Whirlpool washer leaking from bottom during spin cycle

Q: Why would my Whirlpool washer be leaking from the bottom?

Check the drain hose to confirm that it isnt kinked or clogged. A blocked hose may be backing up the flow, resulting in standing water. You may also want to see if your drain hose is properly installed. As youre inspecting the hoses, look for any corrosion, cracks, or holes that may be causing the leak.

For the second time in a month, I found that my washing machine had flooded the kitchen floor (and part of the basement via the hole for the water line to the fridge).

Table of Contents Show

Why would my Whirlpool washer be leaking from the bottom?
Why is my washer leaking on spin cycle?
What causes a washing machine to leak water from underneath?

The first time, I only noticed it at the end of the wash. This time, I know it happened during the spin cycle because I had just been in the kitchen a few minutes earlier and hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary.

The washer is a Maytag LAT9706AAE and is at least eight years old (I bought it with the house) but has been reliable until this. The load size was set between medium and large (it's on a continuous slider); Extra Rinse (which uses more water in the rinse cycle) was turned off and Extra Spin (which causes it to spin for longer) was turned on.

Why would it leak only during the spin cycle? Is this something I could repair easily, or is it time for a new washer?

asked Aug 23, 2011 at 0:56

Niall C.♦Niall C.

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You have a crack somewhere in the drainage system. The most likely reason that it's leaking on the spin cycle is the vibration caused by the spin cycle is opening the crack to let the leaking occur.

answered Sep 26, 2011 at 14:38

We just had the same problem, and the solution may be much easier than one might think if they have never cleaned out their washing machine before. We have had ours for over 10 years, and have never cleaned it. The drain plugs in the washing drum can become clogged over time such that the motor can't drain the water fast enough before the machine spins up - resulting in excess water centrifuging up and over the top edge of the drum and down onto the floor when a heavy load has been placed in the drum with a lot of water during the spin cycle. Here is one (or I'm sure many) ways to solve this problem (assuming that you have already checked all lines/drains/seals for leaks and none exist): http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/04/how-to-clean-your-top-loader-washing.html

answered Oct 7, 2016 at 13:43

We have exactly the same problem, we pulled the washer out from the wall where we could watch the the complete wash cycle. Everything was fine until it started to spin. At first, water/soap bubbles came out right at the entrance to the trap, followed by water dripping. At this point I'm just guessing what's going on since there was no leaking during the draining process. It appears the pump is forcing more air and water from the spin/rinse cycle than the trap can handle. So will have to pull washer completely away from the wall to check the pump area for any irregularities. So to work I go.

answered Jan 3, 2013 at 15:47

I had a similar problem, I took the back off our machine and the drum and when I ran it saw water shooting out near the top in the back. When I tilted the machine forward I could see the drum that holds the laundry had rust holes in it; I guess when it spins the water flies out these holes! (I'm not a very handy person, so I don't have all the answers, but none of the other posters mentioned this possibility.)

answered May 26, 2014 at 17:20

This will sound stupid, but on top-loaders it can come from simply having too much in it, or too large item. Or some items that cause it to be unbalanced, but not enough for the machine to dance around. I came in my house one day to see the lid flopping up and down, the rinse water just bouncing off the top of beach towels. I've also stopped it when it was just vibrating more than usual to see the drum leaning enough that water was bouncing off the high side. BTW, pushing the clothes down in front loading it and tipping the drum causes water to bounce off the high side while filling. But I also had to replace the drain pump once, yes it didn't seem to leak until actually draining. All these other horrible malfunctions of the same machine: "operator error".

answered Mar 22, 2015 at 12:48

We, also, had that problem. We discovered that the large, donut shaped piece, at the top of the drum, which Maytag calls a "Tub Cover" had started splitting, allowing water to come out during the spin cycle. It's about an $80 part, which I replaced myself, and it solved the problem. I ran a load of wash with the front cover removed to discover the problem.

answered Mar 31, 2017 at 13:21

Drain pump clogged full of pet fur and hair. The small drain you open at the bottom behind the latch located on the front . There is a piece you pull out and it was full after many years.

answered Mar 13, 2015 at 4:17

Yes, the outer tub got a hole and during spin the water rose and leaked through the hole. You can only see the hole after removing the inner tub.

Niall C.♦

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answered Mar 21, 2015 at 15:07

Why would my Whirlpool washer be leaking from the bottom?

Check the drain hose to confirm that it isn't kinked or clogged. A blocked hose may be backing up the flow, resulting in standing water. You may also want to see if your drain hose is properly installed. As you're inspecting the hoses, look for any corrosion, cracks, or holes that may be causing the leak.

Why is my washer leaking on spin cycle?

An off-balance washing machine may cause a leak during the spin cycle. Check that your washer is level and adjust the leveling feet until the machine is balanced. Other possible causes of a leak during the spin cycle are a clogged water pump or drain hose or damaged seals between these two parts.

What causes a washing machine to leak water from underneath?

In most cases, the leak will be caused by a loose or punctured drain hose, a fault with the drain pump, or a worn-out tub-to-pump hose. If it is possible to run the washer without causing further damage, removing the access panel and then running the washer will allow you to observe where the leak is coming from.