The short answer
Check the door seal for laundry caught in it before anything else — that is what stops most healthy AEG machines starting. A worn door interlock is second and gives the same silence with a clear seal. A child lock or delayed start is third, and a supply or board fault last. Listen for the lock clicking a few seconds after start.
What you observe
- The display lights, a programme is accepted, nothing runs — The door lock has not engaged.
- No click from the door a few seconds after start — Confirms the lock never engaged.
- A sleeve or corner of fabric across the seal — Holding the door a fraction open.
- A padlock symbol, or a delay indication — Child lock or delayed start, set by accident.
- NEAR MISS — a pause before the first fill — Programmed on many cycles.
Causes, most likely first on this brand
- Laundry caught in the door seal — First because it takes almost nothing to do it and there is nothing to see. A sleeve over the gasket holds the door a fraction proud, the lock cannot engage, and the machine waits indefinitely.
- Door interlock worn — Second: the interlock engages on every cycle and eventually stops doing so reliably. Its signature is the same silence with a seal that is completely clear.
- Child lock or delayed start set — Third, and free: both refuse quietly on a flat console, and the indication for a delay in particular is easy to miss entirely.
- Supply fault, or a failed board — Last. A dark display points at the socket or the breaker, and a board failure behind a lit display is genuinely uncommon on this platform.
Check in this order, and why
- Note whether the display lights at all — One observation that splits the fault list in two.
- Run a hand all round the door seal — Free, and it is the top cause on this class.
- Start a cycle and listen for the lock click — Silence with a clear seal names the interlock.
- Clear any lock or delay and retry — Left until here because both are quick eliminations.
What an owner can safely check
- Open the door and check the seal all the way round — Push every corner of fabric inside the drum line.
About 10 min
- Close the door firmly and listen for the lock click — It usually comes a few seconds after pressing start.
About 10 min
- Wipe the seal face and the frame it closes on — Residue stops a worn interlock engaging at all.
Tools: clothAbout 15 min
- Clear any child lock or delayed start, then restart — Hold the button marked with a padlock until it clears.
About 10 min
- STOP HERE if the seal is clear and it still will not lock — Interlock and board work sits on live terminals.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the washer and turn off the supply tap before opening any panel; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Never bridge, tape or wedge the door interlock to force a cycle — it is what stops the door opening on a drum full of hot water at spin speed. Report a breaker that trips repeatedly rather than resetting it.
When to call a technician
Call when the seal is clear, no lock or delay is set and the door still will not lock — the interlock or the board is then the answer, and the interlock is an ordinary replacement part on this platform. Call an electrician instead if the breaker will not hold with the machine plugged in. Stop and unplug it if you smell burning from the console.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page is written for the brand and the appliance class, not for one family or model line. Where a family- or model-specific page exists for your unit, that page is the more specific answer and you should start there. Deliberately absent: interlock and board part identifiers, console button sequences, supply ratings and fault-code meanings, all of which differ between the front-loading, washer-dryer and integrated families.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
