Continental Radio and Television Corp., which later became Admiral Corp., was established in 1934. Today household appliances under this brand, including Admiral washers, are made by Whirlpool and sold at The Home Depot.
In spite of their reliability, Admiral washing machines can experience issues. Troubleshooting info from the charts below will be of great help in this case.
Admiral AAV* series washer troubleshooting
Admiral ATW* series washer troubleshooting
Admiral AAV* series washer troubleshooting
The Admiral AAV* series consists of 2, 3, and 4 speed combo washers. Typically these are heavy duty washing machines intended for a load size of about 10 kg. The washers can be adjusted to the load size: a half load (Medium) function is available on all the models, while select models also boast a Mini function (1/4 full).
| Won’t Fill | • Plug cord into live electrical outlet. |
|---|---|
| • Check fuse or reset circuit breaker. | |
| • Turn the control dial to proper cycle and restart the washer. | |
| • Turn both faucets on fully. | |
| • Straighten inlet hoses. | |
| • Disconnect hoses and clean screens. Hose filter screens may be plugged. | |
| Won’t Agitate | • Check fuse or reset circuit breaker. |
| • Make sure the lid is completely closed. | |
| • Turn the control dial to proper cycle and restart the washer. | |
| • Pauses are normal. Wait and see if the washer will start again. | |
| Won’t Spin or Drain | • Check fuse or reset circuit breaker. |
| • Straighten drain hoses. Eliminate kinked hoses. If there is a home drain restriction, call for drain service. | |
| • Close lid and restart the washer. For your safety, washer will not spin unless the lid is closed. | |
| • Suds lock - caused by too much suds. Rewash without detergent. Use correct amount of a low-sudsing detergent. | |
| Load is Wet | • Unevenly distributed load. Redistribute the load, close the lid and restart the washer. Check for leveling. Be sure water level is acceptable for load size. |
| • A normal spin speed is recommended for heavy loads like jeans or towels. | |
| Stops | • Plug cord into live electrical outlet. |
| • Check fuse or reset circuit breaker. | |
| • Close lid and restart the washer. For your safety, washer will not agitate or spin unless lid is closed. | |
| • This may be a pause in the cycle. Wait briefly and it may stair | |
| Leaks Water | • Make sure hose connections are tight. |
| • Make sure end of drain hose is correctly inserted and secured to drain facility. | |
| • Avoid extended soaking - soak for 30 minutes or less. | |
| • Avoid overloading. | |
| Is Noisy | • Be sure washer is leveled properly as outlined in installation manual. |
| • Weak floors can cause vibration and walking. | |
| • Operating sounds will vary depending on agitation speed. | |
| Fills with the Wrong Temperature Water | • Turn both faucets on fully. |
| • If equipped with a temperature selector dial, be sure it is set directly on a temperature setting and not between settings. | |
| • Make sure temperature selection is correct | |
| • While the washer is filling, you may notice just hot and/or just cold water entering the tub when cold or warm wash temperatures are selected. This is a normal function of the Automatic Temperature Control Cselect models) feature as the washer determines the temperature of the water. | |
| • If Auto Temperature Control (select models) is selected, cold water may feel warmer than cold water from the tap. | |
| • Make sure hoses are connected to correct faucets and inlet connections. Be sure water supply is regulated correctly. Flush water line before filling washer. | |
| • Check the water heater. It should be set to deliver a minimum 120° F (49° C) hot water at the tap. Also check water heater capacity and recovery rate. | |
| • Disconnect hoses and clean screens. Hose filter screens may be plugged. | |
| Cycle Selector Advances Trough Off | • Extra Rinse (select models) is selected. |
Admiral ATW* series washer troubleshooting
The Admiral ATW* range includes more than 10 top loading washers, some of which are equipped with a fabric softener section. Depending on your load you may choose either Small or Extra Small mode (on select models). Also, some washing machines from this range have a Large function designed for bulky loads.
| If you experience | Possible Causes | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Check the following for proper installation | Feet may not be in contact with the floor and locked. | Front and rear feet must be in firm contact with floor, and washer must be level to operate properly. |
| Washer may not be level. | Check floor for flexing or sagging. If flooring is uneven, a 3/4'1 (19 mm) piece of plywood under your washer will reduce sound. | |
| Load could be unbalanced. | Load dry garments in loose heaps evenfy around basket wall. Adding wet garments to washer or adding more water to basket could unbalance washer. | |
| Wash smaller loads to reduce imbalance. | ||
| Do not tightly pack. Avoid washing single garments. | ||
| Use the Normal Regular cycle and select Large Load Size for oversized, non-absorbent garments such as comforters or poly-filled jackets. | ||
| Clicking or metallic noises | Objects caught in washer drain system. | Empty pockets before washing. Loose items such as coins could fall between basket and tub or may block pump. It may be necessary to call for service to remove items. |
| It is normal to hear metal items on clothing such as metal snaps, buckles, or zippers touch against the basket. | ||
| Gurgling or humming | Washer may be draining water. | It is normal to hear the pump making a continuous humming sound with periodic gurgling or surging as final amounts of water are removed during the Drain/Spin cycles. |
| Humming | Load sensing may be occuring. | You may hear the hum of the sensing spins after you have started the washer. This is normal. |
| Check the following for proper installation: | Washer not level. | Water may splash off basket if washer is not level. Check that load is not unbalanced or tightly packed. |
| Fill hoses not attached tightly. | Tighten fill-hose connection. | |
| Fill hose washers. | Make sure all four fill hose flat washers are properly seated. | |
| Drain hose connection. | Pull drain hose from washer cabinet and properly secure it to drainpipe or laundry tub. | |
| Do not place tape over drain opening. | ||
| Check household plumbing for leaks or clogged sink or drain. | Water can back up out of a clogged sink or drainpipe. Check all household plumbing for leaks (laundry tubs, drain pipe, water pipes, and faucets.) | |
| Washer not loaded as recommended. | Improper loading can cause basket to be out of alignment and cause water to splash off tub. | |
| Washer won't run or fill, washer stops working or wash light remains on (indicating that the washer was unable to fill appropriately) | Check for proper water supply. | Both hoses must be attached and have water flowing to inlet valve. |
| Both hot and cold water faucets must be turned on. | ||
| Check that inlet valve screens have not become clogged. | ||
| Check for any kinks in inlet hoses, which can restrict water flow. | ||
| Plug power cord into a grounded 3 prong outlet. | ||
| Do not use an extension cord. | ||
| Ensure there is power to outlet. | ||
| Reset a tripped circuit breaker. Replace any blown fuses. NOTE: If problems continue, contact an electrician. | ||
| Lid must be closed for washer to run. | ||
| Washer will pause during certain phases of cycle. Do not interrupt cycle. | ||
| Remove several items, rearrange load evenly in basket, and add detergent. Close lid and press START/Pause/Unlock Lid. | ||
| Add only 1 or 2 additional garments after washer has started. | ||
| Plug power cord into a grounded 3 prong outlet. | ||
| Do not use an extension cord. | ||
| Ensure there is power to outlet. | ||
| Reset a tripped circuit breaker. Replace any blown fuses. NOTE: If problems continue, contact an electrician. | ||
| Lid must be closed for washer to run. | ||
| Washer will pause during certain phases of cycle. Do not interrupt cycle. | ||
| Remove several items, rearrange load evenly in basket, and add detergent. Close lid and press START/Pause/Unlock Lid. | ||
| Add only 1 or 2 additional garments after washer has started. | ||
| Washer not draining/ spinning, loads are still wet or spin light remains on (indicating that the washer was unable to pump out water within 10 minutes) | Small items may have been caught in pump or between basket and tub, which can slow draining. | Empty pockets and use garment bags for small items. |
| Use a cycle with a low spin speed. | Cycles with lower spin speeds remove less water than cycles with high spin speeds. Use the recommended cycle/speed spin for your garment. To remove extra water in the load, select Drain/ Spin. Load may need to be rearranged to allow even distribution of the load in the basket. | |
| The washer may be tightly packed or unbalanced. | Tightly packed or unbalanced loads may not allow the washer to spin correctly, leaving the load wetter than normal. Evenly arrange the wet load for balanced spinning. Select the Drain/Spin cycle to remove excess water. | |
| Check plumbing for correct drain hose installation. Drain hose extends into standpipe farther than 4.5" (114 mm). | Check drain hose for proper installation. Use drain hose form and securely attach to drainpipe or tub. Do not tape over drain opening. Lower drain hose if the end is higher than 96" (2.4 m) above the floor. Remove any clogs from drain hose. | |
| Too much detergent causing suds to slow or stop draining and spinning. | Always measure and follow detergent directions for your load. To remove extra suds, select Rinse/Spin. Do not add detergent. | |
| Dry spots on load after cycle | High speed spins extract more moisture than traditional top-load washers. | The high spin speeds combined with air flow during the final spin can cause items near the top of the load to develop dry spots during the final spin. This is normal. |
| Incorrect or wrong wash or rinse temperatures | Check for proper water supply. | Make sure hot and cold inlet hoses are not reversed. |
| Both hoses must be attached to both washer and faucet, and have both hot and cold water flowing to inlet valve. | ||
| Check that inlet valve screens are not clogged. | ||
| Remove any kinks in hoses. | ||
| Energy saving controlled wash temperatures. | This washer uses cooler wash and rinse water temperatures than your previous washer. This includes cooler hot and warm washes. | |
| Load not rinsed | Check for proper water supply. | Make sure hot and cold inlet hoses are not reversed. |
| Both hoses must be attached and have water flowing to the inlet valve. | ||
| Both hot and cold water faucets must be on. | ||
| Inlet valve screens on washer may be clogged. | ||
| Remove any kinks in the inlet hose. | ||
| Using too much detergent. | The suds from too much detergent can keep washer from operating correctly. Always measure detergent and follow detergent directions based on load size and soil level. | |
| Washer not loaded as recommended. | The washer is less efficient at rinsing when load is tightly packed. | |
| Load garments in loose heaps evenly around the basket wall. Load with dry items only. | ||
| Use cycle designed for the fabrics being washed. | ||
| Add only 1 or 2 additional garments after washer has started. | ||
| Using too low a Load Size selection. | Choose a Load Size that matches the load being washed. | |
| Sand, pet hair. lint. etc. on load after washing | Heavy sand, pet hair, lint, and detergent or bleach residues may require additional rinsing. | Select the Rinse/Spin cycle. Do not add detergent. |