How to Replace a Frigidaire Washer Door Lock

Before anything else: if the washer has trapped the door shut, you need the emergency release, so start at Step 1. Otherwise this is a clean swap of the lock assembly behind the front panel.

Tools and parts#

• Tools: Phillips #2 screwdriver, flat-blade screwdriver, multimeter (optional, for diagnosis)
• Part: door lock assembly 137353500
• Time: 15-20 minutes
• Difficulty: Beginner
• Safety warning: Unplug the washer completely. If the door is stuck locked, see Step 1 for emergency release before replacing the lock.

Step 1 — Release a stuck door#

Frigidaire locks have a time-delay release that lets go when power is removed, so unplug the machine and wait a full 5 minutes; if the door pops, move on. If it stays shut, take off the top panel (3 Phillips screws along the rear edge, then slide it back and lift), reach down to the lock on the right front of the tub, and pull its manual release tab toward you to free the door.

Step 2 — Pin down the E41 cause#

With the door open and the washer unplugged, an E41 comes from one of three things. A lock solenoid that can no longer pull the latch clicks or buzzes at cycle start but the door light never confirms locked. A position switch that latches mechanically but cannot report the locked state leaves the cycle unable to start. Or a damaged or corroded connector between the lock and the board breaks the signal. A meter across the lock terminals, checked against the pinout on the service sheet behind the toe plate, sorts solenoid from switch.

Step 3 — Reach the lock#

The lock sits at the 3 o'clock position of the door opening, mounted behind the front panel and reached through the door boot seal (137566000). Fold the rubber boot lip inward at 3 o'clock to expose the lock body — there is no need to unclamp or remove the entire boot, just peel back enough to see the mounting screws and the wiring connector.

Step 4 — Remove the old lock#

Press the tab on the wire connector and pull it straight off — never drag it by the wires. Back out the 2-3 Phillips screws holding the lock to the front panel and slide the assembly out through the boot opening. Note how it is oriented: the release tab and the striker entry face a specific way, and the new one has to match so the door striker lines up.

Step 5 — Fit the new lock#

Set the new lock (137353500) in the same orientation and drive its screws snug — not hard, since it threads into plastic and sheet metal. Push the wire connector on until the tab clicks and give it a light tug to confirm it seated. Then fold the boot seal back into place, checking that it sits evenly all the way around and that the lock area is not pinching the rubber.

Step 6 — Test the lock#

Plug in, shut the door, and start any cycle. You want the lock to engage within 3-5 seconds with an audible click, the door-locked light to come on, the cycle to run normally, and the lock to release within 1-2 minutes of finishing. Let a full cycle run so spin vibration can expose a lock that shifts because it is loosely mounted.

Step 7 — Prove the emergency release#

Finally, confirm the safety release on the new lock works: start a short cycle, let it lock, unplug the washer, wait 5 minutes, and check that the door frees itself.

When to call a professional#

Bring in a technician if E41 survives a new lock and good wiring (the board's lock driver may be dead), if the door frame is warped so the door will not close flush, or if the panel's lock mounting points are cracked and cannot hold the assembly. EasyBear technicians serving Sacramento and the Bay Area carry Frigidaire parts and diagnostic tools on every call.

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