How to open the door of an Indesit washing machine if it is locked

Opening the door of an Indesit washing machine typically requires a certain amount of time: the door remains closed for 2-3 minutes after a wash or spin cycle. However, if the door remains locked after 5 minutes or more, additional intervention or even repair may be required. This situation can arise due to a serious malfunction or due to the use of certain modes that require more time to drain the water from the drum. To find out what the problem is and how to fix it, read our article.

Opening by different methods

Let's take the simplest case: the wash cycle has finished, but there's still water in the drum. Consequently, the machine won't let you open the door. The solution is simple: try one of the following modes:

• rinsing;
• plum;
• wringing.

Wait until the work is complete and try opening the hatch again. Still not working? Check the drain hose for a blockage. If there is a blockage, clear it with a drain cleaner or a drain cable. After clearing the blockage, reconnect the hose and re-enable one of the modes listed above.

The washing machine may not respond to commands, preventing automatic draining. In this case, you'll have to drain the water manually through the debris filter. Follow these steps.

1. 1. Place some rags near the filter and place a basin or other container under water on them.

1. Unscrew the plug from the filter.
2. Drain the water.

Now you need to manually unlock the door. You'll need a string and a knife. Place the string between the door and the washing machine body, where the lock is located. Then, push it in with the knife. Then, pull both ends of the string until you hear a click—at this point, the lock should open.

If the previous method didn't work to unlock your Indesit washing machine, you'll have to do it manually. First, unplug the washing machine. Remove the top cover by unscrewing all the bolts holding it in place and sliding it back and then toward you. Once the cover is removed, reach up to the door locking mechanism. Feel for the tab and slide it. The machine is now open!

Some manufacturers install a special door release cable on their machines to open the door in case of malfunction. Indesit machines do not have this mechanism.

Why does the problem occur?

Stagnant water in the drum isn't the only reason the door locks; a malfunction could also be the cause. There are many reasons why an Indesit could break down. Here are the most common ones.

• The hatch handle broke. This situation is not uncommon, especially for those with children.
• A faulty sunroof locking device. This is a fairly common occurrence in cars that have been in service for many years.
• An electronic malfunction. For example, the device that monitors the amount of water in the tank shows that it's full, but in reality, the tank is dry. Unfortunately, in this situation, the sensor will definitely need to be replaced.

If draining the drum or manually opening the lock doesn't help, contact a professional. Even if you're able to open the door, but water continues to linger in the drum after the spin cycle, it's best to take the machine to a service center to have the drainage issues resolved.

   

2 reader comments

1. November 25, 2022 at 9:23 AM

   Marina:

   Thanks for the advice. I opened the door with the cord! Hooray!

   Answer
2. August 21, 2024 at 6:44 PM

   Nikola:

   I tweaked the lock on the old machine and it opened when I turned it on…

   Answer