Whirlpool VMW with a bad control board

Maytag Bravos control board repair

Well here’s a new one. We received a call to a repair a whirlpool VMW (Maytag Bravos) washer with a “no start” complaint. After unsuccessful attempts of trying to get into diagnostics, checking the usual suspects and everything else on it concluded the control board was bad. The customer offered it to us so that the new guy could get some good hands on time with the newer VMW’s and he went back and picked it up. So he brings it to the house and I take a look at it.

When I attempted to start the washer, it would try to lock the door and the motor would turn for about 5 seconds or so and wouldn’t ever progress. After this the lid lock light would blink even if I cancelled the program, turned it off and tried to start it again. It would just continue to blink. The only way to get the lid lock light to turn off was to unplug the machine. After unplugging and plugging it back in the cycle would repeat. Turn on, hit start, lock clicked, motor turned, then nothing along with the blinking lid lock light.

So I pulled the control board. At first glance I really didn’t see anything out of the ordinary but after a more careful inspection I found a little tiny capacitor that was popped. 1000 mf, 6.3V. I dug through my stash of old caps and sure enough I had one so I removed the old one and replaced it with the one I had (notice I didn’t say new) and reinstalled the board. Success!

I don’t know how the circuitry of the control board works but I’m thinking that this capacitor has something to do with the door lock circuit. If the door will not lock, the machine won’t advance (as intended of course) but I don’t know how the motor comes into play with this problem.

Now just to be clear I am no means advocating diy garage component level repairs here. I just like to get to the bottom of things. Unfortunately for the customer and a reliable fix that’s guaranteed and warrantable the control board would have to be replaced to make an in home repair in this situation. You’d open yourself up to all kinds of liability if a fire were to start.

Here it is a Maytag Bravos, model number MVWX500Xw0 back up and running after the repair. Here’s a video of it spinning.