The short answer
Water left in the drum on the FWN line is a blockage far more often than a failed pump, and the blockage is usually in the one place designed to be opened. On this page the pump filter leads, because it is the designed access point and it holds most blockages. Bail the drum down before you start: every check below is easier and drier with the water out.
What you are seeing on the FWN line
- It drains slowly and the clothes come out soaking — Partial restriction: the pump is working against something.
- It hums at the drain step with no flow — The impeller is jammed or the pump is stalled against a blockage.
- NEAR MISS — it will not drain and will not unlock — That is normal: the lock stays engaged while there is water above the door line. Drain it manually and the lock releases.
Causes, most likely first on the FWN line
- The pump filter or coin trap is blocked — Ranked first on the FWN line because it is the part the manufacturer expects the owner to open, and because it catches everything that would otherwise reach the impeller.
- The drain hose is kinked, blocked or badly fitted — A hose that sags or sits too deep holds water and blocks flow. Neither needs a part to correct.
- The drain pump is jammed or has failed — A jammed impeller stalls a healthy motor. Reaching it means the filter housing or a panel comes off, which is why the free checks come first.
- The house drain or standpipe is restricted — Last, but it is the answer whenever the overflow is outside the machine rather than inside it.
Check in this order, and why that order
- First — bail the drum, then open the pump filter — Tray and towel first: there will be more water than you expect. Turn the filter out fully and check the housing behind it as well.
- Then — pull the machine out and follow the drain hose — Look for kinks behind the cabinet and check the hose does not sit deep in the standpipe, which siphons. It should be secured at the correct height.
- Only then — listen at the drain step with the filter out — A hum with no flow means the impeller is held. With the power off, check it turns freely by hand.
- STOP here if the next check needs a panel off or a meter on live terminals — Everything above can be done with nothing dismantled; past it the checks need test equipment.
Models in the FWN family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| FWN6ZR**116T*** | alliance:washer:fwn |
| FWN6ZR**119T*** | alliance:washer:fwn |
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the washer or switch off its breaker before removing any panel or reaching into the pump — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off, and the drain impeller can start without warning. Close both supply taps before disturbing a fill hose. A loaded drum is heavy: never tip or walk a machine with water still in it, and get a second pair of hands rather than levering it on the door.
Where the owner job ends
Call when the filter, hose and standpipe are all clear and the machine still holds water, because the next step is the pump itself. On the FWN line, call rather than continue if the pump cannot be reached through the filter housing. Call immediately if the machine trips its breaker while trying to drain, or if water is spreading under adjacent units — a stalled pump draws heavily and gets hot.
Other faults covered for the FWN line
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
