That’s a frustrating one, because it only happens some of the time, and you’re having to run the load two or three times. On a GE top-loader like the GTW460ASJ6WW, soaking wet clothes at the end mean the washer either couldn’t drain all the water or didn’t spin fast enough. Here’s how to tell which one and what to do.
First: look in the tub when it happens
- Water is standing in the bottom of the tub: it’s a drain problem. See below.
- No standing water, but the clothes are dripping: the washer drained but didn’t spin at full speed. That’s usually a balance, suds or spin problem.
If water is left in the tub
- Drain hose: check that it isn’t kinked behind the washer, and that it isn’t pushed too deep into the standpipe (no more than about 8 inches).
- Something in the drain pump: small socks and baby items can slip under the basket into the pump and partly block it. That causes the “sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t” pattern, because the object moves around. The pump is at the bottom of the washer.
If it drained but didn’t spin
- Too many suds. Using too much detergent, or any detergent that isn’t HE, makes so many suds that the washer slows the spin to protect itself. Try half the amount of HE detergent for a couple of weeks.
- Unbalanced loads. Heavy items like towels and jeans can bunch to one side, and the washer gives up spinning to stop shaking. Mix big and small items, and don’t wash one heavy item alone.
- Lid lock. If the lid lock doesn’t lock reliably, the washer won’t do a full spin. Listen for the click of the lid locking before the spin.
- Shifter. GE top-loaders use a mode shifter to switch from wash to spin. If it starts failing, the spin happens only some of the time, usually with a clicking noise.
Start with the detergent amount and the drain hose, since those are free. If it keeps happening, a technician can run the washer’s service test to check the pump, lid lock and shifter in a few minutes.