How To Replace A Top-Loading Washing Machine Lid Switch (With Video!)

Is your washing machine refusing to wash even after filling up? The culprit might be your lid switch, a crucial component that can wear out over time. Fear not, because fixing this common issue is a breeze! Follow our step-by-step guide and watch the how-to video below to get your washer back in action.

Need a replacement lid switch for your washing machine? Search below using your specific washer model number to identify the exact part needed:

If your washer is filling up fine, and then refusing to do the rest of the work of actually washing your clothes, it’s probably a problem with the lid switch. This component signals to the control board that the washer lid is closed, giving the okay for the agitator to start turning. In spite of being fairly well hidden, the lid switch can still take a beating – especially if you let the lid drop one too many times. Even with normal use, the switch can wear out or break, making it signal that the washer lid is always open or always closed, even when it isn’t.

Lucky for us, this laundry day stopper is a quick and easy fix, and today, we’re showing you how to take care of it! Keep reading for our guide to changing out the lid switch on a top-loading direct drive washer, and don’t forget to check out the video tutorial for a detailed look at each step.

Finding The Right Replacement Part

To ensure compatibility and a perfect fit, you should always opt for a genuine OEM part, but how do you know what to buy?

Finding the right part is as easy as searching for your washer’s model number, which you can find in your appliance manual. If you don’t have access to the manual, the model number will be on a label sticker somewhere on the appliance. Check behind the washer door, either along the wall of the front panel or on the door itself. You may also find the washer’s model number behind the kickplate at the bottom of the washer or behind the front access panel.

Armed with your model number, you can search for a compatible part at AppliancePartsPros.com. We’ve got genuine OEM parts for every major brand, and they’ll be delivered to your door in just a few days.

How To Replace A Top-Loading Washer Lid Switch

For this tutorial, we replaced the lid switch on a Whirlpool direct drive top-loading washing machine. The lid switch on most top-loading washers is found in the same place and installed in the same way, so you should be able to use this guide even if you have a different brand or model of washer.

If the steps laid out in our guide aren’t matching up, check out our YouTube channel. We have guides for a variety of washing machine brands and styles.

Tools for the job

This is a quick and easy job that can be accomplished with a few basic tools:

• A compatible replacement door switch
• Phillips and flathead screwdrivers
• 5/16-inch nut driver or socket
• A large towel
• Work gloves

Before you start…

For safety, make sure that the appliance is disconnected from power either at the wall outlet or circuit breaker. You should also disconnect the hot and cold water supplies when working on a washer.

Replacing a washer lid switch

1. Remove the control panel’s mounting hardware. Depending on your washer’s model, there may be a few different ways to do this:
   1. There may be plastic trim covering the mounting hardware, so pry these off the sides if you can’t find the screws.
   2. Most models will have a pair of mounting screws holding the control panel in place, either on the front or the back.
   3. Some models are held in place with locking tabs that must be released with a putty knife. Slip the putty knife beneath the control panel at the front and slide it a few inches in to hit the tab and press in to release it.
2. Remove the control panel. Once the screws are out and any tabs are released, slide the control panel forward and lift it back to flip it over the back of the machine. Next, unplug the old lid switch’s electrical connection and remove the retaining clips that hold the body to the frame.
   1. The spring clips can be removed by pressing down on them with a flathead screwdriver. Check out our video for a look at how it’s done!
3. Remove the body from the frame of the washer.
   1. Open the washer lid and grip the body by the front lip. Don’t catch the washer tub!
   2. Plant your foot at the front of the washer against the body of the machine.
   3. Tip the body forward by about 45° and then carefully lift it off the washer. You’ll be working on the body of the washer, rather than the tub, so set it in a place where you’ll have space to work.
4. Remove the old door switch’s electrical connection. It’s held in place by a couple of locking tabs, one on each side. Press them in, and then press down on the connector to dislodge it.
5. Remove the two Phillips head screws holding the switch in place. These can be found under the washer body’s lid, on the upper lip.
6. Lay out a towel in front of the washer body and carefully tip the washer onto its front. We need access to the interior of the body to replace the switch.
7. Remove the ground wire. This is held in place with a 5/16-inch nut, so use your nut driver to remove it.
8. The door switch’s wires are secured by two metal retaining clips. These will need to be pried up and out of the way to get the wires out. Use your flathead screwdriver to do this. Once the wires are freed up, you should be able to remove the old lid switch from the washer body.
9. Thread the new switch’s wires through the clamps. Use your flathead screwdriver to pry the clips out so that you can more easily tuck the wires into place.
10. Reinstall the grounding screw with your 5/16-inch nut driver.
11. Put the wiring harness connector back into the frame. Make sure it’s locked into place. It will click once the tabs are properly seated.
12. Turn the washer upright again.
13. Reinstall the mounting screws to hold the lid switch in place. If you haven’t yet, give our tutorial video a watch. A visual aid can be helpful on this part!
    1. Open the lid on the washer and grab the switch from underneath.
    2. Lift the lid switch up and line the screw holes on the switch up with the mounting point holes on the washer body.
    3. Thread the screws in by hand, then tighten them down with your Phillips head screwdriver.
14. Put the cabinet back onto the washer.
    1. Lift the washer lid and grab the lip of the machine.
    2. Brace with your foot at the base.
    3. Carefully move the cabinet back to the washer and slide it back into place.
    4. Make sure you get the lower lip at the base of the cabinet underneath the washer’s frame.
    5. Then lower it down onto the frame’s four locking tabs.
    6. Make sure that the lid switch wires are fed through the top of the cabinet properly.
15. Reattach the retaining clips. Seat the back tab first, then the front portions. Use your flathead screwdriver to press the clips down, locking them into place.
16. Reconnect the new lid switch wire harness. Close up the control panel. Flip it forward, making sure the tabs are seated, and then pull it back to lock it into place.
17. Reinstall any mounting hardware for the control panel. Reinstall screws, and don’t forget the side trim if needed!
18. Time for a test run! Plug your washer back in and turn the water supply back on, it’s time to test things out. With a new door switch, you mainly want to make sure that the washer will run through each cycle correctly with the lid closed and stop when the lid is open. However, since you disassembled the body, you should also listen for any unusual or excessive noise to make sure nothing was knocked out of place.

Wrapping Up

With a few minutes and a compatible OEM replacement part, you’ll have a troublesome common washer problem fixed in no time at all! We hope this guide has helped you through fixing your appliance. If it has, keep AppliancePartsPros.com in mind the next time you’re looking for do-it-yourself assistance. We’ve got the tips, tutorials, and genuine replacement parts you need to fix and upkeep your appliances yourself!

If you need any replacement parts for your appliances, you can enter your model number at AppliancePartsPros.com to locate and order them quickly. Most orders arrive in just two business days, and we have tons of great information in our repair help section and YouTube videos to help you troubleshoot.

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