How to Fix F5 E3 on a Whirlpool Washer

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Troubleshoot and diagnose this common error code to fix your Whirlpool front-loading washer

Co-authored by Egor Shevtsov and Eric McClure

Last Updated: October 30, 2024 Fact Checked

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What does F5 E3 mean?

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Causes of F5 E3 Errors & Fixes

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Resetting the Code

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Video

F5 E3 is a common error on Whirlpool front-loading machines. It indicates that something is wrong with your door lock. In most cases, this is a simple case of failing to close the door all the way. However, you’ll occasionally get an F5 E3 error if the door won’t open or the latch is damaged. In any case, we’ll help you figure out what’s causing the error and how to fix it.

Things You Should Know

F5 E3 indicates that your washing machine’s door lock isn’t detected to be in the proper setting—usually because the door isn’t closed all the way.
Clear F5 E3 by opening the door, confirming nothing is in the way, and closing it firmly.
If the door is closing and opening just fine but F5 E3 won’t go away, reset the washer by unplugging it, waiting 2 minutes, and plugging it back in.

Section 1 of 3:

What does F5 E3 mean?

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F5 E3 indicates that the door isn’t closed properly. Your Whirlpool machine will not start or finish a cycle if the door isn’t detected. In most cases, F5 E3 indicates that the machine door isn’t closed when it should be. However, this error can also occur when the door doesn’t open correctly or won’t even open at all.^{[1]
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- F5 E3 usually only appears on front-loading machines and old Cabrio models. Top-loading Whirlpool washing machines usually display “lid” if the door isn’t closed correctly.

Section 2 of 3:

Causes of F5 E3 Errors & Fixes

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1
The door didn’t shut all the way. If you pressed the start button after loading the machine and the F5 E3 error popped on right away, the door likely didn’t close entirely. This is a surprisingly common occurrence with Whirlpool’s front-loading machines, so don’t sweat it.
- The Fix: Open the door, close it firmly, and press the start button again. If it works, you just didn’t engage the lid the first time.
2
Clothing is stuck in the machine’s door. If an item of clothing ends up in the gap between the lid and the machine, your Whirlpool may detect a touch of pressure on the lid and refuse to start for safety reasons.
- The Fix: Pull the door open and grab the garment that’s sticking out. Set it back inside of the drum and close the door. It should start now that the disruption is gone.
3
The load is too big. If you overstuff a front-loading machine, the weight from the clothes resting against the door can make your Whirlpool machine think the machine is being pulled open. If you can’t see any part of the drum inside the machine because there are too many clothes and you can’t physically reach your hand to move clothes around, the load is too big.
- The Fix: Split the big load into two separate loads. It may be annoying to double the time you spend doing laundry, but trust us—the clothes will be cleaner with smaller loads!
4
The door seal is damaged. Inside the washing machine’s door is a rubber gasket that seals the drum and keeps air out. If that seal is damaged, your machine won’t start.
- The Fix: If the seal is just unseated from the rim of the door, simply put it back where it belongs. If the seal is torn or damaged, contact Whirlpool for a replacement and install it on the machine.
5
The latch has failed. In fringe cases, the latch that secures your door and keeps it closed can get damaged, preventing your washer from locking correctly. If your door freely slides in and out of the opening for the drum, the latch is almost positively the issue. Try pressing the latch by hand to see if it unsticks and comes free. If it doesn’t move or provide resistance, it needs to be replaced.^{[2]
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- The Fix: Contact a professional appliance repair company. Alternatively, you can contact Whirlpool to get the lock latch replaced and follow their instructions to replace it yourself.
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The door is stuck. Sometimes, the latch on the machine just gets caught and stuck on the striker of the door handle. Press and hold the “control lock” button for 3 seconds to try cycling the lock mechanism. If the issue was electronic, this should resolve things.^{[3]
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- The Fix: If you 100% cannot get the door to open by resetting the machine or using the control lock, go in through the drain pump access door inside the panel on the bottom right corner of the machine. Pull the filter out and tug on the plastic cord inside of the department to manually unlock the lid.
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The machine wasn’t installed correctly. If you just installed the machine and the door isn’t closing correctly, it’s possible the door wasn’t set up correctly.^{[4]
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- The Fix: Review your installation manual and check your work against each step. If you missed something when assembling the door or filter panel, redo it to clear up the error.

Section 3 of 3:

Resetting the Code

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Press the pause or cancel button twice, then the power button once. If this doesn’t work, unplug the washing machine. Wait 2 minutes, then plug the machine back in and run the cycle. If the error code comes back on, it’s likely your latch is failing and needs to be replaced soon.^{[5]
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- Do not force the lid open if it’s stuck. If you do, you risk permanently damaging your machine.