The most common cause of a Whirlpool washer door being locked and not being able to open is a faulty lid switch (including the striker). The door switch locks and unlocks your door depending on which stage your wash cycle is at. When it becomes defective, your washer door may not unlock when it's supposed to.
First, try to unplug the washer for 5 minutes or flip the breaker off to the washer for 5 minutes to see if the electronics will reset. If that doesn't work, press and hold the start button for 5 seconds to try to reset the controls and unlock the lid.
To remove the control lock, you should just need to press and hold the control lock button in the bottom right corner of your control panel for 5 seconds. If that doesn't work, unplug the washer for 5 minutes and then plug it back in and try to hold the button again.
To reset the electronic controls on your washer, shut off the circuit breaker or fuse to the washer or unplug the washer for 2 minutes. For models that have a timer control knob, turn the knob around and back to any position other than final spin for the interrupted cycle. Then, restore power.
To remove a lock washer, use a wrench or a similar tool to remove the nut or threaded fastener that holds the lock washer in place. Next, use a flathead screwdriver to pry the lock washer loose. If you remove a split washer, place the screwdriver head under the washer or inside the split.
Reasons why your washing machine door might be stuck
For some machines, if the pressure switch doesn't reset, it keeps the door lock energised. Turning off the machine at the mains should allow the door lock to cool down, and after a few minutes, you'll be able to open the washing machine door.
To reset the washer control panel, it needs to be disconnected from the power source for one minute. If your washer is plugged into an outlet, simply unplug the unit for one minute and then plug the unit back in.
Access the lid lock switch by unplugging your washer from the wall and turning off the water. Press a magnet against the lid lock mechanism for a quick, easy way to bypass the lid lock. Cut the 1st and 3rd wire (or 1st and 4th wire if there are 4 wires) that attach to the lid lock to permanently bypass it.
Common reasons include a cycle in progress, a malfunction in the machine's sensor or control board, a power outage during operation, or even a simple issue like an unbalanced load triggering a safety lock. Additionally, residual water or a drainage problem might cause the door to stay locked as a safety precaution.
The most common cause of a Whirlpool washer that is stuck on sensing is a faulty actuator. However, this problem may also be caused by a clogged drain pump, a failed door latch/lid switch, a torn drive belt, a faulty pressure switch, or faulty water inlet valves.
Drain the water
Lower the washing machine drain hose into your bucket. Once the bucket is full, connect the drain hose back to the pipe so you can empty the water into your sink. Repeat the draining process until the washing machine drum is empty.
Turn the washing machine off and unplug it.
Then, unplug the machine and wait 5-10 minutes. Try pulling the handle again to see if the door opens. Some locks automatically flip into the unlocked position after 5-10 minutes so that you can get your clothes during a power outage.
Press the “Control Lock” button on your Whirlpool washer for three seconds. After three seconds, you should be able to open the door. If the door still doesn't open, press the “End of Cycle” button (if your washing machine has one) for five seconds.
For top-load models, reset by turning the cycle selector knob to the "Normal" position. Then, turn the knob counterclockwise for one click, clockwise for three clicks, counterclockwise for one click, and finally clockwise for one click. Press the start button to complete the reset.
If you want to try resolving issues with your washing machine, such as power surges or error codes, it's possible you might need to perform a quick reset. One way you can reset a washer is by unplugging the unit for at least one minute, then plugging it back in and restarting the appliance.
Cause 1: Unplugged power source. Cause 2: Overheated machine. Cause 3: Wrong settings. Cause 4: Malfunctioning lid switch.
If the plug is difficult to reach, or is hard-wired to the power supply, shut it off at the breaker. 2. Wait for a minute: Wait for 1-5 minutes before plugging the washer back in to reset the internal systems. This allows any residual power to clear and can help reset the door lock mechanism.
De-Activating the Control Lock:
Touch and hold 3 seconds again to de-activate the Control Lock.
A start button on your washer's control panel not working despite the rest of the lights coming on is the most common Whirlpool washer issue you will encounter. Taking off the control panel to try and find the cause will let you see if the solution can be DIYed, or a professional needs to be called.