GE Washer Not Starting – Reasons and Troubleshooting Tips

One common problem with every washing machine is that they don’t start even if the power is on. This can happen with your GE washing machine too. There is nothing wrong with the power supply, the washer turns on after plugging it in, but when you press start, it will not start.

Several reasons can cause this starting trouble in your GE Washer. Once you understand the reasons, you can troubleshoot them on your own before you call a technician.

In this article, we will discuss the reasons for a GE washer Not Starting and find out how to troubleshoot them easily.

GE Washer Will Not Start

If you find your GE washer not starting even though there is a proper power supply, then here are the reasons and their respective troubleshooting tips:

• Door or Lid is not Properly Locked
• Control Lock is Enabled
• The Delay Start Feature is Enabled
• The Washer Displaying Error Codes
• Start Button is Not Working
• Water Inlet Valve Not Working

Door or Lid is Not Properly Locked

Most of us forget to properly close the door or lid in the washer after loading the appliance with laundry. If you don’t properly close the lid, the GE top load washer will not start even if it has power. Similarly, you have to close the front door in a GE front load machine to start the wash cycle.

GE has a safety precaution in the washers which prevents the machine from starting any wash cycle until the door or lid is completely closed and locked. If your washing machine door cannot close completely or the lid switch doesn’t lock properly, your GE washing machine will not start.

Fix:

• Ensure the washer door or lid is closed completely. It should click on the door lock when you close.
• If you don’t find the door to lock properly, check your lid lock. The lid switch might not be working properly
• Try resetting the machine by unplugging the washer once and then retry locking the door
• If the door doesn’t lock in place, replace the lid switch of your GE washer

Control Lock is Enabled

Sometimes to prevent your children from meddling with the washer, you might have turned on the control lock on your GE washer. When this lock is enabled, you will not be able to use any of the washer settings and change the options unless you disable the control lock. This can appear to be a fault with the washer and you may think that the washer is not starting.

Fix:

• Some models can feature a control lock indicator with which you can ensure whether the lock is enabled or disabled
• If you aren’t sure of the control lock, try to select any wash cycle or press any button on the washer. If the washer doesn’t beep, then the controls are locked.
• You have to disable the control lock in your GE washer by pressing the appropriate buttons in a particular sequence and start using the appliance

The Delay Start Feature is Enabled

GE washers have a unique feature known as the Delay Start which enables the washer to start a wash cycle after a particular time set by the user. So, when you have enabled the delay start in the washer, you cannot expect the washer to start soon after you initiate a wash cycle. Both GE front load washer and top load washer have this feature and if it is enabled, you can either wait for the wash cycle to start or disable the delay start.

Fix:

• If you have enabled the delay start feature, the Delay start indicator will light up and the washer display will show a countdown timer
• When you find this, you can confirm that the option is enabled. You can look at the countdown and know how much time is left for the wash cycle to begin.
• Otherwise, you can disable delay start by pressing and holding the Start Button for 3 seconds.

The Washer Displaying Error Codes

Error codes displayed in the washer indicate that there is an issue with the internal parts of the appliance. When your GE washer is not starting, check for error codes in the display. If you don’t have a display, then use the binary error code to diagnose the problem in your washer. When there is an error code, your washer may not start until you troubleshoot it.

Fix:

• Check out the error codes in your GE washer and try to diagnose the problem
• You can also use the binary fault code list if your washer doesn’t have a display
• You have to put your washer in test mode or diagnostic mode to check the list of all error codes present in the washer
• Once you rectify the fault codes, your washer will work fine

The Start Button is Not Working

The start button in your GE washer may not be working and it can cause the GE washer not to start. After choosing a cycle and preferred wash options, you have to press the start button to initiate. But if the start button is faulty or not working, then the washing machine doesn’t start.

Fix:

• Check whether the buttons on your washer are working. Especially, check whether there is a beep sound when the buttons are pressed
• If the start button is not working, try to reset the appliance
• If resetting is not working, you have to change the entire control board

Water Inlet Valve Not Working

The first thing that happens in a wash cycle is the filling of water in the wash tub. The water filling inside the tub is an indication of the washer starting and if it doesn’t happen, then it can be an issue with water inlet valves. When you press start, according to the wash program, the machine starts to draw in water with the help of inlet valves. If these valves are not working, then the GE washer doesn’t fill with water and it will not start.

Fix:

• Try to change the wash cycle and check whether the water valves are working
• Remove the water inlet hoses and check for dust or debris in the filter. If there are any obstructions, clean the filter and replace the hoses
• Make sure to turn on the water inlet tap otherwise, the GE washer won’t start filling
• If there is damage in the water inlet valves, then try replacing the valves

This is why your GE washer won’t start even when the power is on. If the GE washer doesn’t turn on at all, you can check the power supply and do a complete reset of the machine.