The most important thing your Maytag washer needs to function correctly is its continuous supply of water. In this article, we will identify the reasons why your Maytag washer is not filling with water. Then, we will look at troubleshooting steps to take and possible solutions you can use.
When a Maytag washer does not fill with water, the problem could be with the household water supply. But if there is hot and cold water available, check the water faucets next. Next, ensure that the hoses connected to the washer aren’t kinked and that the water inlet valve is working correctly. Lastly, the standpipe might be too low, causing a siphoning effect sucking water out of the washer.
Let’s take a look at the likely reasons for this problem and the solutions you can use.
Related: Washing Machine Keep Filling With Water When Turned OFF – How To Fix?
Caution!
Table of Contents
Before performing any repairs on your Maytag washer, be sure to disconnect it from its power supply. Doing this will eliminate the risk of electrocution and reduce your overall injury risk.
You must also disconnect the hot and cold water supply to the appliance as well.
Household Water Supply
The most crucial supply needed by your Maytag washer is that of clean water. While some models might only need a cold water supply, others may require a stable supply of both hot and cold water from your household’s indoor water supply.
Not only does the washer require a steady water supply to work correctly, but the water must also be supplied at the correct pressure levels as well. That way, the water can fill up the washer drum to wash your clothes as much and as often as is needed throughout the cycle.
Related: Top Reasons Why Samsung Washer Is Leaking
How it fails:
When a Maytag washer does not fill up with water, the first step in your troubleshooting process should be to check your household water supply. The quickest way to do this would be to open up nearby taps, such as the ones in your kitchen or bathroom. That will help you determine whether or not your household is experiencing a water supply disruption.
You can also check the water meter outside your home to see if water is still flowing as it should.
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How to fix:
If there is a water supply disruption to your home, you should inform your local water company. There could be an external issue that is beyond your control.
- However, if you find that the fault is inside your home (i.e. after the water meter), you will need to troubleshoot for plumbing problems causing the water not to flow to where it’s needed.
- If you can’t locate the problem yourself, then it might be best to call a qualified plumber for help instead.
Hot and Cold Water Faucets
Like any water outlet located throughout your household’s plumbing, there will be a faucet controlling the flow of water to your washing machine. Of course, if your Maytag washer has both a hot and cold water inlet, then there will be two corresponding water faucets instead of one.
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When these faucets are open, water can flow through them without any problems. However, they can also be closed to cut the flow of water and prevent flooding. This ability is crucial, such as when you have to disconnect the hose connected to the washer’s water inlet valves.
How it fails:
When it comes to water faucets, there are two possible issues. Firstly, it could be that the faucets are closed entirely or not open far enough. For a Maytag washer to fill with water, bear in mind that both the hot and cold water faucets must be open at the same time.
Besides that, another possibility is that the faucets are blocked or broken. When this happens, water will not flow through them smoothly, and the washer will not fill up as it should.
How to fix:
- Firstly, check that the faucets are open all the way. If the problem persists, then you will have to replace the faucets with new ones.
Water Inlet Hose
Between the water faucets on your household plumbing and the Maytag washer’s water inlet valve, there will be one or two water inlet hoses bridging the gap. Each hose is typically made of rubber, and they screw tightly to the tap and the connection ports on the water inlet valve at the back of the washer.
How it fails:
If there is no water flowing through the water inlet hose and into the washer, the most likely reason is that the hose is kinked or blocked.
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The water inlet hose connects to the water inlet valve at the back of the washer. If the washer is pushed against the wall, it could squeeze the hose and prevent water from flowing through.
Besides that, there might be a leak in the hose that’s causing water to drain elsewhere instead of flowing into the washing machine.
How to fix:
To fix this, all you’ll have to do is replace the water inlet hose with a new one. These hoses are typically very inexpensive. Plus, the replacement process is very straightforward.
- To replace the water inlet hose, simply unscrew the hose on both ends and screw the new hose in its place.
- Once that is done, make sure that there is enough of a gap between the back of the Maytag washer and the nearest wall.
- That will prevent the new hose from getting squeezed and allow water to flow through it without any problems.
Water Inlet Valve
The water inlet valve is the component on your Maytag washer that regulates the flow of water into the appliance. You’ll find it on the rear of your washer, with ports that connect to the water inlet hose described earlier.
Also, as mentioned earlier, some Maytag washers receive both hot and cold water supplies. On these models, both water inlet hoses will connect to the same water inlet valve on the back of the washer.
When the water inlet valve opens, it allows water to fill up the drum before the washing cycle begins. Once the appliance senses enough water in the drum, the inlet valve will then close and prevent any excess water from flowing in.
How it fails:
For the water inlet valve to work correctly, the water coming in must be at the correct pressure level. So, the first reason why your Maytag washer isn’t filling could be that the water pressure is too low.
Besides that, it’s also possible that the screens in the water inlet valve are blocked. These small screens are built into the valve to remove any debris or foreign objects from the water and prevent them from getting stuck in the washer.
Lastly, it’s also possible the inlet valve itself has failed. When that happens, the valve will not open when it should. With the valve stuck closed, the washer drum will be left without any water to wash the clothes inside.
How to fix:
To resolve this issue, start by checking your household water pressure. Low pressure could be a sign of a plumbing problem somewhere else in your home.
- Next, clean the screens inside your water inlet valve and remove any debris or foreign objects stuck inside.
- If the problem continues, then you will need to replace the water inlet valve itself.
- The valve is located at the back of the Maytag washer. So, you will need to remove the rear panel to gain access to it.
- Disconnect the electrical connectors to the water inlet valve and then unthread any screws mounting it in place.
- Then, mount the replacement valve in place and reconnect the electrical wires.
Drain Pipe (or Standpipe)
The drain hose is connected to the washer on one end, while the other attaches to the drainpipe (or standpipe). Its purpose is to allow used water from your Maytag washer to flow out quickly into the household’s plumbing system at the end of the washing cycle.
As the drain hose goes into the standpipe, it forms a U-shape to ensure that water can flow unobstructed.
How it fails:
Here, your Maytag washer won’t fill with water because water is continuously being sucked out by gravity through the drain hose. This problem happens due to a siphoning effect when the standpipe is below 30 inches in height.
When the standpipe is too low (under 30 inches in height), water flow through the drain hose will create a suction effect.
In simple terms, as your Maytag washer fills up with water, gravity and suction will cause the water to be removed immediately. So, the fault here isn’t with any component in the washer itself, but it’s with the standpipe instead.
How to fix:
The solution to this problem has nothing to do with the Maytag washer itself. Instead, you will need to redo the standpipe where the washer’s drain hose is inserted.
- The standpipe should be 30 inches or 76.2 centimetres in height, at a minimum.
- This height should be measured from the ground using a measuring tape.
