Depending on the mode, washing can last from 15-30 minutes to 1-2.5 hours. It is also normal that the washing machine does not turn off 5 minutes after the start of washing. But when you set a program for 30 minutes, and the washing machine continues the process for more than 2 hours, this is not normal. In this situation, it is important to understand why the washing machine continues to wash much longer than it should according to the regime. In this article, we examined the eight most common reasons.
Fault table
| Symptoms of malfunction | Possible reason |
| The washing machine takes a long time to distribute the laundry through the drum, which increases the washing time | In this case there are no breakdowns - this is an overload of the drum. You just need to take out the excess laundry |
| It takes a long time for water to fill the washing machine, which causes the washing time to decrease significantly | 1. The valve on the water supply hose is not fully open, or the hose is squashed somewhere. 2. The filter on the inlet valve is clogged, so water is drawn in very slowly 3. Malfunction of the water supply valve. |
| Draining water after washing is very slow, so the process time increases | 1. There is a possibility that the machine was not connected to the sewer correctly and the water is slowly draining. The drain may be clogged. 2. The water level sensor is broken, and the machine simply does not understand that a sufficient amount has been collected. 3. The inlet valve is clogged with debris or broken. |
| The washing machine takes a long time to heat the water, so the washing time increases | 1. A lot of scale has appeared on the heating element, so its heating capacity has decreased and the washing time will gradually increase. 2.The thermostat sensor, which is responsible for controlling the water temperature, is not working correctly. |
| During the heating phase, the washing machine stops the washing process | The reason may be the failure of the heating element - it burns out and the machine displays an error. |
| During the process, the machine begins to “freeze” and then begins to wash again. | The electronic module works intermittently.. |
Washing clothes in the second, third round
If the washing machine crashes cycle after cycle without stopping, the reason most likely lies in the electronic module. It “does not see” the process of completing the wash and jumps to the beginning of a new cycle automatically. This malfunction is very dangerous for delicate materials that are washed at a strictly defined time.
It will not be possible to solve the problem without calling a specialist from a specialized service. The reason for the program failure may be a heating element or a surge protector:
- when the resource is exhausted, the heating intensity may decrease, the spiral shell may be damaged, and radio interference may occur in the filter
- the program no longer understands how long the washing process lasted
- restarts the loop immediately after it completes
To diagnose why the wash constantly starts after the previous cycle has completed, the technician uses a multimeter and his own knowledge of the design of the household appliance. Having found out the reasons, he most often eliminates the malfunction on the spot.
Washing machine overload
If you put more laundry in the drum than is written in the instructions, then it will be very difficult for your unit to distribute it evenly and gain the required speed, while the machine will constantly make a constant effort, and the housewife will feel like the laundry is being washed, but very slowly. Laundry stacked in a lump can also cause prolonged distribution on the drum.
The problem can be solved simply - try running the wash with less laundry.
See also -
Electrolux washing machine displays error E40 - what does it mean?
Problems with water supply
The wash does not start because the washer is unable to collect the required amount of liquid. The process takes longer. There are several reasons why this problem may occur:
- There is low pressure in the water supply pipes. If this is the case, then washing should be postponed for a while until the pressure is normal;
- The taps are not fully open. You just need to check and fully open the tap that goes to the washing machine;
- the filter mesh on the inlet valve is very clogged. In this case, it is necessary to clean the filter or replace it with a new one;
- The water inlet valve has failed and will have to be replaced.
Self-repair of a long washing machine
If the washing machine is connected correctly and has been working properly for more than a year, there are several possible reasons for prolonged washing. Some of them are easy to fix, while others are quite problematic.
Malfunctions that you can fix yourself :
- Insufficient water pressure. Solution : check for problems with the water supply. Is the hose pinched? Is the valve open? Is there any water at all?
- Blockages in the inlet valve filter or water drain filter. Solution: cleaning the filters.
- Slow heating of water due to scale formation on the electric heater. Solution: clean the heating element from scale.
So, if the washing machine takes too long to wash, after completing the next program, you need to:
- Switch off the unit completely.
- Check the water (presence in the pipes and pressure) and the faucet supplying it to the washing machine (it may be closed or not fully open).
- The condition of the drain and inlet hoses, their integrity and location.
- Open the lower front panel or small hatch that hides the drain filter. Remove the filter and clean it under running water. Reinstall.
- Disconnect the inlet hose, remove the filter mesh and clean it of debris. Reinstall.
- Turn on the machine, select a short program and note the time. If the equipment can handle it within the allotted time, the problem is solved. If not, go to the next step.
- Run a long dry wash cycle at maximum temperature with descaling agent.
If these steps do not produce results, the washing machine needs professional repair.
Slowly drains water (stuck on drain)
The washing process may take longer if the water drains from the machine very slowly. This may cause long washing times. We check the nodes and elements of the drain:
- we check and clean the drain filter, which is located at the bottom of the front panel of the washing machine, read how to drain the water from the washing machine.
- check whether the impeller is spinning;
- clean the pipe that is attached to the pump. Disconnect the washing machine from the electricity and turn off the water. Carefully place it on its side so that the drain pump is accessible. Then we loosen the pipe clamp; if there is a blockage, we clean it and install it back;
- We check the drain hose, perhaps it is clogged. Clean it or install a new one.
See also -
Why do all the indicators on the Indesit washing machine blink?
Difficulty draining water from the machine
This is a situation mirroring the lengthening of the cycle due to the long time it takes to fill the tank. If something prevents the waste liquid from being discharged into the sewer, the program execution time is automatically increased. The reasons may be the following:
- There is a blockage in the hose. Clean or replace with a new one. The plug may end up in the siphon if the connection to the sewer is made through it. You need to check if the sleeve is pinched.
- The drain filter is clogged. Remove the bottom panel of the facade and unscrew the cleaning element from its socket. Wash and install in original place. This operation is provided for in the machine maintenance regulations and is recommended to be carried out regularly.
- The pipe connecting the pump to the tank is clogged. A sock can get caught in it and block the fluid flow.
Not everyone is able to eliminate the latter circumstance. The machine is disconnected from the water and power supply, the remaining liquid is removed from it, and placed on its side to get to the pump.
The pipe is secured with clamps - they need to be loosened, the corrugation removed, and washed to remove dirt. Assembly and connection are performed in reverse order.
Difficulty draining water also occurs due to pump failure. Its service life is designed on average for 3–5 years, but particles leaking through the filter contribute to premature wear. It is better to entrust pump repair to a specialist.
Constantly collects and drains water: the washing process does not start
If there is good pressure in the system, you have cleaned all the filters and the pump is running, but water is drawn in and immediately leaves, there are two reasons for this:
The washing machine is not connected correctly
If the connection to the drain is incorrect, the following happens - water accumulates to a certain level and begins to go into the sewer. As a result, the required amount of liquid does not enter the machine - the wash does not start. You need to raise the hose 60 cm from the floor. Many models have a mount on the back wall into which the hose snaps into place. Check the position of the drain hose relative to the level of the washing machine.
The pressure switch is faulty
Pressostat is a sensor indicating the water level. His task is to give a command to the machine that it is time to start washing when there is enough water in the tank. If it fails, then the unit does not understand whether enough fluid has accumulated or whether it is there at all. The process will be endless - if the tank is full, water flows into the sewer, and the machine will begin to draw water again. This problem can be corrected by simply replacing the water level sensor.
Intake valve malfunctions
With this breakdown, the valve may work intermittently - not open completely, or even freeze. The problem can be solved by replacing it with a new one.
Error codes
A good assistant in determining the breakdown of an automatic machine are error codes, which are more likely to be displayed on the display, indicating a failure.
If the drain system in the Indesit brand SMA is damaged, F-05 will appear on the display.
F-04 or F-10 will notify you that the pressure switch is faulty. In this case, the control module will receive a signal that the tank is empty and overfilled at the same time. But error H20 in Ariston machines can indicate several breakdowns at once: a failure in the control board, lack of fluid supply or self-draining.
If the tank is not filled within the allotted time to a certain level or, conversely, fills faster than the allotted time period, the LG washing machine will display a PE error. Then you need to look for the reason in the pressure switch or check the water pressure in the water supply.
Each washer has its own error marking. A complete list of them is in the operating instructions for the device. But if the electronics are broken, the fault code will not be displayed, which means you will have to look for the fault yourself.
Malfunctions of water heating (heating element, thermostat)
This group of reasons occurs very often - serious breakdowns requiring specialist intervention. Various parts will have to be repaired or replaced. In this case, the water takes much longer to heat up, which means the washing process increases.
Scale has formed on the heating element - it takes a long time to heat the water
Of course, the breakdown is not as global as shown in advertising, but the quality of the water leaves much to be desired and over time scale appears on the heating element. The first sign is a gradual increase in the water heating time. Try cleaning the machine with a special anti-scale agent or citric acid. If after this no changes occur, then you will have to change the heating element, or remove it and clean it manually.
Freezes at the water heating stage (heating element burnt out) - the washing machine freezes while heating the water
Usually, with this breakdown, the washing machine does not even start to spin the drum, and the corresponding error code is displayed on the display. In this case, you need to replace the heating element with a new one. Be sure to check the heating element with a multimeter before replacing.
Thermostat is faulty
In this case, there is no information that the water has heated to the required temperature, since the sensor cannot detect it. As a result, the wash either does not start or continues for a long time, since the “brain” of the machine decides that it needs a little more time to heat the water. The unit can wash for a very long time - waiting until the temperature reaches the desired level. We check the thermostat, if there is a problem, replace it with a new one.
Features of the problem
A washing machine is a rather complex unit. It works according to a clear scheme, which is established by the program. To understand the situation more clearly, it is necessary to determine all the specifics of how this technique works. The user selects the program he needs, then the washing machine executes the command and monitors the process. If any deviation from the set parameters occurs, the electronic unit determines the failure of any program. Washing time increases.
The washing period takes from 30 minutes to 2 hours and depends on the selected program. It may often mistakenly seem that the process has taken a long time. First of all, you need to make sure that you have selected a standard program that does not require additional soaking and rinsing. In order to be completely sure that the equipment is faulty, you need to run some program and observe. This tactic will allow you to understand at what stage the malfunction appeared.
Note! In addition to the fact that the machine washes for longer than the stated time, the transition to rinsing and spinning may not occur.
Problem with the control module or programmer (the drum spins for a long time or freezes)
If the control module fails, the machine begins to set programs incorrectly, or turns them on one after another, or simply does not turn on. In this case, the washing continues indefinitely or stops right in the middle of the process. You won't be able to solve this problem on your own. Only a specialist will be able to determine whether the module can be repaired; it may require a complete replacement.
When you need specialist help
If you have certain skills, it is quite possible to deal with clogged filters, hoses or replacing them yourself. But it is unlikely that internal damage will be eliminated without the involvement of a specialist. Therefore, it is better not to take risks, but to entrust the repair to a specialist. The only way you can help the technician is to report the error code on the SMA display (if it appears). This way, the specialist will be aware of the essence of the problem in advance and will be able to take with him the necessary tools and spare parts. And this will significantly speed up the process of diagnosing and repairing the washing machine.
