Kenmore Elite & Whirlpool Duet Washer and Dryer Control Panel Locked

This advise is for Kenmore Elite and Whirlpool Duet front loader washers and dryers with a Control Lock problem.

This may or may not be an indication of a serious problem. In the majority of the cases, this is a simple operator error. Nearly all these model appliances have some sort of Control Lock feature on the front panel now. This is a designed safety feature that is used to prevent small children from manipulating the controls. The controls can be easily locked or unlocked by pressing and holding the following button on the front panel:

Whirlpool Duet Washer - Press and hold the END OF CYCLE SIGNAL button for 3 seconds.

Whirlpool Duet Dryer - Press and hold the END OF CYCLE SIGNAL button for 3 seconds.

Kenmore Elite Washer - Press and hold the DRAIN/SPIN button for 3 seconds.

Kenmore Elite Dryer - Press and hold the AUTO DRY LEVEL button for 3 seconds.

These instructions may not be all inclusive for all Kenmore and Whirlpool models, but they are the most common. Chances are, if you have a Control Lock feature, the instructions will be printed on the front panel adjacent to the button that is required to lock or unlock the controls.

NOTE: These instructions may also work for newer model Maytag, Hotpoint, Admiral and Fridgidaire model front loaders as well. Refer to your owner's manual or front panel for instructions pertaining to your sepcific model.

If the Control Lock feature will not lock or unlock the appliance, unplugging the unit for AT LEAST 30 minutes is recommended in order to reset the main control board. In many cases this is all that is required to correct momentary glitches.

Hopefully, this simple advice will save you an expensive service call.