Reasons not caused by malfunctions
There may be several of them:
- In the first option, the phenomenon is more reminiscent not of a failure, but of a simple precaution used in the process of washing things. When you start a work process on your machine, naturally, for safety reasons, the hatch is automatically locked. And if you urgently need to open the door, you have to stop the operation of the unit and even turn it off completely.
- Another option, also caused not by a breakdown, but by the design features of individual models, is blocking the loading hatch due to an unexpected power outage. And this happens from time to time. Nothing serious happens to the washing machine. In order for her to open the hatch without problems, it is necessary to activate the spin and drain program. Such measures should help.
- There is another situation that does not imply repair work, because it is not considered a breakdown. These are just natural features of the operation of a certain model. More specifically, the machine will not provide the opportunity to remove laundry for a certain time after the process is completed. As a rule, this interval reaches three minutes, but there are units in which the blocking operates for another five minutes after the process is stopped. In such situations, you should not worry - wait the allotted time and get your things.
Method - turn off the power to the machine
Unplug the washing machine from the socket and leave for 10-30 minutes. Afterwards, gently press the door in the lock area and try to open the hatch again.
Note! This method will help if the reason lies in the breakdown of the UBL. It contains a thermal plate, which is deformed under stress, and thus the lock is locked. After disconnecting from the mains, power will not be supplied to the plate, and when it cools down, it will return to its original position. The lock will open.
How to open a locked door?
Sometimes this needs to be done while the process has begun. For example, they didn’t put something in the washing machine that needed immediate washing, or they didn’t take out a bunch of keys from their pockets, which began to rattle in the drum.
Just pause the washer and wait a few minutes. If the door does not open, remove the plug from the electrical outlet. Many devices at such moments begin to drain the water on their own, then open the hatch to load.
If this measure does not help, turn on the washer again and start the “drain” function; it should start immediately. If the reason for the failure of the blocking device lies in the clogging of the filter element, water remains in the drum. Because of this, a special sensor prevents the hatch latch from opening.
This problematic issue can be resolved by simply cleaning the filter. As a rule, it is located at the bottom of the machine and is closed with a plug. If everything is in order, then screw the plug into place and try to set the “rinse and spin” modes. If such actions do not help, disconnect the washing machine from the power supply and wait at least a quarter of an hour. If this does not help, you will have to remove the top cover and try to open the lock from the inside.
It happens that the washing machine does not want to open the hatch when the button that blocks the door from small children is accidentally pressed. In such a situation, all you have to do is hold down the “start” button for about five seconds to unlock the washing machine.
If there is a lot of water in the drum
The housewife is not always able to detect in time that she needs to stop washing. Sometimes the drum manages to fill with water, which complicates the process of opening the washer door. But you shouldn’t despair, there will be a way out of this situation.
First of all, you need to turn off the machine and drain all the water. If there is no “Drain” command, spinning the laundry will help. When the water goes away, the door can be opened.
And if this operation needs to be done urgently, then it is best to use the emergency drain function, which is carried out through a filter. The part is located behind the front panel of the device in the lower right corner.
You need to open the panel, pull out the filter hose and place a container under it. Then remove the plug and drain the liquid.
Not all machines have such a hose.
If it is not there, you will have to remove the filter plug.
It must be remembered that after such an emergency method of stopping the wash, it will be possible to resume it only by completely reprogramming the unit.
Mechanical breakdowns
When these actions are unsuccessful, it is not normal failures that should be diagnosed, but mechanical damage. The locking mechanism or handle is probably worn out and needs to be completely replaced.
It happens that children hang on an open hatch and begin to swing. Such entertainment causes the loading door hinges to bend. The element stops closing or opening normally, and the mechanical latch often jams.
In this case, it is recommended to change the hinges or the lock itself. To change the locking mechanism, you have to remove the top panel of the washing machine, find the locking element, and open the latch. The lock mechanism will immediately unlock. After the hatch allows penetration into the drum, the blocker is changed.
With loops the situation is somewhat more complicated. If you do not have the necessary skills, then it is recommended to invite a specialist to perform such work, who will promptly correct the breakdown.
Top loading washing machine
Unpleasant moments also happen with such models. Most often the drum is locked in them. This happens when cranking is done open. In order for the machine to start working again, you must:
- move the washing machine away from the wall,
- disconnect all connected communications,
- on the back wall, determine the installation location of the heating element, disconnect and remove it,
- spin the drum by hand.
The hatch in a top-loading washing machine opens in almost the same way as in models with a front door. They turn off the machine, then try to start one of the programs again.
LG Unlock Procedure
It is most often possible to disable the system that blocks the loading hatch in machines from this company using the usual measures applied to other machines - Indesit, Samsung and other brands.
The factory version is applied exclusively to the method involving child locking. To install it, press a couple of buttons at the same time - “super rinse” and “prewash”. The program is canceled by the same action, after which the process can be continued by pressing the “pause/start” key.
Pause mode
If the machine has not yet managed to collect a large amount of water, then you can easily stop the process. Just pause it. All models have this option.
In order to temporarily stop the operation of the device, you need to press the start button or “Pause”, if available. But you shouldn’t hold it for long, otherwise you can cancel the operation completely. After a short time, the door will unlock and you can use it.
Experts in the maintenance of automatic washing machines warn: frequent use of this method provokes breakdown of the unit. Over time, the programs will begin to fail, and the machine will have to be sent in for repairs.
Recommendations from professionals
There is no natural way to open the door when the locking mechanism is broken, because the door is automatically locked. Here it will take a lot of time and effort to perform a natural opening using additional devices. Most often, this method is used for front-loading machines, where the latch moves to the side when activated.
To avoid causing damage to the laundry washing unit, it is recommended to call a professional. It will perform the following manipulations:
- take a strong cord or thread,
- inserts them into the space of the door and body,
- the thread clings to the hook of the locking device,
- Now all that remains is to carefully pull the thread.
All actions must be carried out as carefully as possible; with their help, the lock will come out of the grooves and the loading door will unlock.
There is a more universal way to open the machine door, but to do it you will have to remove the top panel by unscrewing a couple of bolts.
The machine tilts back a little, which causes the drum to tilt and gives access to the locking mechanism. Use a finger or a screwdriver to press the hook. It will unlock. Now you can take things out. But here it is necessary to remember one feature. Further operation of the machine is prohibited; a specialist should be called to fix the problem.
Method - emergency cable for opening the hatch
Many modern SMAs are equipped with an emergency door opening cable. Its end is located in the hatch next to the drain filter. As a rule, it has a bright color - red, orange, light green, yellow. To force the door to unlock, you must pull the cable.
Features of unlocking by machine of other brands
- Samsung. If this machine does not open the hatch after five minutes, it must be turned off and wait about a third of an hour. At this time, the set program is completely reset, and the locking mechanism can open automatically. When the wash is completed and there is water in the drum, it is recommended to activate the spin process. Water that does not drain is a sign of a problem with the pump or hose responsible for draining. You will have to use the emergency option - there is a hose near the drain filter, which is used in case of accidents. As soon as the water recedes, the lock will open. Note that the manufacturer has provided a special cable that allows you to force the door to open.
- Samsung Eco Bubble. This machine is childproof, and any user who has not thoroughly studied the instructions may accidentally activate it. In this case, at the end of the washing process, the hatch will not open; a lock and a smile will appear on the screen. In this case, you will have to press two buttons located on each edge of the drawn human figure.
- Ariston Hotpoint. The manufacturer clarifies that a similar situation with the hatch occurs after an emergency power outage. To fix the problem, you will have to drain the water, working in manual mode, open the hatch by pulling the emergency cable. All options are located below, near the drain filter. There are several other options to open the hatch on this model. Having selected the Baby or “low ironing” mode, after the process is completed, the washing machine rotates the drum at a slow pace. You will have to press the start/pause key, or activate the “easy ironing” function. Having determined the “silk” mode, the washing unit will finish working without pouring out the water. To perform this action, press the start button. These features are provided by the manufacturer and represent the distinctive features of the washing machine.
It should be noted that each washing machine has a special cable designed for unforeseen situations. As a rule, it is located at the bottom, near the drain filter, and is colored reddish or orange. It must be pulled carefully, without strong jerks, so that the loading hatch is forcibly unlocked.
Emergency opening
Different models have the lever in different places.
Most modern washing machines have a special cable for emergency opening of the hatch (yes, the creators have provided for this possibility). As a rule, it is located somewhere in the area of the bottom panel and is painted in a bright color. All you need to do is get to the cable and pull it.
Important : if there is water left in the drum, you should place some container under the hatch in advance!
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