Error code states drain/hose problem but seems okay. Says to do rinse/spin, hit second rinse to just spin out and empty water. Turn on "add a garment" and locked go on at same time. Says hit stop twice and unlocks, but again when you try to spin it out, both light up and nothing happens. Why did drain problem go off in the first place? Does not seem to be a drain problem. Only a couple months old and worked fine until now. Just get warranty service out? Thanks
Jeff
This solution is the best! Thank you so much. You just saved us a whole bunch of $$$ and frustration. 1 baby sock and 1 pair of undies later - the machine is back to normal. THANK YOU!
unplug from power source...remove front lower panel (3 sheet metal
screw wirh 1/4" drive head located on the lower lop of the
panel)...open pump strainer (looks like a large stove knob, Turn it
counter clokwise, lookout! lots of water will gush out... back flush
the pump by filling the outet of the drain hose ( this may dislodge
debris that may jam your pump)...re-assemble, plug to power, and
turn-on. In my case, there was a piece of a pencil lodge in the pump
impeller. I had to disassemble the pump. it can be done if you are
patient and able to figure out how the plastic thing come apart. Good
luck! If all else call the pros!
thank you! Took me a bit longer than 15 minutes...1 1/2 hours but I had to find the right tools and the pump strainer and screws were on there super tight. But i now have a running washer and my husband is so proud of his handy wife. Ours was caught up with bobby pins, sequins, lint and what I think used to be a figurines sword.
This was excellent! Thank you!
Saved us a call to the service and we found the pen top stuck in the impeller within 5 minutes. An underbed storage box contained all the water from the drain hose so thanks for the warning!
Thank you very much...took all of the 15 minutes to remove the 3 screws and counterclockwise turn the "stove" knob. The water came out, but the wad of wet dog hair that had collected was disgusting and smelled of a long overdue dirty aquarium. Your solution was quick and easy. Saved us a plumbing call. Greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much...took all of the 15 minutes to remove the 3 screws and counterclockwise turn the "stove" knob. The water came out, but the wad of wet dog hair that had collected was disgusting and smelled of a long overdue dirty aquarium. Your solution was quick and easy. Saved us a plumbing call. Greatly appreciated.
omg thank you so much it worked ,only i took of back panel , and i worked out it was in the front , and the 3 screws on the very bottom , its like we got a new machine because its not being working right for months because its being spinning with all that extra water . thank you so much
Yes, thank you thank you, this worked great and only took minutes.
My problem was getting the dang hex screws out of the bottom of the panel. I'm a smaller woman but I managed to wedge something under the from in order to get to them. Then, what I found was NASTY! Coins, an ink pen, a lip balm, parts of a hotel room key card, shirt collar stays, and lots and lots of sludgy dog and human hair. Be sure to look beyond the first part of the drain trap, into the smaller tube. Just beyond that is a rubber area that was also clogged up. It took some long needle nose pliers and out came a huge hunk of key card and dog bed filling fluff. And about 3 gallons of water, no joke. I'm kinds proud of myself, and I know my husband will be glad we saved on a service call! Thanks for the info!
This worked for me as well. Had a bunch of change stuck in there among some plastic kid stuff. Don't have a pedestal for mine so access to the panel required some effort and will need a new floor tray since old one is cracked now. But so far things appear to be working again.
This worked for me. My problem is we don't have a pedestal and to have access to the panel I had to work around the floor tray and it cracked. But got the gunk out - that's a smelly mess. Had plenty of change in there and some plastic bits from kid toys. Everything seems to be working fine. Now just have to replace the floor tray.
Add me to the list of extremely grateful people who you helped with this answer! I joined this site just to type this. You saved us a huge repair bill at a time when we could not afford it. Many thanks!
Wow this worked! Thank you so much. Saved me having to call an expensive repair man out. I had two socks stuck in there. One thing to add to your solution, make sure to put a bucket under the valve before you open it. I wasn't expecting as much water to dump out as did. It filled up about 3/4 of my mop bucket with sewage smelling water!
thank you so much! saved me tons of money for sure.
Worked for me as well, had to reach under the tub and squeze the drain bulb to force some debris out (sock) and lots of coins and evil smelling guck.
Wow! So simple and easy. Took 10 minutes and worked great!
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Thanks for the tip!!! 10 min fix ALL by myself---husband will be thrilled that I saved him some money! Women don't be freaked out by this YOU can fix it too!!!
Unplug from power source...remove front lower panel (3 sheet metal screw wirh 1/4" drive head located on the lower lop of the panel)...open pump strainer (looks like a large stove knob, Turn it counter clokwise, lookout! lots of water will gush out... back flush the pump by filling the outet of the drain hose ( this may dislodge debris that may jam your pump)...re-assemble, plug to power, and turn-on. In my case, there was a piece of a pencil lodge in the pump impeller. I had to disassemble the pump. it can be done if you are patient and able to figure out how the plastic thing come apart. Good luck! If all else call the pros!
BEST advise ever !!!! Thank You. Your solution was very easy and very quick to accomplish. I put a bucket with a lip under strainer to catch all the water. "Solution 2", you are the best.
Thank you for posting this! It totally worked!!
Omg. This totally worked. You just saved absingle mom $200 for service guy and a lot of heartache. God bless you.
huzzah for solution #2! i guess it was a blessing in disguise that the service tech never showed up to my house. HAHAHA, saved me $99.99 just for the service call and god only knows what they would have robbed me for afterwards. oh yeah, the bucket is a good idea too :)
Thank you so much!!! It saved me 3 days of waiting for a tech and hours at the laundromat
i love you
i love you
This was the best solution!! Ours was a bobby pin stuck in the impeller! Thanks for the post!!
I took on this task, and found that a number 20 torx driver worked better than a hex wrench to remove the three screw on the front panel. Other than that, just as described, I cleaned out the pump strainer - my husband forgets to take the pens out of his pants pockets all the time, and I found them all in 1 inch pieces. All reassembled, and it works again, without error messages. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You saved my washer, and boosted my mechanical prowess all in one step. My husband says he'll be better with emptying his pockets now. : )
Awesome. Thanks so much!!! Baby sock, toonie, dime, nickel, and metal weight from shower curtain. You are awesome!!!!
Thanks for the tip. Washer is running fine after unclogging the filter. Easy fix. and free.......
You are the bomb diggity. And that is all I have to say about that.
Thank you!!!!! It's 1:45 am and I have to leave on a business trip in a few hours. Didn't even break a nail :).
SOOOOO glad I found this extremely helpful solution! Instructions were easy to follow, and now I'm all proud of myself for being able to get it fixed without having to call a repairman! A thousand thanks!!!
Yep, this went just as you said! The hardest part was draining the water without it running out all over the floor. My washer isn't on a stand, so I had to use cups that would fit under the washer and keep pouring them in to a bigger bucket. I ended up finding a button, nickel, and a sock that was jamming up the drain pump propeller. This post was such a helpful repair procedure. Thank you so much!
Thank You...Thank You...Thank You!!!!! You are a God send. I fallowed the directions to fixing my humming machine that wouldnt drain and it worked! It is working as I right this. I cant thank you enough. My friends are going to be even more astounded now that this independant woman fixed her machine...I will make sure I tell them the advice came from you :-) Thank you and God bless!
THANK YOU..THANK YOU..THANK YOU!! Sunday afternoon..packing for my two kids and myself to go to graduation in Denver..and packing my husband to leave town for a few days..and there it is F21!!!! yucky water sitting in the washer...We fixed it..it was a little messy but..wow..sooooo glad to have it fixed..
THANKS DUDE REALY , WHAT A GREAT FIX MANUAL NEVER SAYS ANYTHING ABOUT THAT HAD MORE LINT IN THERE THAN IN THE DRYER AGAIN THANKS GREAT POST
How do I get that lower panel off, I don't see any screws?
How do I find the screws to remove the lower front panel?
so I found the screws, cleaned the filter, (had losts of coins, replaced the knob washer went on, refilled the tub and didn't drain AGAIN????
f21 came back and still does not spin?? any suggestions
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Thanks to those who posted the instructions. Just saved me a pretty penny in calling out Sears. Found 2 pairs of kids socks, a pocket full of change and some bra wires. The annoying thing is that cleaning the strainer is so easy but it's not mentioned in the manuals and so many people would call an engineer.
Having paid for Sears engineers in the past you're talking about several hundred dollars for a job that almost anyone could do in 15 mins.
THANK YOU!!! I had the same problem this morning. The washer would not drain and the F21 error code was flashing. I opened the pump and it was FULL. Once it was emptied, it drained and the loud buzzing noise went away!!!! Thanks.
I just fixed my wife's washer Thanks to all of the responses on this site I had an ink pen, a green scrubby and several coins took about ten minutes and saved a **** load from not calling a service tech. Thanks
Thanks so much for the great tip! I found $1.37 worth of change and a pair of thong underwear (not mine)! Works like a charm now and seems to run less loud.
Thanks a LOT ten min. Fixed Two Dimes a peace of 1*2 Plastic in line and a babby sock and STAPLES YES STAPLES
carol sounds like you still have something in the drain check again and see if you can spin the pump with you fingers check way back
Look behind the Impeller see if it has a broken vane and check the small hose and make sure there is nothing else stuck in there good luck.
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Solution #2 was great! Thank you so much! We found a pair of baby socks, hand full of pony tail holders and a pocket full of change!
Awesome That was so easy and it was the problem!! I found a bunch of change 300 dollars and ton of lint. Make sure to take your money out of your pocket!
Thanks
You have a warr might as well call them , its why you bought new afer all
OK, so I have taken apart the machine from the front and cleaned out the trap, still getting F 21 if my load is very big at all. It seems I have to get into the pump itself--that's another issue. Can any of you help me with that?
OY!!!! Got it in 1!!!!! THANK YOU SOOOOO, SOOOOO much!!!!! Prolly saved me $200-300 dollars from some sleazeball repairman! Owe ya a beer! (at least)
THANKS! My filter was jammed packed with junk. Everything from lint to earrings, I am so happy that I didn't need to call to have it fixed!
Thanks for the solution. Had F21 show up out of nowhere, so followed your instructions to clean out the pump strainer. Apparently that's where all the Barbie clothes and shoes have been going! Works great now.
I just cleaned out the drain and the machine is back to working like a charm! Thanks so much for your advice on cleaning that out and you were right, lots of water poured out!!!!
BEWARE, KENMORE FRONT LOADERS EAT THONG UNDERWEAR!
THANK YOU for the solution! I wish I would have come here sooner. I had three Sears techs come out on three separate occasions all claiming a different "problem" or defective part that needed to be replaced. After spending $188 and the issue still not fixed, the 3rd tech wanted another $140 to pull the pump apart. I told him to leave, found this solution, and did it myself in 20 minutes. Just like smithtesting above, I had the same issue, a pair of my wife's thong underwear was stuck in the pump with about a buck and half of change.
My pump was full of about $ 6.00 in quarters... I am sure this solution saved me at least the $294.00 dollars the guy before me found... Thank you for the correct solution and the easy fix...
Should the pump impeller turn freely or have a bit of a lope?
Mine turns but not completely freely and does not drain. . Motor humms and then i get f21 error
Unclogged the drain hoses and drain in back, found $6.25 in quarters in the water pump. Replaced the water pump, Still getting f21 error, replaced the boot under washer since it developed a leak ( this was a pain btw), Still getting the error...any other suggestions?? Please!!
Still giving me the same message
Thank you for this fix! Had a load of towels and water in my washer and didn't want to have to wait for a repair guy. Found $2.32 in change, pen cap, air soft pellets and a stick in the filter. Back up and running again in 30min. My husband was happy to save the money too!
Amy
Thanks! it took my husband 15 minutes to fix it!!! It was obvious what the problem was. nasty. We bought ours used recently so it wasn't our snickers wrapper, b-bs, ink pen, $1 worth of change, sun flower seeds, or bathing suit strap!! :)
OHH MY GOD!! WHY IS THIS NOT ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE MANUAL UNDERLINED IN RED? You have all seen the solutions to the problem in the manual with the ending being "call repair service". This is nothing but Sears to bilk the general public for a repair trip. The only thing I want to add is the panel is on the FRONT! I was not paying attention to the instructions and took the whole BACK off. I left the back off and all seems great!! THANK YOU
Thank you # 2!!!! removed baby clothes, crayons and lint and now it's working great! Glad we looked online before calling anyone or buying new. Seems good advice would be to use one of those mesh bags for small garments ecspecially baby socks. This makes my husband a tad less angry that our Sony LCD is going to ****...
Thanks!
Solution #2 was perfect, my husband found a sock and some nails, no money, but at least we saved the service fee. Thank you, Thank you
Kudo's to all who posted this wonderful solution! Not only did I save the $130 Sears repair bill, but I made $1.36 from the change that shot out of the drain! Best repair tip was the one that suggested using a few large plastic bags to catch the water - about 2 gallons of water came out and the bags worked much better than a bucket ever would have because the drain is so close to the floor. this 5 minute easy repair is fantastic!
Solution #2 worked like a charm. Very many thanks for the tip and saving us a service call to Sears.
thanks
Solution #2 was spot (washer joke) on!! The fix was 10 mins.
I workerd Awesome. Onsies, Lego, Coins. Save some buck too.
Thank you so much solution #2! I am a stay at home mom 34 years old and I cant wait to tell my husband that I fixed the washer !!! There was a piece of fabric softener and a sock in the drain...running a clean washer now!
This solution was fantastic. As a word of advice, don't put rubber backed rugs into the washer as the backing disintegrates and clogs the drain boot and hose.
Thanks!
This solution was fantastic. As a word of advice, don't put rubber backed rugs into the washer as the backing disintegrates and clogs the drain boot and hose.
Thanks!
I Just had the same problem. Turned out to be the load was too heavy. I found that by starting a new cycle and canceling it I was able to empty out some clothes and then start cycle over. Works fine now.
SOURCE: Kenmore washer stopped with F21 error code
Hi, I think the first thing you need to do is check the pump and make sur ethe impeller inside the pump is actuall turning and in good shape. Something may have passed through and in the course, sheared off the impeller fins. Chekc closely... Thanks
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Hey I am facing the same problem,It goes on Add a Garment and gets locked and there is water filled in.I just bought this washer.How can i fix this problem?
I have the same problem when I purchased a Kenmore H2 - piece of sh--. Have warranty - yet when call for help - it was a nightmare to deal with the repairmen - using the f word to me when I ask a simple question what is f21. " We should all boycott Sears / Kmart for selling this machine - it simply IS A PIECE OF GARBAGE AND ITS REPAIR MAN "
I have the same problem and am vey frustrated with this! this was an expensive washer and I ma not getting the problem solved.
Solution #2 was perfect! Thanks for the help! My machine was down for two days and the laundry was piling up...It was such an easy fix, I would have been very angry if I had to pay a "professional" to come out and do what I did in 15 minutes. I found two baby socks in the screen, it blocked up the drain pretty good.
Had the same error code F-21. The toughest part was getting the bottom panel off, which was secured at the floor. I put 2 different flat pans under it so water wouldn't get all over the floor. Mine was stopped up with 4 pennies, 2 dimes, bobby pins, nails, screws, jewelry, hair, you name it. Yeah, fixed it!
Had the same error code F-21. The toughest part was getting the bottom panel off, which was secured at the floor. I put 2 different flat pans under it so water wouldn't get all over the floor. Mine was stopped up with 4 pennies, 2 dimes, bobby pins, nails, screws, jewelry, hair, you name it. Yeah, fixed it!
did all that and found a bunch of stuff, reassembled and got same message. I can blow back through the drain line and the impellerr turns freely...any other ideas?
I bought my kenmore H5 smart washer and it still had the stickers on it and had only been used roughly 20 washes. I got it home and the very first load it gave me the F21 code. I figured I might have gotten taken after looking online on this website and read these blogs! But I did as it says, It really is as easy as 3 screws and the unscrewing the big knob. A lot of water came rushing out but low and behold that plastic basket was completely full of debri!?!? It runs awesome now. THANKX
After looking at a few You Tube videos, I found that I needed to empty out the drain trap. There was all sorts of stuff in there. A hotel room key, chap stick, lots of hair )human and dog) and stuffing from a dog bed, which I think was the ultimate culprit. It wasn't hard but be prepared for a LOT of water to come rushing out.
I am not who caitlinf is but THANK YOU. Reading the lots of water was key to making sure I had my wet-vac handily.
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