Appliance Repair Wisdom for the Ages

Sunday, November 28, 2004

Mailbag: Fisher & Paykel Washer that Won't Start

Fisher & Paykell Smart drive Model GWL08 - No Start

Mains power outage occured and when power came back on washing machine will not start.

All lights come on as per normal and machine appears to ready to start. Can select diferent cycles water levels temperatures etc but pressing start gives usual beep but no action. Have turned of at mains to reset electronics etc, even left of overnight - still no start. Has the main board failed? or am I missing something other than a life away from the tools.

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Try putting the controls into diagnostic mode. The tech sheet inside the control panel explains how to do this but I'll include an abbreviated procedure here for other grasshoppers who surf into this post.

To enter Diagnostic Mode:

• Turn power off at the console
• Press and hold the wash temperature down then press the power button. The machine should give two short beeps.
• The different levels of information can be extracted by using the spin speed up or the spin speed down buttons.

If the control board won't enter diagnostic mode, it's a good bet the control board is fried. Usually, when the control board fails, one of the line voltage components fried and took out the control board, too. Be sure to test the peripheral components before replacing the control board or you could fry a brand new one. More information on Fisher & Paykel washing machines here.

Samurai Appliance Repair Man cast these pearls at 01:03 ET.  [permalink]

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9 Comments:

What a great site! Following your instruction, I got into the diag mode of my washer (F&P GW609). But the problem is there is no any techsheet inside the control panel. I don't know how to read the coding! I would like to diagnose my control board because the machine does not spin. Please post more information for these Smart(?)Drive washer if you have any. Many thanks.

By  wing9200, at February 21, 2005 9:32 PM  

wing9200

I am surprised no one is willing to supply this information, particularly since it is supplied with some machines.
My repair man does not have the required information to fix my machine, a F&P GW708U (Australia). Sometimes presents all wash LEDs flashing when plugged in. Other times normal but won't start cycle. From here, ADVANCE will show Perm Press, Cold, Low and Hold on and Spin flashing. START will make it spin. In diagnose mode it will fill and pump. OOB and LID OK. The machine did start the day repair guy was here. He said he didn't do anything.
My guess is that I need to be able to read diagnostic info.
I would hate to have to buy a mechanical washer just because I cannot obtain some information. Is this what they mean by the "Information Age"?

By  pwhit, at March 12, 2005 9:24 PM  

ALL Fisher-Paykel washers are shipped with a tech sheet, which includes all diagnostic codes, inside the control panel. If yours is missing, then some unscrupulous tech stole it, plain n' simple, end of story. If you need a replacement tech sheet, CALL FISHER-PAYKEL AND HAVE THEM SEND YOU A NEW ONE! They won't bite you, in fact, they're an excellent company to deal with.

Less whining, more action, makes the world a better place.

By  Samurai Appliance Repair Man, at March 13, 2005 11:33 PM  

I phoned Fisher & Paykel Australia. They don't supply tech sheets with their washing machines in Australia and they won't send
me a tech sheet. He was a friendly chap and didn't bite!

By  pwhit1, at March 16, 2005 9:57 PM  

What's with those crazy laws you guys have down there in Aussieland? You need call Fisher Paykel back and make what's called an "executive complaint." You must use those words. This will get you to a higher altitude within the organization with a greater likelihood of cutting through the B.S.

By  Samurai Appliance Repair Man, at March 17, 2005 11:22 PM  

I seem to have the opposite problem: one that won't stop washing. Right after the final spin, it immediately starts the whole cycle over again. While "powered off" it blinks the 00000111 (rinse, final-rinse and spin) lights.

A friendly tech told me that means a memory failure on the "display module". Assuming that "display module" actually means the main control unit, that would account for the non-stop washing.

This machine is over 11 years old (QA stickers say november 1993) and it's the first real problem we've had with it. Should I just get a new (or reconditioned) display module and install it, or is there a risk that something else is fried and will toast the replacement one too?

Diagnostic values are:
00001011
00001100
00000000
00000000
11111111
00000111
10101101
00100001
00000111
00000001
10000000
00011110
00100101
00000010
00010000
00001000

By  Martin K, at March 22, 2005 8:56 PM  

An abreviated "tech. sheet" is located under the touch pad panel in a nice little ziplock bag on the left side next to the water valves. Also, you can call the nice folks a F&P's toll free customer service number and order a service manual for $15 which includes FedEx shipping. It has all the codes and test procedures spell out in plain New Zealand English.

By  Anonymous, at March 26, 2005 7:28 PM  

I have a 7 year old fisher & Paykel machine. About 4 months back i replaced its pump, all was going ok. Since last few days the machine in rinse cycle will have excessice vibration and then makes bip bip noises and stops. Upon restarting the rinse cycle- sometimes it finishes the wash and other times it stops with excessive vibration. What is wrong ?

By  Anonymous, at June 28, 2005 2:16 AM  

Glad to see I am not the only one with the "no diagnostic tech sheets in australia issue". We also called Fisher and Paykel and got no where.

Is there any chance some one could scan and send a sheet to us. If it helps I have a smartdrive 503 washer.

By  Peter, at February 21, 2007 6:17 PM  

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