The lock on my Indesit washing machine is blinking.

Most Indesit washing machines have a lock indicator, a separate LED on the dashboard. This light allows you to monitor the machine's status and promptly detect any malfunctions. If the lock indicator on your Indesit washing machine is flashing, and the machine itself fails to start or operates intermittently, urgent diagnostics are necessary. Such a "diagnosis" can have serious consequences, so it's best to react appropriately to the flashing light.

Initial user actions

First of all, we need to weed out banal and frivolous reasons. It is quite possible that the blinking of the so-called key was caused by the user’s elementary inattention. Therefore, we forget about the UBL, the board and the heating element and answer the following questions one by one.

• Is the machine filling with water? If the water supply is cut off or the water pressure in the pipes is insufficient, the machine will not start a cycle for safety reasons. The electronic control unit will receive a signal indicating that water cannot be filled, and the washing machine's "brain" will respond by illuminating the lock indicator. The problem is that starting the heating element when the tank is empty will quickly cause the first heating element to catch fire and damage the second.
• Is the door closed tightly? A tight seal is essential for the safe operation of a washing machine. If the door isn't completely closed, a leak can occur, threatening both the room and the appliance itself. The safety system is activated, and the corresponding light comes on. Correcting this is simple: open the door, check for any objects lodged between it and the machine, and push until you hear a click.
• Were there any power outages? Indesit machines have weak electronics, and even minor power surges can cause a software glitch in the board. A system reboot usually helps clear the error. Unplug the washing machine, wait 10-20 minutes, restart it, select the "Drain and Spin" mode, and evaluate the machine's performance. If the problem persists, the issue is more serious than a single glitch.

Most often, eliminating one of the above-mentioned causes is enough to turn off the lock light. If none of the above helps, it's time to call in the "heavy artillery." The tactic is the same: move from the simple and quick to the complex and time-consuming.

Repair of hinges and UBLs

It's not a good idea to replace the door lock right away. First, it's recommended to inspect the door lock, or more specifically, its latch. If the latch has shifted or broken, it should be repaired. The door hinges could also be damaged, warped by children hanging on the hatch or wet clothes hanging on it. The weight of the door can cause it to sag, not close tightly, or jam. In this case, only replacement is the answer. Hinge replacement is as follows.

1. We disconnect the machine from communications.
2. We open the door, use pliers to loosen the outer clamp and insert the cuff into the drum.
3. We disconnect the wiring from the door locking system.
4. We find the technical hatch in the lower right corner and unscrew the bolt holding the front panel of the machine.
5. We loosen the two screws securing the top cover of the machine.
6. We take out the detergent tray from the machine.
7. In the hole left by the tray, we find two screws and remove them using a screwdriver.
8. We remove a few more screws around the perimeter of the dashboard and carefully unhook the latter from the latches.
9. We unscrew the bolts holding the end of the machine and remove the front panel.
10. We unscrew the plastic cover behind which the door hinges are “hidden”, and then remove the hinges themselves.
11. We buy new hinges and put them in place of the old ones.
12. We assemble the machine in reverse order.

Once the tongue and hinges have been checked, turn on the machine and check to see if the lock light is blinking. If the problem persists, check the door locking mechanism. Replacing a faulty door lock is easy: just buy the original part and follow the simple instructions.

A new UBL is selected based on the serial number of the Indesit washing machine, which is indicated in the technical passport of the washing machine or on the inside of the hatch door on a special marking.

If the door is jammed and won't open, you'll have to unlock the system manually. Remove the top cover of the machine, feel for the lock by hand, and slide the latch to open the door. Once the door opens, you can begin replacing the door lock.

Pressure switch or heater

A lit lock indicator often indicates a malfunction of the pressure switch. If the water level sensor fails to signal that the tank is full, the self-diagnostic system detects the malfunction, stops the water supply, and alerts you with an error message. The water meter is easy to find: it's located on the right side of the washing machine under the top cover. Diagnostics are performed as follows: first, the device is inspected for integrity of the housing and tube, then checked for blockages, proper adjustment, and secure contacts. If any malfunctions are detected, the device is replaced with a new one.

The "Key" light also comes on if the heating element is broken. This situation is more complex, as the machine will wash in cold water if the heating element is not working, but there is a high risk of fire and current leakage into the housing. For your own safety and the safety of your property, it's worth assessing the heating element's functionality: remove the back panel, inspect the wiring, and measure the resistance with a multimeter. If the readings deviate from the norm, purchase a new unit and install it in its place.

The problem with the electronic "brain"

The problem may also be hidden in the control board. Due to moisture getting on the contacts or the electronic unit, a sudden voltage drop or a software failure, the resistors on the module burn out and the terminals become loose.As a result, the signal from the door lock, pressure switch, heating element, or other washing machine components doesn't reach the "brain," and the wash cycle doesn't start.

Diagnosing or repairing the board yourself is too risky. It's best to leave this task to a service center instead of experimenting.

   

1 reader comment

1. March 8, 2023 at 10:52 AM

   Tatiana:

   Thanks, it worked. The button stuck without flushing. But then it still wouldn't turn on. Draining and spinning helped. The hardest part was removing the lid.

   Answer