the same part number gets listed for both brands. Whirlpool and Maytag built these washers side-by-side using common tooling, so the lid lock housing, the switch contacts, and the wiring harness plug are often identical even when the console or cabinet styling looks nothing alike.
Which Lid Lock Numbers Actually Cross Over
The one I get asked about most is W10404050, which shows up on a long list of Whirlpool and Maytag top-loaders from roughly the same production era. Repair Clinic’s writeup on the Whirlpool top-load lid lock replacement for W10404050 covers the mounting and wiring steps, and I’d follow that same process almost word-for-word on a Maytag using the identical part number. Newer models moved to WPW10619844, and PartSelect’s page for the WPW10619844 lid lock assembly lists both Whirlpool and Maytag model fitments right on the same listing, which tells you everything you need to know about how shared this platform really is. There’s also W10810403, another Whirlpool-numbered lock listed on PartSelect’s W10810403 lid lock assembly page, which covers a slightly different batch of models but follows the same swap logic.
None of these part numbers are brand-exclusive in practice. They’re platform-exclusive, and Whirlpool built the Maytag top-load platform, so the overlap is real rather than a coincidence.
Why Model Number Beats Brand Name Here
I never order a lid lock off the brand alone, and I’d tell anyone else the same. Two washers sitting next to each other in a showroom, one badged Whirlpool and one badged Maytag, can use completely different lid locks if they came from different production runs, even a year or two apart. The safest path is pulling the full model number off the tag inside the lid or on the back panel and matching it against the part’s listed fitment chart rather than trusting that “it’s basically the same washer.” If you’re not sure what the letters in your model number even mean, our washer model number guide covering WFW, WTW, and MVWC prefixes breaks down what platform you’re actually dealing with, which matters more than the brand name stamped on the front.
One thing I’d flag from actual field experience: aftermarket lid locks that claim “universal fit” for Whirlpool and Maytag are hit-or-miss on the switch tab spacing. I’ve had a couple arrive with the mounting tabs a few millimeters off from OEM, which is enough to keep the lid from seating right. Sticking with the OEM part number listed for your exact model, even if it costs a bit more, saves a return shipment.
How to Tell If the Lid Lock Is Actually the Problem
Before buying a replacement lid lock at all, it’s worth ruling out whether the assembly is really the failure point. A washer that won’t unlock, won’t spin, or throws a lock-related error code doesn’t automatically need a new lid lock — sometimes it’s a control board signal issue instead. Whirlpool’s own F5 E3 code is the clearest example of this, and our Whirlpool F5 E3 lid lock error guide walks through testing the switch contacts with a multimeter before you spend money on parts. Maytag’s top-load platform can throw similar lock-related faults tied to motor speed sensing rather than the lock itself, which is covered in our Maytag F7 E1 motor speed sensing error article if your symptoms point that direction instead.
If your washer is stuck locked with the tub full of water, that’s usually a drain or control issue rather than the lock assembly, and it’s worth draining the tub safely first — our guide on getting rid of standing water in a washing machine covers that step before you start pulling the console apart. And if you’re dealing with a Samsung instead of a Whirlpool or Maytag, the lock logic works differently — that’s a separate platform entirely, and our Samsung stuck-on-lock-cycle guide handles that specific case.
Bottom line: when you’re hunting down Washer Lid Lock Parts Whirlpool, Maytag compatibility isn’t about the badge, it’s about the shared production platform underneath it. Match the model number, check the fitment chart on the actual part listing, and confirm the failure is really the lock switch before you order anything.
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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