How to Replace Frigidaire Washer Filter Assembly

The filter sits in the drain path — water leaves the tub, passes through the filter housing that traps debris, then enters the drain pump before exiting the drain hose. Its access door is on the lower-left front panel, and the cap twists counterclockwise to open and clockwise to seal. Repeated openings can strip the cap threads, compress the gasket until it no longer seals, or crack the housing body outright, and any of those shows up as water pooling at the front of the machine.

Tools and Parts#

Before You Start#

Safety warning: Unplug the washer. Water will be present in the filter housing — have towels and a pan ready. Expect 1-2 cups of residual water when the filter is removed.

Step-by-Step#

1. Diagnose which part failed#

Open the filter access door and set towels and the pan beneath it. Twist the cap: if it turns but never tightens, the threads are stripped and the cap is done. If it tightens yet still weeps, the gasket is worn. If water escapes from the housing body rather than the cap, the housing itself is cracked. Ease the cap out, drain the residual water into the pan, and inspect the cap, gasket seat, and housing opening for cracks, flat spots, or torn rubber.

2. Remove the lower panel for full access#

A cap-and-gasket swap can often be done through the access door alone. For a cracked housing, take off the lower front panel — usually one or two Phillips screws per side, or snap clips that release with a flat-blade screwdriver. With the panel off you can see the whole housing, which connects the tub drain hose to the drain pump 137221600 through rubber hoses and spring clamps.

3. Replace the cap and gasket#

If only the cap or gasket is damaged, unscrew the old cap fully and wipe the housing threads clean with a damp cloth. Lift out any separate O-ring, seat the new gasket evenly in its groove, and thread the new cap in clockwise — hand-tight plus a quarter turn. Run a fill-and-drain cycle and watch the filter area for seepage before you close up.

4. Replace the full housing if it is cracked#

With the lower panel off and towels underneath, use pliers to squeeze each spring clamp and slide it back along the hose, then pull both hoses off the housing barbs. Remove any mounting screws or brackets and lift the old housing out. Set the new housing in the same position, push each hose fully onto its barb, and slide the clamp back over the connection ridge. The inlet from the tub goes to the larger port; the outlet to the drain pump uses the smaller port.

5. Verify there are no leaks#

Run a full wash cycle and watch three places: the cap seal, both hose connections, and the housing body. A slow drip at a hose usually means the spring clamp is off-center — nudge it to sit over the barb ridge.

6. Confirm the drain works#

Check that the washer empties fully and any E21 drain error has cleared. The pump should run smoothly during the drain phase. If it sounds labored despite a clean filter, debris may have slipped past the old torn mesh and reached the impeller, and the drain pump 137221600 may need its own inspection.

Troubleshooting#

• New cap will not thread: you have cross-threaded it — back off and start straight, letting it turn easily by hand for the first few rotations.
• Leak persists with a new cap and gasket: run a finger around the sealing seat; any chip or roughness there stops a good seal and means housing replacement.
• E21 returns after the filter job: debris may have reached the pump, or the pump motor is failing — inspect the impeller.

When to Call a Pro#

Call a technician if the drain pump 137221600 is itself damaged by debris, if leak water has reached flooring or subfloor, or if the hose barbs on the pump body are broken and the pump needs replacing.

Need Professional Help?#

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