Our washer will stop mid cycle and pause plus, there are times when it does not drain properly. We also have a smell of rotten eggs from time to time when it runs. How do we fix this without paying a fortune?

As someone who has had a deep well drilled and found water, but water contaminated with iron and sulfur, I can tell you first hand about the rotten egg smell. The water softener will remove the iron that can turn clothes orange, but doesn't do anything to remove the rotten egg odor. You will need a charcoal (carbon) water filter to eliminate the sulfur smell.

Check the drain where the wash machine is plumbed into it should have the blung to stop the smell comming out of the drain,also check the filter but it is very rare that the smell will come out of the washer it will be a drain issue that is backing up through the washer,if you havent got a u bend trap on the drain it will allow the drain gases to come back into the house.
hope that helps a little bit.
adrian

check for dead rodents in the ceiling. Have a plumber check for blocked /leaking drains especially around the dish washer drains . If you have had pest exterminators in lately then something may have taken the bait . IT will be best to get in professionals to remove the smell as quickly as possible as to customers a smelly restaurant is equal to bad hygiene and food poisoning.

Rotten egg stench is caused by sulphur content in the water or building up over time in your water heater. It can also build in a water system that is rarely run. Have you noticed this smell from other taps in your house? There are inline charcoal filters that can remove it from the water, or you can also try removing the water lines from the washer and running them awhile.

Is this new, or has it been happening for awhile?

rotten egg smell is most of the time an O2 sensor.Goto your diagnostic connector and bridge the A and B posts with a paper clip. Turn on your truck to the"run" position.Your service engine soon light will start to blink,first once,pause,then twice.That's a code 12-means your computer is in diagnostic mode and will now give you all trouble codes.Three blinks is three and so forth.Codes are always repeated 3 times and are double digits (12,13,14,ect.).If the service engine soon light stays on and doesn't blink your computer is the problem and will need to be taken to a shop for further diagnosis.

Does the sewer drain line have a trap at the bottom that prevents sewer gas from entering the room? If the smell seems to be coming from the washer itself, run a wash cycle empty with a cup of baking soda, detergent and hot water to clean the interior.

Two different problems. Rotten egg smell is sulfer from the water supply, especially strong in heated water. Drain may need to be cabled out. 

Make sure the rubber door gasket is clean. Pull it back and clean under and around it. The gasket will collect dirt and begin to mildew causing various odors. Run the machine empty, boil a medium pot of water to almost boiling, then put it in the machine during the wash cycle. This will help clean the lines, during the rinse cycle place a 1/2 cup of vinegar in the unit. Make sure you are using HE detergent. 1-2 tablespoons will due. If your using liquid fabric softner, dilute it by half. These machine use less water than a typical top loader and can't dissolve regular detergent effectively. There by causing your lines to get clogged with gunk.

2 things you may try if you haven't already ..let washer fill with hot water ..pause and open door pour in about 2 cups chlorine bleach before starting back up..with rag soaked in bleach/water clean inside front door boot ..be sure to roll boot toward front and clean out accumilation under it wash as much as possible off door seal..allow to finish cycle (normal wash should be fine)..may also try removing lower panel remove pump acess plug and clean pump out thoroughly..you are not alone ALL front washer have same issue and if some sort of routine cleaning isn't done problem reoccurs also leaving door slightly open between usues will help ..by the way that is a german made washer

Repair man told me this is common with front load washers. I was told to put Sunlight dish washing detergent (for dishwashers not hands) in the machine (about 1/2 cup) and do a hot wash with the machine empty.