Maytag washer not agitating
Maytag mvwc565fw0 not agitating
I heard my girlfriend say the washer wasn’t agitating anymore. Not getting things clean, and not working well or at all.
Being the DIY, tinkerer, take it apart and fix it or break it kind of guy; I decided to tackle it.
Assessing the washer
The first step was to see what was or wasn’t happening during a wash.
I set a small load, pulled up a chair, and held the door switch with two fingers, watching.
After taking roughly 5 minutes to fill, it switched to the wash cycle. This was enough to see that the agitator in the middle wasn’t doing its thing, the washer not agitating. Staying locked with the drum as the drum slightly wiggled. That’s not cleaning anything I thought.
Isolating the problem
After sourcing a diagram of the parts from Partselect.com and Searspartsdirect.com I set about finding the problem.
Disconnecting the power and water lines, and wiggling the machine away from the wall.
I started by inspecting the belt and associated linkage underneath.
Leaning the machine back against the wall to access underneath. I began by removing the cover over the belt. Finding the shift motor linkage feeling very loose. I removed the two screws and one plug. Freeing the suspected problem from the machine. Its linkage freely flopped around. I checked the other end of the linkage, and that side was tight. Offering crisp clicks into the agitate mode and back into spin mode. Drum and agitator both moved freely turning by hand in each transmission “gear.”
Sourcing a replacement
I found the faulty part available in several places online.
(Note: As an affiliate, I may be compensated for following links.)
Partselect.com ACTUATOR W11481722 $67.42 2-3 day shipping
Searspartsdirect.com Washer Brake Actuator W10597177 $50.58 2-3 day shipping
Amazon W10913953 Washer Shift Actuator 49tyz-e120a1 $20.99 1 day shipping
Succumbing to my mounting pile of laundry I opted for the part from Amazon with fast shipping.
Installation
After I received the part, it became even more clear the old one was indeed bad. The new part was nearly identical except the linkage arm was tight. The numbers matched, the screw hole was in the same location and the shape and size was identical to the old part.
Wasting no time in re-assembling the machine. 2 screws and a plug. I also saw for the first time the machine service manual taped to the inside of the outer shell.
Recovering the manual showed me how to enter the calibration and diagnostic modes on the machine.
Testing the washer
Armed with this new knowledge, I reconnected water lines and plugged it back in.
Running the machine through the self-diagnostic took a few minutes. Returning the all good lights.
Next, I ran the calibration cycle, (since I had replaced the shift actuator).
Upon completion of that, I ran the same load again. This time greeted by the satisfying whir, whir of the agitator mixing up the clothes in the wash cycle.
Thankful it wasn’t more involved. Also that I didn’t throw out a washing machine for want of an inexpensive part. Learning a bit more about one of the machines that serve us every day was worth the time to me, and I am a little less intimidated by a washer not agitating properly.
Update: March 2 2025 4 months later and still agitating like a boss.