How To Replace A Washing Machine Water Level Switch (With Video!)

Struggling with your washing machine’s water level? A faulty water level pressure switch might be the culprit, causing your washer to underfill, overfill, or refuse to start agitating. Don’t worry—our step-by-step guide and video tutorial below will show you exactly how to replace this essential component and get your laundry routine back on track!

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

When you’re doing laundry, having the right amount of water in the tub is integral to getting your clothes efficiently clean. Too much water is a waste. Too little, and you might wind up with a load of still dirty laundry, sticky with soapy residue. Thankfully, picking the right water level should be as easy as the turn of a knob – but what if it isn’t?

Behind the water level knob is a water level pressure switch. If any of the components in this part break, you’ll be running into issues with your washer’s water level. In most instances, the tub will not fill enough, or it will fill but not start agitating. More rarely, the tub will overfill and overflow. Any way you cut it, though, a broken water level pressure switch is a pretty big hassle. Lucky for us, fixing it isn’t.

Finding The Right Replacement Part

So, you know you need to replace the water level switch, but how do you know which part to buy? To track down a compatible part, you’ll need the full model number of your appliance. 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. While you’re there, you can check out tips and advice from both our experts and other do-it-yourselfers.

When replacing the water level switch in a washing machine, you should also replace the pressure hose at the same time. Most switches come with a new replacement hose already, but if yours doesn’t, you’ll need to buy the hose separately.

How To Replace A Washer Water Level Switch

For this job, we replaced the water level switch and pressure hose on a Whirlpool top-loading washer. The steps laid out in this guide will most likely work for other top-loading washers regardless of brand. If you’d like a guide for your specific appliance, check out the washing machine tutorials on our YouTube channel. AppliancePartsPros.com has washer repair and disassembly videos for a variety of brands and models.

Tools for the job

A few basic tools will get you through replacing this part:

• A compatible replacement water level switch and pressure hose
• A Phillips head screwdriver
• A small flathead screwdriver
• A pair of needle nose pliers, optionally
• Work gloves

Before you begin

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. While most of your work will be on the control panel, you will still have to disassemble the washer cabinet to complete this repair, so lay down some towels if you think there’s a chance of water spilling.

Replacing a water level 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: If your washer’s control panel has plastic trim on the sides, this may need to be pried off to start. Most models will have a pair of mounting screws holding the control panel in place, either on the front or the back. 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 lid switch and remove the retaining clips that hold the body to the frame. 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. Open the washer lid and grip the body by the front lip. Don’t catch the washer tub! Plant your foot at the front of the washer against the body of the machine. Tip the body forward by about 45° and then carefully lift it off the washer and set it aside.
4. Remove the pressure level knob from the control panel. This should come away fairly easily by hand.
5. On the inside of the control panel now, disconnect the pressure hose from the water level switch. This should also come away by hand fairly easily. You can also disconnect the other end of the hose from the base of the tub. Don’t trash the old hose just yet! Set it aside for now. You will need it later for measuring.
6. Remove the old switch. There is a locking tab on the side that will need to be pressed in to release the switch. It may be difficult to reach the locking tab by hand, so use a small flathead screwdriver to press it in and dislodge it. Next, turn the switch 45° to free it up and remove it.
7. Disconnect the wiring harness connected to the old water level switch. The harness is probably held in place by a locking tab, so you may need that flathead screwdriver again to do this.
8. Connect the wire harness to the new water level switch. It will click when locked into place.
9. Install the new switch into the control panel. Seat it and then rotate it into place, pressing in to secure the locking tab.
10. Measure the new hose against the old hose. The new hose will likely be much longer than the old one. You don’t want any excess hose, so cut the new hose down to an appropriate size. Make sure the cut is flat and not angled.
11. Install the new hose.  The wire clamp should be installed on the end that will connect directly to the water level switch. Feed the new pressure hose through all the fittings that the old one was threaded through. Push the hose onto the water level switch as far as it will go, then move the clamp into place to lock it on. Use a small pair of pliers to move it if moving it by hand is difficult.
12. Reinstall the water level knob on the control panel. This can just be pushed back into place.
13. Put the cabinet back onto the washer. Lift the washer lid and grab the lip of the machine. Brace with your foot at the base. Carefully move the cabinet back to the washer and slide it back into place. Make sure you get the lower lip at the base of the cabinet underneath the washer’s frame. Then lower it down onto the frame’s four locking tabs. Make sure that the lid switch wires are fed through the top of the cabinet properly.
14. 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.
15. Reconnect the lid switch wire harness.
16. 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! Before you get back to full laundry loads, take your washer for a test run. Don’t add any detergent. Just make sure the water is filling properly, not over or underfilling.

Wrapping Up

Congratulations on a successful repair! As you can see, appliance upkeep doesn’t need to be expensive or time consuming. Often, with a few basic tools and the right OEM replacement part, you can solve even big appliance problems at a fraction of what it’d cost to call a professional repair technician. Want more tips, tutorials, and genuine replacement parts? Check out AppliancePartsPros.com! Our friendly staff is happy to help you fix your appliance 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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