What this usually is
On a Contoure washer the order is supply, door lock, start switch, control. The first two are free to check and they account for most of these, which is why the page begins at the socket and the door. The checks are ordered so the cheap ones eliminate the expensive ones.
How it presents
- Nothing at all: no lights, no lock, no sound — A supply question first, because a single failed component rarely takes everything out. Give it a moment rather than glancing; the thing you are looking for is not always obvious.
- Lights come on but the cycle never begins — Power is present and the machine is waiting for something, usually the door lock. It is a symptom rather than a cause, so do not fix what you can see until you know why it is there.
- It only starts if you press the door firmly — A worn latch or a dropped door: the lock is marginal and vibration will stop the cycle later anyway. If the answer is clear, stop here and act on it.
- NEAR MISS: the machine starts and then stalls — That is a cycle fault rather than a start fault, and the cycle page covers the difference. It is worth confirming twice before you act on it, since one observation can mislead.
What causes it, in order of likelihood
- A failed or unconfirmed door lock — First because the lock is both a wear part and a mandatory signal: no confirmation, no cycle, whatever else is working. Mention it when you book a visit; it changes which parts a technician brings.
- No power at the socket or a tripped breaker — Second because it is free to check and because a laundry circuit that has tripped quietly is very common. This is the cause people skip, and skipping it is why the diagnosis takes three visits.
- A child lock or delay start left active — Worth ruling out early: the machine is behaving correctly and simply doing what it was told. Write it down before anybody comes out; a described symptom is worth more than a remembered one.
- A damaged supply cord or plug — Crushing behind the machine and heat marks at the plug are both visible, and both stop a machine dead. It sits above the more dramatic explanations because it is the one you are statistically likelier to have.
The diagnostic order
- Plug something else into the same socket — One minute separates a dead appliance from a dead supply, and it is the check most often skipped. Nothing below this line is worth chasing until this one is ruled out.
- Look at the consumer unit for a tripped breaker — Reset once. It takes less time than reading about it.
- Try a different programme — If one programme starts and another does not, the fault is in the selector rather than the supply or the lock. A cause in this position is worth eliminating before you spend anything.
Owner-side procedure
- Prove the socket with another appliance — Anything with a lamp will do. A dead socket means the machine was never the problem. Do this before the check below it, because the answer changes what that one means.
Tools: table lampAbout 5 min
- Clear the door seal and striker of debris, then close firmly — Grit in the striker stops the lock seating, which is enough to prevent a cycle starting at all. Leave the machine a few minutes afterwards before you decide it has not helped.
Tools: torch, clothAbout 15 min
- Reseat the plug and inspect the cord behind the machine — Look for crushing against the wall and discolouration at the pins, either of which needs dealing with. Do this before the check below it, because the answer changes what that one means.
Tools: torchAbout 15 min
- The last owner step is the one above this line — The remaining causes cannot be told apart by looking, which is why the page stops here.
Safety, first
Safety
Isolate the machine at the plug or the breaker before you open it. An isolated appliance can still have charge in it, and that is the reason for the pause. The terminal block behind the rear panel carries the heavy current and is not a place for a curious hand. Keep every safety switch in circuit, in the state the factory left it.
The line between a fix and a call
One rule decides it: the socket, the breaker, the plug, the settings and the striker are yours; the door lock, the start switch and the board are not. Where the page stops is where the evidence stops being visible from the outside. Call straight away if you smell scorching, see browning around a terminal, or find lint packed against a heat source.
Related pages of the same kind
Scope of this page
What follows covers Contoure washers broadly; it does not pretend to know which family you own.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
