How to change the door handle on a Zanussi washing machine?

After the cycle is complete, the door of a Zanussi washing machine remains closed for several minutes. Impatient users often try to open it quickly, and the plastic handle, already subject to regular stress, can't withstand the excessive mechanical stress. In this situation, replacing the door handle of your Zanussi washing machine is essential. But you don't need to call a specialist—with our instructions, you can fix the problem yourself.

Getting rid of blocking

The main difficulty during repairs is opening the door and removing items from the drum. If the problem occurs during a wash cycle, for example, when you decide to change the mode or remove the laundry prematurely, don't panic or rush. Wait for the cycle to complete as usual. Then, you'll have to access the lock through the top or bottom of the washing machine. To open the door from the top, follow these steps:

• unscrew the screws holding the top panel;
• remove the lid;
• tilt the unit back slightly (thereby slightly moving the drum);
• put your hand into the resulting hole, find and open the hook (you need to move the latch on the UBL with a thin and short screwdriver or an awl).

A similar procedure can be performed from the bottom of the machine (if applicable). Open the bottom of the washing machine and unlock the lock. Another option: take a rope and thread it through the gap between the machine body and the door on the latch side. Then pull both ends of the rope toward you, and the door will open. If the handle is partially broken, you can try to open it with pliers..

We remove broken elements

After opening the door, begin removing the broken part. There's no point in repairing the fragile plastic; you'll need to buy a new handle immediately. You can purchase a spare part at any specialty store by telling the manager the make and model of your washing machine. The disassembly procedure is as follows:

• close the water supply tap, de-energize the equipment;
• open the hatch and unscrew the two screws holding it;
• place the hatch glass side up on the floor;
• unscrew the fasteners connecting the door halves;
• Find the fasteners around the door and loosen them with a screwdriver;
• remove the top of the door and the glass.
• Locate the pin that connects the entire lock assembly. Push it in with a thin screwdriver and pull it out. The remaining components are much easier to disassemble and remove.

Important! Take a photo of the exposed interior—this will help avoid mistakes during subsequent assembly. Or, remember the angle of the glass and the location of the hook.

To understand the assembly, you need to know what the hatch handle consists of: the plastic part, the pin, the latch, and the spring. After removing the entire mechanism, you can install a new part. It's important to understand that even if a small part of the handle breaks, the entire mechanism must be replaced.

Installation of a new mechanism

Install the handle very carefully. First, install the spring, then the retaining element next to it. Holding the parts in place, begin installing the pin: insert it into one eye of the spring. Slide the new handle onto the retaining element and push the pin all the way in.

The final stage of the repair is reassembling the hatch. The glass is slid under the handle, then the outer door section is installed. The catches are snapped into place, and the screws connecting the two halves of the hatch are screwed in. Now the hatch can be reinstalled on the Zanussi washing machine.

   

Readers' comments