Kenmore washer and washing machine repair
A Kenmore front loader that will not drain may only need its catch compartment emptied. It sits ahead of the pump, traps small items that slip past the gasket, and opens so you can fish them out.
Kenmore washer symptoms and what they usually mean
A few of these are Kenmore features that look like faults. The rest send you to a general washer page or to a recall check before any part is ordered.
Basket rocks back and forth
Triple Action turns the basket back and forth on purpose while the agitator or impeller works.
Cycle ends early
Accela Wash shortens the cycle by tuning wash, rinse and spin and raising water temperature a little.
Front loader holds water
Open the catch compartment first. Coins and other small items end up there.
Drum smells musty
Run the Clean Washer cycle and dry the gasket. Damp Oahu air keeps a shut drum wet longer.
Laundry center gets hot
A unit sold February to May 2009 may be in the drain pump recall. Read the label first.
Weak spin on a top loader
Kenmore top loaders spin up to 710 rpm. Loads left dripping point to the drive or the lid lock.
Which Kenmore washer is in your laundry room?
| Model code | Type and size | What to know for repairs |
|---|---|---|
| 26-42272 | Front-load, 4.5 cu. ft. | Accela Wash, Sanitize cycle, catch compartment ahead of the pump |
| 26-41202 | Compact front-load, 2.2 cu. ft. | Small drum, same gasket care |
| 26-29162, 26-29182 | Top-load agitator, 4.4 and 4.1 cu. ft. | Triple Action, Express Wash in about 28 minutes |
| 26-29262 | Top-load impeller, 4.5 cu. ft. | Triple Action, Express Wash in about 30 minutes |
How we work on a Kenmore washer
Kenmore washers are built by other manufacturers, so the full model number matters more here than on most brands. Kenmore's own manual search wants at least 11 characters with no punctuation; current machines use short 26- codes. Give us that number when you book. We check the cheap, owner-level causes before we price a part, and we tell you when a recall or the drive motor warranty should cover the job instead.
- Full model number first
- Catch compartment checked
- Recall lookup before parts
- Motor coverage flagged
- Level and hoses checked
- Plain repair-or-replace advice
Kenmore washer figures
Sources: kenmore.com washer pages; Kenmore warranty statements; ENERGY STAR washer records for Kenmore; CPSC 2009 washer recall
Is a Kenmore washer motor covered for life?
Yes, for washers bought on or after February 4, 2018. A defective drive motor is replaced for as long as the washer is in use. In year one it is installed at no charge. After that Kenmore supplies the motor as a part only, so you pay the labor. Everything else on the washer has one year, cut to 90 days if the machine is used for anything but a private household. Find the receipt before you assume a big motor bill.