The short answer
The Criterion MAV family is a single washer with a long compound designation, and on a machine like this the most useful question about a stalled cycle is not where it stops but whether it stops in the same place every time. A repeatable stall means the control is waiting on a condition — water, drainage, a locked lid. A stall at random points means something intermittent: a supply that dips, an interlock that makes and breaks, or a load that behaves differently each run.
What you observe
- Stops at the same point in every cycle — A condition the control will not pass: water, drain, lid or balance.
- Stops at a different point each time — Something intermittent: interlock, supply or a motor cutting out.
- Runs on far longer than the stated cycle time — Retries: the control is repeating a stage rather than failing it.
- Completes only when the lid is held firmly shut — The interlock is marginal.
- NEAR MISS — dead panel, nothing at all — A start or supply fault, covered on its own page.
Causes, most likely first on this family
- A condition the control will not pass — First on repeatable stalls, and in order of likelihood: drainage, then balance, then fill. Each gates the next stage and none of them reports itself clearly to the owner.
- Marginal lid or door interlock — Second, and the top suspect for random stalls: a contact that makes when cold and opens when the machine moves.
- Motor cutting out on thermal protection — Third, and identified by stalls that arrive later in a long session and clear after the machine has rested.
- Supply dipping under load — Fourth, and worth ruling out where the laundry circuit runs other equipment.
- Control or timer — Last, and the point at which the full designation becomes essential.
Check in this order, and why
- Run the same cycle three times and note where it stops — Repeatable or random is the split that decides everything else on this machine.
- If repeatable, test the stage it stops at — Drain filter for a pre-spin stall, taps and screens for a fill stall, hand-redistribution for a balance stall.
- If random, hold the lid firmly closed and rerun — A cycle that then completes points straight at the interlock.
- Let the machine rest an hour and try again — A stall that clears after a rest is thermal, which changes the diagnosis entirely.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the washer or switch off its breaker before removing any panel; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off, and the motor and its control restart on their own when power returns. Shut the hot and cold taps before opening anything behind the machine, never defeat the lid or door interlock to watch a cycle run, and get a second person before walking a loaded machine out.
Models in the MAV family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| MAV44C-A2808PS/01FM-US | criterion:washer:mav |
When to call a technician
Filter clearing, load redistribution and tap checks are owner work. Call a technician for a marginal interlock, for a motor cutting out on temperature, and for any stall that survives the owner checks. Call at once if the machine trips a breaker or smells hot.
Nearest pages of this class
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.