Fix the F21 Error Code- Unclog the Washer Drain
Hold onto your capes ladies, this one’s gonna be a doozie. For those of you sensitive to smells, make your husband, boyfriend, good friend do it for you and pay them in cookies. This video here shows the possible nastiness within and HORRIBLE (and by horrible I mean “HOLY BATMAN SOMETHIN’ DIED IN THERE”) smell. You have thus been warned.
I have a Whirlpool Duet HT front loader washer and it kept taunting me with an F21 error code and refused to finish some cycles. Determined to fix the flashing code I harnessed the power of Google, I quickly found out that the code meant my drain was clogged. Awesome. How does a drain I don’t even know about get clogged? After some YouTube-ing and an informative video later (which I cannot find at the moment, frowny face) I got my pink tool set and proceeded to take my washer apart, well the bottom half at least. Here’s how I unclogged my washer drain (at a later date and time when I remembered to take photos).
I needed:
-Screwdriver
-9×13 pan or towel to catch water
-Garbage can
-Flashlight
-Cleaning Cloth
-A Hazmat Team (just kidding… maybe)
Step One: Unplug the washing machine. Water and electricity do not play nice with you, so please don’t get electrocuted.
Step Two: Remove bottom panel by removing three screws.
Step Three: Pull drain out for easier access by removing screws or rubber footings then place over pan to catch water.
Step Four: Prepare for the worst stink of your life. Place the towel or pan under the drain to catch the water; there will be a good amount. Hold your breath and unscrew the drain.
Step Five: Dump the gross blob of gunk in the trash as fast as you can and close the lid. Rinse the filter to get rid of any remaining goo and thoroughly clean it if you so desire.
Step Six: Use the flashlight to check connecting tubes for debris. Wipe the filter area and tube connected to the water pump to remove additional debris.
Step Seven: Replace the drain filter in the correct position and screw it back in. You may stop holding your breath now if you haven’t already.
Step Eight: Put everything back where you found it and take a long hot shower.
Totally worth it, I promise. This fixed my F21 error code and my washer has been working like a charm since. I think that cleaning out the drain may help with some stink issues in the washer drum. Total time it took me to clean out my drain: 20 minutes. I had a little difficultly getting the panel back on because the screws are so close to the floor and have a small clearance of space to work with.
Happy Cleaning.
*Disclaimer* I am not a washer repair person and this repair may or may not fix your F21 error code. Performing your own repairs may void your warranty if applicable.
Angela
Hi, Angela! My Whirlpool is a little newer than the one in the photos, but once I got my husband to find me the right tools, I got ‘er done! There was a sock and two hair bands in the drain – how the heck did those get in there?? Anywhoo, thanks for posting this. It was VERY helpful, and gave me the courage to attempt the fix. IXOYE
Honestly, no idea. I found bobby pins, ribbons, and probably an old sock too when I initially cleaned mine.
Hilarious and so true! I did start using a large trash bag under the opening of the cap to catch all the water. It saved my towels from the stench of ages!
I am amazed, pen, quarters, dog hair,sharpie. Pretty easy fix. Just add a small block of wood to tilt it back and get to the screws.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! After spending over an hour trying to get the #()*$# screws out, I was finally able to clean out my filter, or whatever that thingy is. I’ll bet I saved myself over $200 on a service call. And I did it all by myself!
Angela, you and your pink tool chest are AMAZING!!! Took me a little longer, no pink tools!
The guy in this household was not sure if this would work, but I salute you.
I urge every man in the household to do this and save buying a new washer $800 or repair $240.
This was very helpful and worked like a charm! My drain was full of coins, gunk, broken pencils/pens, nerf gun darts, etc! Lol
Thanks, Angela, F-21 code on 13-year-old Whirlpool Duet on a Sunday afternoon during Coronavirus isolation. Easy fix and a money saver. Besides, two of my wife’s earrings showed up in the filter, unusable but now she has her answer as to where they were. LOL
Great tip!
great tutorial with the pictures I will clean mine this weekend.
I didn’t have an F21 code but my washer wasn’t working right. I read your pin and decided to clean the filter. My washer was a little different but basic were the same. I pulled out the filter and it was full of money! Lots of coins. One penny was rubbed in half. Part of the filter had scorch marks. Ran a cleaning cycle and my machine worked great. Thanks so much for your pin! It was easy and saved me an expensive repair bill.
I so glad my post helped! I think the f21 code is specific to my washer’s particular make and model.
Step 6 saved me from further grief. Great help. The first time I took it all apart, I found 2 socks and other debris. I though for sure that removing those things was the cure. Put it all back together, and in the middle of the next load, same f21. Angela’s help in step six [the second time pulling my washer apart and seeking help on the web] was the best help. My wife nylon ‘footie’ sock packed its self in that tube, and was easily missed without specific instruction. Thanks for the help Angela. The washer works perfectly now.
I’m so glad my advice helped! It’s so interesting to see what can fit through that small hole and have the washer still work.
Thank you for the great post with clear pics and explanation. It was really helpful!
In step six, realize that items can be loged in or around that impeller, the fan-blade-looking behind that shorter side tube. I have personally had a small, thin plastic toy piece lodged in there, and a rubber band wrapped around that impeller. Both required that I remove the pump motor (to the right side of this drain basket) by rotating it towards me, as if I were rolling a soda can towards myself. That released the motor from the coupling, exposed the impeller blades, and allowed me to get the debris or items out from that cavity. I could only see a tiny bit of that toy piece from the view you show in step six and actually had missed it several times when I first tried this (before I saw your tutorial). Then the rubber band was completely invisible from that view during the second repair stint, but since I knew something “was up”, I knew to look deeper. I hope that helps someone who thinks their pump may be blocked but can’t visibly see the problem from step six. However, GREAT tutorial and thanks for this. I would have been happy to find it a year ago when I first encountered this issue.
You are absolutely right, which is why I suggest checking that inlet. I would love to do a post on your suggestion, but I feel it’s a bit too complicated for me and there are videos that do that repair better justice. 🙂
Thanks for this page! I used this and a YouTube video to clear my drain problem today and save some dough. I was particularly happy with the emphasis on step 6. I would have missed that inlet, and it turned out to be the most clogged, and the source of not only an F21 code but an F01 as well. All codes are clear now, the cleaning is done and a new load is underway. And my wife thinks I’m a God.
Thank you! Got the F 21 error and had no idea what to do, but your post saved the day. We had it fixed in no time. Much appreciated.
You’re welcome!
This worked perfectly! I got the drain opened, pulled the ripped up sock and lego pieces out and the water came rushing out. I had to use a ton of towels and stick the drain back in among the rushing water but my washer is working like new and I didn’t lose a lot of time washing clothes for a family of 7. Thank you!!!
You are so welcome!! Isn’t it crazy the things you find in the filter?
Be prepared for a large amount of water my duet sport releases 5 gal. Pan needs to be shallow enough to sit flat under the filter spout. 10 gal wetdry vac works fabulously without making a humungo mess.
Thanks for the tips. I have just done all that and am letting the washer set through the night and then trying to run the clear mode. Because of the color of your machine I am pretty sure we have the same model. Between what I have paid a repair man then finally learned to do my self (I changed a sensor a couple of months ago ) we have spent as much on repairs as the washer cost!!! My husband acts like it’s all my fault because I was so excited about getting an HD front loader. It’s not like I designed it, assembled it or installed it!! Thanks for the advice and the opportunity to vent it is frustrating to have to fix some part of it at least a couple of times a year!!
Thank you sooo much! I kept running the drain cycle, and am so happy that I found your tutorial!
Thank You!!! I had no idea what I should do to remove the F21 code and couldn’t find the manufacturer’s book. Found your post thru search and it took only about 15 minutes to go thru the steps. We follow your instructions step by step and it cleared the clog and the code. My washer had a great deal of water still in the tub and could not drain it. My only suggestion is to have a bucket handy…especially if your laundry room is on the second floor of your home as mine is. Thank you again!
Thank you so much for this, and for the warning on the stench. Had I not been warned, I think I would have thought there was a dead animal trapped inside. My husband and I are not real dyi’ers, so I was worried. It was messy, but pretty easy!
Thank you SO much Angela!! Your instructions were PERFECT….. I followed them to a “T” and fixed the problem and avoided a very costly service call!! Again… thank you for taking the time to create step by step instructions with pictures! You Rock!! 🙂
You are the best. Fixed it with no problem. Wow it was insane, socks, pen tops, a whole variety of crap. Thanks for your easy steps.
Thank you! Your pictures and explanation is wonderful. You have saved laundry day!
Ditto – so helpful Angela! Saved money and my self esteem got a great hit too which is priceless. There is nothing like learning to make repairs on your own and getting it done correctly with a concise tutorial! Your generosity in efforts and sharing is immeasurably appreciated!
Thanks so much for the article. My machine was taunting me the same way. Great fix!!! Thank you so much for posting!!! Saved me a call to Whirlpool and maybe a repair man. Only took me 15 min to fix.
Very good instruction on how to fix! I would add that this particular Duet washer bin does not catch all of the ‘stuff’ you might leave in your pockets such as coins, golf tees, etc. I even had an ankle sock pass thru the bin and get caught in this filter. It is almost inevitable over time that the filter will clog, at least to a degree that degrades performance. I recommend cleaning the filter on a periodic basis for optimal washer performance and to avoid other related problems.
i have trouble with mine as well, i take it apart once a week to clean it out, i have found kids socks, coins, nails and 22 bullets in mine, one tip i would like to add is, ditch the screws holding the bottom outside peice on, i cut a piece of wood and it sets on the wood, you cant see it and i can fix my f21 in 5 minutes
Thank you so much. We just did this, following your steps and discovered what clogged our drain. Now the circle is going smoothly. Saved us bill from the washer repair guy!
Yay! Thanks for the clear pictures and instructions. I called my dad and asked “Have you ever cleared out the drain in your washer?” I could hear him hesitantly answering “No!”, expecting me to ask for his help. I said “Cause I have!” and I did. Fixed it all by myself….with your help.
your post was great, i didn’t see or he didn’t show how to remove the bottom half of the washer. and thanks for warning of the smell. Great job!
You are more helpful than Sears connect! Haven’t tried the above but will in the morning. I was just trying to get the door unlocked and figured out to hold start and stop at the same time! They kept trying to get me to set up a service call. This is the same problem we had last year in June. If your idea doesn’t work we are buying a new washer. Crossing our fingers!
This is exactly what I needed! I’ve been getting the F21 reading for some time now, off and on. I had a little different set up though. They must have changed the design along the way as I don’t have a screw at the front, instead it’s fixed with rubber holdings and I had to detach them and pull out the drain housing in order to have it drain into the pan. I was lucky, there was no smell!!!! I’m $1.61 richer than yesterday morning! Thank you!
Thank you thank you thank you!!!! I was on my way tomorrow to buy a new washer..the filter way totally clogged! Working like new again!!!
Thanks! All fixed up and no repair bill
You ARE THE BEST! I spent yesterday cleaning all the outlet lines with the shop vac, but my test load this a.m. just seemed a little damp coming out. Found the filter, a dozen bobby pins, a chopped up credit card, and $1.98 in change!
Thank you so much. Except for finding a screwdriver for thee most ridiculous unusual screws they could have possibly used, it was pretty easy, and didn’t stink at all. There was literally a sock in there along with guitar picks, Bobbie pins, and change, along with a bunch of carpet/ rug debre. I was ready to replace my washer till I found your instructions, so thank you for saving me hundreds of dollars!!
Thanks for the tip. A place not designed for the consumer to clean out, but a simple job!
God Bless YOU!!!! Followed your instructions to a tee. Worked like a charm. So very thankful for your info, pics and direction. Only took so long (about 20 minutes) as my washer was full of water. Had to use lots of towels but the result was worth it.
Thank you! I’ve gotten that error so many times and it was so very easy to do myself. Appreciate you!
Worked like a charm! Thank you. Too bad they dont mention this in the owners manual. 🙁
This is the 2nd time I’ve received this error. The first time I called a repair company. This time I did it myself and saved $85… thank you!!
Do you have a suggestion if this doesn’t solve the problem?
Wow!!! I was in a panic thinking I was going to need a new washer, until I found this! I turned my teenage son loose while I read the directions, and we are back in business!! Pictures were very helpful as well. Thanks much!!
Thanks for your post on this issue! I found some real treasures in that drain filter on my 7 year old Duet (serving a family of 6). Hopefully the F-21 nagging issue will now disappear. Another thing to note: A lot of the terrible odor is coming from a cavity located between the filter basket and the outer twist cover, where if you pull the two apart (easily un-snap and re-snap together), mine had a smelly black slime trapper in there. I also found the Whirlpool service tech troubleshooting guide taped behind the lower panel that had to be removed for the drain filter access (Whirlpool SHOULD have also provided that doc with the rest of the washer’s literature with my purchase!). Now I’m armed to diagnose & fix many other issues, as they arise.
Angela, you rock for taking the time to post and share your experience. It saved our washer. Buncha karma back atcha.
Thanks for the help. I found money, nails, hairpins, and a sock in there. How in the hell did a sock get in there?
So helpful!
Based on another recommendation, we’d been flipping the breaker off then on for a year. It would happen again a couple months later. Happened 3-5 times in the last year.
Thank you for your recommendation! We found 3 socks, a bra extender I had used while preggo, hair ties, a broken plastic bracelet, a couple dollars worth of change. Thankfully it wasn’t stinky. We’ve owned this washer seven years and never cleaned it out! This was super easy to clean out. We’re going to plan on a yearly clean out now!
So thankful I ran across your recommendation!
Thank you!
Thank you so much! Except for finding the right screwdriver and all the water, your instructions was the best thing ever! I am two washings in and have water on the floor each time and it is storing in the rubber part. I think I may have to take it apart again and try and figure it out. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Awesome answer! I too was getting an F-21 Error and followed your steps and found that a sock and infant towel had managed to sneak into my drain system and cause a clog. If anyone else is having this problem, follow these steps.
Be ready for water to come out though. The underbelly of the washer doesn’t show much room for a pan so if you can find something good to help with catching the water please share for future people.
It worked! Thank you for posting step by step directions. I did not have a bad smell when I opened the drain though, I’ve been putting vinegar in some of my loads of laundry and it neutralized the odors in the blob of goo. Now I know why my washer smelled horrible every time I used it. Again, thank you for posting these directions.
I just followed your directions and was totally successful. What I found in the drain was $3.14 in change, one house key, a key ring, a cap of a mechanical pencil, and a mess of gray stinky gunk. Here’s a trick to avoid the stench: tightly roll pieces of paper towel, twist the ends and insert them into your nostrils. They look like “tusks” but they really do the job!
Your post saved me!! Mine was full of all kinds of stuff and it was very stinky! I often would get this sewer smell during some point when I would wash a load of clothes. And now, that’s gone! Thank you so much!
Sure shit, hey!
You were right about the smell. I ended up stuffing one of my teenage son’s dirty baseball socks in my mouth to filter the worst of it. The haz-mat team said they will burn the the debris and spread the ashes at the local landfill to drive the rats away. The doctor said I should get most of my vision back.
Thanks for your help.
King Dad
Great advice – many thanks!
We were on our way out the door to buy a new washer when I took a chance and googled your advice. It was perfect. Took 5 minutes for a physically impaired 70-year-old guy and saved a service call as well as the cost of a new washer we were resigned to buy. Thanks!
AMAZING, IM newly divorced and learning how to do things on my own. Sure as shI found 2 socks bobby pins, $2.88, a button and who knows what else!! And I saved a load of $$$ by not having to purchase a new washer. Thank you
Wow who knew, I was totally amazed. Sure as It worked. I’m newly divorced and was trying to figure out how I was going to purchase a new washer. This worked and I even ended up making $2.88 (found during the clean out) two socks, bobby pins, several screws a button and who knows what else. Thank you.
Okay so I was not looking forward to having to buy a new washer. Because of the constant and dreaded F21, so I decided to take it on with absolutely no washer experience at all. The info you gave me and step by step guide to fixing this problem made it effortless. I was able to remove what looked like a baby moose from the drain and about 31 cents. Thanks thanks thanks.
Thank you for the perfect instructions! I was certain I needed to head out and buy a new washer, but it appears to be working just fine now.
You are totally awesome! I came home from my 12 hour shift and saw the F21 error which has been on and off for days. I googled it and this article came up first! I’ve owned this washer for 10 years and I didn’t even know it had a filter! I put on my N95 mask because you pre warned about the smell and I dragged out the drill and the towels and 30 minutes later my washer is whirring away and I am in bed eating ice cream! You were sooo right about the smell though! Thankyou for the article! I love an easy fix!
Signed a grateful silly woman x
Thank you Angela!! Excellent instructions and pictures really helped!!
How to fix or what do I do after cleaning the drain out, load the washer back up and it goes right back to f21 again
Awesome, my home warranty plan doesn’t kick in for 30 days. This worked GREAT!! Exactly like you said. We found all kinds of money lol.
Quick and easy, would have cost me over $100 for repair call this was so easy. Thank you for posting this easy fix!
Great help thank you very much so my problem and save me $150 service call
Thanks, that is exactly what it needed.
Thank you for your instructions. You saved me a $435 repair bill. There was a kneehigh nylon stuck int that hole. Back to laundry. Thank you!!!!!
It worked $3.50, a bracelet, guitar pick, and numerous bb’ s caught in the trap
Thanks for the straightforward explanation and information!
Was as you said…worked out exactly right. Rinsed out the drain tube as well. It had gunky stuff in it too.
All clear now.
Would definitely buy you a drink.
Thank you.
Leighton
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
2 small no show socks and a full size never been blown up balloon in there!!! I’m SO glad I didn’t call the appliance guy to come and charge me for doing exactly what you showed me to do!!! You’re great thanks so much for the post!!
The fix for F21 error code worked great. I did it in 30 Minutes. Found a pair of my wife under panties in there. How on earth did they get in there??
Thanks
This worked, great job!
Thank you so much for this write up. You saved me hundreds of dollars. Only thing different on mine was I had bolts instead of screws holding the panel on
Btw, I know you said it, but it still didn’t prepare me for the smell !!!!
Thank you for posting these straightforward instructions. I was able to follow your lead and fix the same problem in less around the estimated time of 20 minutes! I found a collection of pin caps and a piece of bra padding wedged in the outflow.
I cannot thank you enough for this blog! That drain was absolutely disgusting and even had a baby washcloths stuck in it. Oh my goodness! You are definitely a lifesaver, thank you!
Worked Great! The tip with the wetdry vac was also very much appreciated.
Thank you!!!!You saved me…my teenage/adult children were no help and I’m so happy I was able to fix this on my ‘own’ thank you!!!!
Thank you Angela so much for sharing this step-by-step solution for this problem. We have been rocking our washer to get it going again after the F 21 started showing its face. ( maybe for like a few months yikes ). But now, after following your step-by-step to fix it, we don’t have to dance with our washer anymore -it appears the problem is fixed. You are a blessing, Angela! Hallelujah!!!
Total slam dunk of a fix! All steps were true, especially the one where you hold your breath. The only thing I would add is to be prepared to gag. I threw up in my mouth a little when the ball of goop hit the floor.
Thank you for posting this! With your help I just pulled a thin wash rag from the drain below my washer. (I have no idea how it could have gotten down there!) Thanks for inspiring me to give it a try. Your clear directions and pictures were extremely helpful. Thanks for saving me a bunch of money to get a plumber to do the work which turned out to be be pretty simple.
Worked like a charm on my washer! This was really helpful and was easy to do myself
Thanks. This was extremely helpful.
Very clear accurate directions. Thank you. Amazing what one can find in there: a sock, a pen, a 4″ letter K, money, and that key I swore I left on the night stand. Thank you again.
Only post about this issue I could find that was worth a damn. THANK YOU! I followed your instructions and fixed the washer in the morning before I took my girls to school. 15-20min.
Thank you! Thank you! What came out of the drain is impressive–pens, coins, screws…amazing stuff! Our washer is working!!!! Thank you!
Thanks worked like a charm
I found about $6 in quarters, a crap load of pens, 2 pencils, some kind of ball chain, a set of really small dice “ who knows where those came from “ and 3 bottle caps thanks again for the save.
Thank you for this. Was getting the F-21 error and finally did a google search. Found this on the first search attempt. Went through the steps and found toddler underwear. Now we know where those went. I spent extra time looking at the drain hose, but your steps took me 10-minutes. Thanks!
This is amazing! Worked like a charm for me this morning. Thank you so much for the advice! Nothing like finding two of my kids socks in the drain!
Thank you. You saved me some $$!
You are awesome!!!! Thank you for posting this fix! I just cleaned my drain out and found that 2 ankle socks were blocking my drain!!!! I’ve been missing these socks for over 2 years. Mystery solved thanks to you!!!
This saved my life, found a baby sock, Bobby pins, lose change, and too pulled up in there. Works like a dream now and only cost my $1.40 to fix!!! Thank you for the tutorial
Follow the instructions until I got to the screw securing the drain. My drain looks different than that one but the machine says the same thing as you mentioned at the beginning of the article. I am on able to unscrew the front of the drain. It has a little bit different turn knob. And it is tighter than tight. I even tried loosening it with a hammer, but that did not work. I may have to call a technician.
Thanks for this! I cleaned out my drain today:
3 toddler socks
1 destroyed spring clothespin
1 silicone “girls rock” wristband
part of a destroyed plastic necklace
The second two items were from the previous occupants of the house. We moved in 6 years ago.
BTW, for anyone who sees more debris (in my case and additional sock), chopsticks work really well (pincher style) to grab more stuff further up the pipe.
Thanks again!
I was working to fix it for 5 hours had reviewed many sites on YouTube And only yours was short and sweet and works great better than ever! Thank you
Thankyou! found surprising large item (mug rug).
Thank you. Was easy per instruction, it sure did stink, like you said. Found some old money in there!
Thank you so much! I was panick stricken when the error came up. But I followed your exact instructions and it worked!! Thank you for saving us heart ache and lots of $$
We tried what you said and it worked great!!
Thanks so much for your help! Funny how I he water won’t drain with a sandwich baggie in the drain plug
Angela worked like a charm.
Thanks
Thank you so much for posting this! You are a lifesaver!
Great advice – thanks! Appreciated the heads-up regarding the smell, because another website didn’t mention it at all. At least I knew what I was in for!! (Toddler sock was the culprit BTW.)
I can’t seem to unscrew my drain. How can I get it off without breaking it
BOOM!!! I finally fixed something. thank you. Spot on
You are AWESOME! I’m sure you just saved me hundreds! Such an easy fix and your direction was spot on. All fixed in under 20 minutes! I have 4 kids that wear uniforms…and it’s Saturday…so I would have been up a creek. Thank you so much for posting this!
Thanks for taking the time to put together this tutorial. It worked awesomely! I should’ve been doing this all along!
Your help did the trick! The previous homeowners were slobs, and apparently washed clothes with coins in them. When we removed the drain plug, it was full of coins inside! Cleaned everything out, and now it works like a charm. There was no stink; a late Christmas present. We love you, and wish you a healthy and prosperous New Year!
Thank you sooooo much! I remember watching a repair man clean out the drain but I couldn’t remember exactly how to do it. This blog was PERFECT! I was able to get the panel and drain cover off (actually I needed my husbands hand strength to get the screws and drain cover off) and found a workout headband was stuck in the drain! Saved me $120 service call to a repair man!! You ROCK! Thanks again!
Thank you for your post! We have same washer and you just saved me from going out and buying a new machine. I had no idea where to start with fixing a washer and that was it. You should have seen what was in my drain plug!!! A sock, drill bit, tweezers, artificial nails and a bunch of other gross stuff! Don’t even know how this stuff got in there, I plead the 5th but a family of 5 brings lots of stuff to the laundry I guess. Thanks
It worked beautifully. However I needed a T15 screwdriver for mine. Thank you!
The instructions were EXCELLENT! Took only a few minutes to do – culprit was a part of a juice box (!!!) and a nerf gun dart! THANK YOU
My washer is on the floor with dryer on top. Got the screws out but can’t pull cover off. Any advice on that.
Awesome. Thanks for the great instructions!
An old sock, some coins, and general debris.
I had a washer repair guy show me this when he had come out to actually repair a different problem. He said because we lived so far from town, and he knew with 4 kids I would eventually have a clog, it would save me days waiting for a repair guy to come do something so very simple. I’ve done it dozens of times over the 7 years I’ve had my machine. But now I’m getting the code every so many loads, and there is no clog in the filter or the hole on the side. So I don’t know if there is something farther in that pipe, pump problem, or a glitch in the sensor. Only one time in the last several weeks has there even been water left standing in the drum. I press the “cancel” button now and it will him like it’s draining and then she off. I run the drain spin or the rinse spin and it goes on to finish most of the time.
Thank you for the info. It was spot on. Had a kids sock in my drain. Took 20 mins. Hardest part was getting the screws out. But not a big deal.
Steps work perfect. I did separate the motor form the pump buy unscrewing the 3 philips screws. there was a piece of fabric from a pillow tie in the impeller. This took an extra 3 minutes to separate clean and reassemble, but well worth it. Great instruction, thank you.
You completely saved me with this thread thank you so much! I totally thought I was going to have to buy a new washer lol
Thank you Angela. Thanks to your fix f21 code, I was able to fix my washer and save some serious money.
This worked awesome for me I can’t thank you enough!!
Hillary
76 cents and a ball of lint the size of a small dog. Good information. Thanks you.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!! This has worked wonders!!
This saved me from buying another washer! Thank-you so much!
Thank you
Thanks much for this info you really save my life thought I was gonna have to get a new washer but your simple steps and warnings helped me fix it in no time flat
Thank you Sooo much!!! I am glad you for sharing. Tons of lint and broken pens?? I had a problem when I unscrewed it. Lots of water came out and over flowed my glass pan . Yelling at kids to help. Too much fun. Thanks again for thinking to post this.
Love your enthusiasm!
Sometimes the husband pillow is called a boyfriend pillow. Don’t look at us; it’s Wikipedia that says so! This causes a good amount of confusion. There is a different and separate design known as the boyfriend arm pillow—and the word “arm” is often dropped.
Sooooo grosssssss. My son helped me with the screws, it was the only fun part. There was a baby sock and a ton of lint and plastic. I’m so glad it wasn’t an expensive fix. Thank you!!!
Thank you so much for this very helpful post! I followed your instructions and found a baby sock stuck in the drain. Who knew there was even a drain down there?? The trickiest part for me was finding the right size socket wrench – turned out I needed a 6.5mm hex socket. It took a few trips to the hardware store, but it was smooth sailing after that. Thanks again!
Wanted to reach out and say thank you! I found your step by step F21-fix instructions back in October 2016, have used them 5 or 6 times (3 kids, 2 cats, 1 dog) since then and used them again today. Thanks for sharing and making me look like an appliance repair wizard!
Thank you so much for the F21 fix it guide. I’m not a very handy person but when I saw your clear, simple steps I just had to try. By far the hardest part was getting the panel off, we actually had to tip the washer on its side to get at it. Now my washer works like a charm. You saved me from buying a new one, and I’m proud I actually fixed something with my own hands! Thanks so much!
Thank you so much this was so helpful and super easy to follow!
Wow! Who knew. I hope this works. Amazing the stuff down there–I have 3 daughters–lots of bobby pins! Thank you!
thanks for this informative article. i really enjoyed with this. thanks
My electro lux does not have a front panel so is it the back the drain filter that is lol?????
I cleaned out filter and that went fine but I put it back together and now the washer keeps blowing my reset on the outlet? Any suggestions please and thank you. I didn’t mess with anything else but drain plug by the way. Thank you so much for any help.
Thank you so much. This saved me a trip to the local laundromat and easily a couple of hundred dollars.
Besides gunk, I found an ink pen and some change.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You just saved us a few hundred bucks!!
Thanks so much for this! The pics and instructions were perfect and very easy to follow. My washer is so much happier now! I really appreciate it.