The door (hatch) of the washing machine does not open

The lock light on the washing machine is locked. When the wash cycle is finished, the washing machine needs up to three minutes to unlock the door. If more than three minutes have passed and the door still won't open, there's a problem with the machine.

Sometimes, in the middle of a particular part of the program, such as during the spin cycle, the machine suddenly stops, preventing the door from being opened. There's no need to try to pry open the door or force it open. This will only cause damage. Read this article to learn what to do in this situation.

Why won't the washing machine open?

There may be several reasons for this malfunction.

The water hasn't drained completely. If there's water left in the drum, the washing machine won't open. This is a safety feature. In fact, in some cases, there's so little water left that it's invisible through the glass door, making it appear as if there's no water left.

The hatch closing system or its handle may also fail. If the lock is faulty, it's quite natural for it to prevent the door from opening.

Another possible reason is a broken water level sensor or module.

Washing machine repair

If the reason is that there is water left in the tank, then to solve this problem you better read the following article: “The washing machine does not drain water." It will also help you if the water level sensor is faulty.

And here we will analyze the malfunctions of the hatch itself.

How to open a blocked hatch and replace the handle?

Disassembled washing machine hatch To open a locked door, remove the top of the washing machine. Then tilt it so that its entire weight rests on the rear supports. This means tilting it toward the rear. In this position, the drum will be slightly displaced from the front of the machine. You'll be able to fit your hand between it and the inside of the door. Locate the locking device, locate the locking element, and open it by moving it to the side. After this, you can open the door as usual.

Next, you'll need to remove the hatch itself. To do this, remove it from its hinges. After that, we'll disassemble it. To do this, remove all the securing screws on the inside of the hatch. Then, release the clamps and separate the door into two halves.

We take the one with the faulty handle and replace it with a new one. Then all that's left to do is reassemble the hatch and install it, having first checked the functionality of the new handle. To make sure the handle replacement doesn't cause you any problems, we've included a video tutorial:

Troubleshooting the locking problem

If we've determined that the fault lies with the locking device, it's best to replace it rather than repair it. This device is located on the inside of the front wall of the washing machine. It's secured with screws on the outside. To remove it, you must first unlock the door. We've already described how to do this above.

How to unlock a washing machine After opening the door, remove the clamp securing the collar. Then, unscrew the screws holding the locking device. Next, move the door collar the required distance and remove the broken locking system through the resulting opening. Before disconnecting the wires and replacing the locking system, remember which wires are connected where. To simplify this process, you can simply take a photo of the locking system connection with your phone or camera. If you don't have time to take a photo, you can draw the correct connection with a pencil or pen. After replacing the locking system, test it by running a wash cycle and ensuring the door opens promptly.

To clearly demonstrate this procedure, we've included a video with this article. It shows the lock removal method in detail. Just watch and follow along. Happy repair!