how can I disable the lock on my new top load Kenmore washer?

Hello Lyle. You seem incapable of comprehending what 99% of the people here are telling you, so let me once again reiterate what people like me are trying to tell you so that you can once again forward our comments on to the correct department. I have translated it to all-caps in the hopes that at least a portion will leak through: HELLO, KENMORE, THIS IS EARTH CALLING. WE HAVE A NEWSFLASH FOR YOU: WE DON'T ALL HAVE CHILDREN. WE DON'T ALL NEED A SAFETY LOCK THAT SAVES US FROM GRISLY DEATH BY WASHING MACHINE. WE WANT THIS STUPID-AS-FUCKING-HELL 'FEATURE' TO BE *OPTIONAL*. THIS IS NOT A BIG DEAL. IT EXISTS IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE. OTHER APPLIANCES AND EVEN CARS HAVE MANAGED TO FIGURE IT OUT. SO PERHAPS YOU COULD ARRANGE TO REMOVE YOUR COLLECTIVE HEAD FROM YOUR COLLECTIVE ASS AND STOP MAKING PERFECTLY GOOD PRODUCTS THAT ARE RENDERED USELESS BECAUSE YOU ARE THINKING OF THE NON-EX-FUCKING-ISTANT CHILDREN. THANK YOU. * Please note that any cussing or adult language in the above post is a feature, not a bug. For your own safety it cannot and should not be removed.

I am sick of "experts" telling me about safety! Especially how to operate a top loading washer. I have been doing this for 40 yrs and successfully raising children that didn't fall in the washer when it was running. My new machine and it's stupid lid lock are going back to Sears! We will purchase a Speed Queen that doesn't have this device and is a much better machine. GE also makes one as does Korea's (like LG) new line Haile. This machine has a very high rating. I'm through with Kenmore, and will NOT be dictated too...

I agree fully that the locking mechanism is frustrating beyond endurance. I do not have the time or patience to hold 3 seconds and then count to 10-15 seconds for the lock to disengage. You can't add a last minute item to the wash, you can't dye clothes or soak them or pour bleach in after the washer is filled, you can't take one delicate item from the load after washing a minute or two and you can't adjust the clothes or towels if they swing all to one side! Boy does that tear up the machine! Way too many government laws. I always vote "no" to laws on the ballot. My problem just got solved when my son popped out the little lock. God does indeed exist!!!!

I'm joining in to "vent" on the subject of the nanny-locks on top loader washers. Did I somehow miss the epidemic of terrible injuries that occured when such locks weren't present on conventional top loaders? If an older top loader was opened in the spin cycle, it just stopped spinning, right? You had to be pretty quick, in addition to pretty stupid, to plunge your hand into the slowing spin and get hurt. I need to replace a 12 year old large capacity (4.5 cubic gall) Maytag with another large capacity machine. I do a lot of fabric dying and need to be able to open the machine to check on dye penetration, turn the machine off mid-cycle to allow for a 2-3 hour soak and then resume the cycle, etc. Even apart from dying, it's nice to be able to open the lid to throw in the sock that you dropped on the floor on the way to the machine. What I'm learning is that the few remaining "conventional" (not HE) machines available are too small -- 3.4 cubic gall or less -- for my needs. The disabling tips are helpful, but, really, this immutable lock down "feature" -- which begins when the machine is filling! -- amounts to imposing unwanted "protection" from ourselves. Why can't manufacturers offer a child-proof switch that could be turned on or off (like choosing if you want to enable/disable the auto-lock function that locks the doors when your car exceeds 5 mph). For heaven's sake, give us a CHOICE!

Jacob, did you ever update your clothespin mechanism? If so, how?

Does anyone know if Kenmore has considered making a new latch kit available to families with no children who know better than to stick their arms into a spinning machine?
I HATE this aspect of the new washer and will not recommend this product to anyone because of it.

Buy a Speed Queen. They make a couple of washers that do not have these safety lid locks or other government regulations features.

Lyle, I think the question dealt with not WANTING the top lock to work, not that it didn't work. This feature is pretty stupid for most of us. Is it possible to just disconnect it completely without the machine thinking something is wrong?

I'm also a Sears Appliance buyer, but this is the first time I really ended up not liking my machine.

Thanks!

Charlie, I am having the same frustration as you. Why does the lid need to lock during the fill ups and non movement periods? I can understand the lock when it is actually moving, but every other time is just a nuisance and is not providing any extra safety.

I am assuming your lock is like mine, but for my new Kenmore Top Load, the lock is not a pressure switch with lock, but a magnet. The magnet is what actually closes the circuit allowing the washer to start and the plastic hook is just what the machine locks onto. As far as disabling the switch, I do not know as of yet, but am planning on figuring out how.

I will probably take one of two approaches.

1. First Approach:
A. Remove the existing latch from the lid.
B. Modify the latch so that I have a simple pull tab/key that I can put in the slot or remove myself. (May, buy a replacement switch that I can modify, so I have the original if ever needed).

2. Second Approach:
A. Remove the existing latch from the lid.
B. If the circuit is a simple two wire loop just short circuit the loop.
However, this second approach has a problem if the controller requires the circuit to be reset every cycle. (It may not let you start a new cycle without seeing the lid open.) I have not tested this hypothesis, but it could also be bypassed by holding the 3sec cancel button.

Anyway, the experts here are not allowed to tell you how to disable a safety feature, therefore for true help you will probably have to look elsewhere. - Jacob

Lyle,

Thanks for the input. Respectfully, first I would like to say, my issue is not with you or Sears either. It’s with the manufacturer. The manufacturer has a lock on my dishwasher and my refrigerator, but I have the option of using the lock or not. I would like that option with my washing machine. The manufacturer sees the lock as a necessary nuisance---I see it as an unnecessary nuisance. I’m 65 years old with no children in the house. I have no need to lock my washing machine lid.
Your company policy probably does not allow you to tell us how to circumvent the lock, but that is the expert information we are trying to ascertain.
Charlie

I find the lid lock frustrating, too. I don't have a sink near my washer. If I have pretreated a stain and scrubbed the stain remover into the fabric, I have detergent all over my hands and no place to rinse them. I used to do this while the water was filling the tub..
Also, as part of my business with vintage linens/fabrics, I frequently need to soak items overnight in my "magic mixture". Is there some way to keep water in the tub for an extended period of time? This is is a problem I never anticipated with my new washer.
If there were a solution to these issues, I would be quite satisfied with my Kenmore 2800

I have hated this machine since tha day i bought it 3/7/2011. and now it has completely stopped working mid cylce full of clothes and water...the lid lock is just annoying and it will NOT allow you to soak anything...after 10 min. , paused, it thinks something is wrong and drains the water...how is that efficient?...you then have wash all over again. I like to soak my clothes, it gets the tough stains out.
Anyway now i need to know how to drain the water. Any suggestions?

Ya Lyle...Your responses are dense and artificial. How can it be so %@%# difficult to have a simple convenience. Im also trying to disable the lid lock and want to kick this piece. Teach your kids not to be stupid and we wont be held hostage by these "smart" (yeah right) POS appliances!

Some idiot progressive do-gooder thinks that after 60 years of doing my laundry in my own washing machine I now need to lock myself out of it. That is not all I hate about my new Samsung washing machine...there is a list and if you can tell me of another machine that allows me to have water that covers my clothes while they wash and lets me add Oxiclean during a wash cycle I would appreciate your input. Did I say I hate my new Samsung washing machine? I HATE MY NEW WASHING MACHINE! Did I say I gave away a perfectly good 11 year old Maytag washer to a perfect stranger two days before bringing this Samsung home? Yep!

I think we need to get these stupid feds to make a real difference. how many children/people actually have had such a serious accident? and we need this moronic locking washer? Is the world safer? fuck no, i might break a few arms over these fucker machines. STOP THE INSANITY. I get the real issues like drugs per say... They have lost that war but saved us from washing machine deaths and mutilations.

How about a class action suit against Sears . They offer no solution to this problem and allow us poor suckers to be taken .It's about time we consumers take action and be heard .

a little late on the conversation, as I see this is dated 2011. But if the lock is supposed to be a child safety feature what about kids that are mean and hateful to their siblings like my brother was. If we had a lock lid feature on the washer machine growing up my brother would have thrown me in and started it up knowing I couldn't escape. So where's the safety there? And, it doesn't appear to be like a trunk of a car with the release latch. Whoever designed this for children's safety is an idiot.

I was in a hurry one day and stood as patiently as I possibly could for about 3 minutes waiting for the washer to stop spinning, it was not even making any noise by this point. I needed to go and couldn't wait anymore, so I yanked the lid up. The "spin" cycle was moving at about 1/60 revolution per minute, literally at a snails pace. I was so mad. Well, I am now even more upset, because it appears that I have completely broken the mechanism and the washer will no longer start. How can I fix this without paying lots of money for a tech, as I've now had the washer for about 3 years.

Hi, all! Thanks for all the answers and questions. My 20 year old Kenmore washer has bit the dust and the dryer can't be far behind. I really hate the idea of the locking washer top, (and the sloped dryer top) so I was looking for a way around it after market - it sounds complicated. This might not be a safety thing, it might be to disguise the fact that the thing doesn't spin fast enough, which is why the cycles take so darn long. My old machine only takes about 30 minutes for a full load and if you open it during the spin cycle, it immediately stops. I heard that Speed Queen makes basic washers & dryers that work like the old ones do. I'm going to see if I can get one.

Washers share most of the same type malfunctions. We all hope the fix is simple. I found two links on the Manage My Life website that should help.While you are waiting for an expert to reply I have attached the links below. Hope this Helps!

Hello Mary, here are some pictures of how I fixed mine.

Note, this fix is for Kenmore washers with a magnetic latch / lock and may not work for everyone. Check your latch model and setup before doing anything, however, check out what I did because my method is a non destructive fix (nothing is broken).

I would rate this fix as a beginner level fix (most anyone should be able to do this).

I used my first approach as mentioned in my first post. 1. I Removed the existing latch. 2. Bought a new latch to modify (about $11)(Part No. W10240513, just search for it online). 3. Took apart the new latch so that I just had the magnetic hook (very easy). 4. Found the optimal position of the latch in the washer lock mechanism (this is so that the magnet is at the right height for the mechanism, also easy to do). 5. Find whatever thing will hold that latch at that height in the mechanism; whether you tape it there, use a skinny clothes pin (like I did in the pictures), or use your own creative method (just find what you have laying around). 6. My fix does not affect the lid's ability to close at all. My lid closes without even touching my modification. 7. Now wash away. Its that easy. It took me about 30min to do even with taking the pictures as I went along. Just give it a shot, if this does not work for you, just re-install your original latch till you find what does ;). DO NOTE: check the product number of your specific latch to make sure it is the same as mine before making any orders (the number is in small etched print on the latch assembly itself).

I have attached the pictures, but here are some links in case that does not work. i55.tinypic.com/2w1s83k.jpg i53.tinypic.com/2j15tuo.jpg i51.tinypic.com/21d0dwp.jpg - Jacob

Jacob, did you ever update your clothespin mechanism? If so, how?

Does anyone know if Kenmore has considered a replacement lock mechanism kit for families without children?

I hate the locking feature of this new washer, and will not recommend the product to anyone because of it.

Well, we must be to stupid to run a washing machine, or to live for that matter, according to the powers that be. I am very displeased with my new washer and hate doing laundry more than ever. I don't care anything about the warranty and will be overriding the lock on mine as soon as I can find someone to do it.

Hello Diane. I understand your frustration with the lid lock on that machine. We appreciate your feedback. I will forward your comments to our product engineer for that machine. As you know, you are not the first customer to be frustrated with that lid lock. I have forwarded many similar comments to the engineer regarding that issue. As you indicated, there are still top load washers available that do not have a lid lock. I added a Sears.com link for a Hot Point (GE) washer below that you may be interested in. We would like to continue to serve you at our Sears Stores and through this online format even though you may not be interested in the Kenmore appliances. We are always here to help when you need advice or assistance with any of your appliances. Let us know if you ever need more help.

I too will no longer be a Kenmore customer. I have a house full of Kenmore appliances and this locking washer door. My wife opened it just before the light went off, and now it won't latch. I have to wait a month for the repair man to come fix it. It is not broken, that I can see, but I would much rather disengage the whole crappy system. I suppose one kid drowned because the parents were too busy playing video games or something stupid like that....and the rest of us responsible people have to pay the price. Attorney's got involved and now we have to save ourselves from our own ignorance.....give me a break. America the Stupid. If anyone can figure out how to get around this locking mechanism, please let me know....I'd pay to have a solution.

Jacob, your design to unlock the washer is awsome! I ordered the lock for the washer and instead of taking it apart like you said I just opened the lid and put the lock in the hole without taking the original lock off the washer. No measuring for a close pin to hold it in place. Just put the new lock in with the lid open had push the button to start the wash!
This way if I want the lid closed I just don't put the new lock in the hole. Thanks so much for the idea you have saved many of us that are frustrated with the lock.
As you can see the lid is open and the clothes were washed with lid open but the original lock is still in tack. Thanks Jacob

I'm having the same issues with my washer, stupid thing as far as I'm concerned, for one I don't have young kids,two, Im fifty seven and been using washers for years.The reason the Kenmore repair guys can't give you and upfront answer to simply remove the lid last lock feature is because they'd be out of a job and or if sears found out,they'd fire them and also Sears does not want to lose one penny,so why would they give us straight up answers? My live in is amazingly handy with electrical issues,so I instead of wasting my time looking for an answer I'll just ask him to " fix" it,and by the way of you go to YouTube there are videos how to dismantle the lid lock on the washer.

I purchased the same machine and hate it. Would never recommend this washing machine to anyone. I pull out my comforter and it is dry... I can't see how much water is in the machine because it locks. I think because its a comforter it weighs it incorrectly. Wish I had never purchased this machine.

I've been looking at reviews, but even before reading them, I already know that I wouldn't like that feature. I don't understand its need either?!

I have fixed this, you can too! I have detailed pictures and video. Do not buy another lock!
youtube.com/watch?v=dbb-PS5R_8s

Seriously upset about this problem myself. What the hell? I have to wait about 5 minutes for the lid to open after getting a message to rebalance the load. I can't do it if the lid will not unlock. And I agree, I can't add an extra sock or hand towel at the last minute because the damn thing is locked. Ridiculous design. I was so looking forward to a new washer and am more than disappointed. The dryer too, stops working after it gets 1/2 a tsp of lint in the filter. Worthless machine. Big investment and big disappointment,

Jacob, I'd love it if you would follow up with your results. I'm not electro-smart, but have a hubby who is and would really like to get a fix for this. Thanks!

Yes, thanks, Lyle. I understand the position you have to take and will wait until my warranty is up to do this. But, like Charlie, for me it's just a pain in the butt. And, Charlie, thanks for the info! :-)

Thanks, Lyle.
Will unplugging the machine unlock the lid?

When that washer is unplugged while the lid is locked, it will remain locked. If you plug it back in, the washer could take up to 5 minutes before the lid will unlock.

Rats. I guess I'll have to go Jacob's replacement switch with a clothespin route.
Thanks for your help.

While I understand Kenmore's concern about personal injury, they really should include an emergency override or mechanism to opt out. In the meantime, sales personnel should alert potential purchasers of the safety feature so they aren't blindsided.

Thanks again for the additional feedback regarding our sales personnel. I agree that they should be well informed about this safety feature so that they can discuss it with customers who are considering buying this washer. I will forward this information to our managers.

The lock is a safety precaution. It is aggravating but............. some years ago family was over and I found one of the children laundry room playing with the washer on the spin cycle. I guess I scared her and dropped her arm and it got caught up. Needless to say it was broken in three spots.

Hello Thea. I agree with Amanda about the dangers of disabling or overriding that lid lock on the washer. There is a soak function on that washer but it may not work in the manner that you are accustomed to. The low water level that is used in this washer may take some getting used to. You may be able to alter your magic mixture to be effective with that lower water level.

Jacob, your idea works beautifully. My daughter and son-in-law did it by looking at the photos I printed off and your written idea. The little clothes pins they used are meant to be for paper clips --- I happened to have several. I'm 80 yrs. old and sure missed being able to open the lid of my washer. I liked the machine fine except for that lid locking!
I will try to send a photo of their project. We now have packing tape securely over the pins so as not to knock them off.
Thanks again -- Mary ( not the Mary that you had previous correspondence with - just a coincidence).

Hello Paula. I understand your frustration regarding the washer. I forwarded those comments to the product engineer. You should be able to drain the water through a gravity drain method. Place a shallow bucket or container on the floor beside the washer. Pull the drain hose out of the drain stand pipe or drain sink and hold the end of the hose just over the shallow container (as low as possible). Unless you have a clog or restriction in that drain hose or the drain system, the water from the washer tub should drain into the shallow container. I hope that this information helps. If you need more assistance, let us know.

Shelly, your response to Lyle was really unwarranted and nasty. I'm assuming that in the job he does he's restricted as to what he's allowed to say by his employers. Have some class, please. He didn't make the machine, he just works for the company.

I left my husband to buy a washer by himself and he bought one with the lock as well. I hate it! If he would have taken it back or there was a way to have it picked up it would have gone. The machine doesn't work if you remove it. So I'm trashing it to get a different one. Second worse purchase my husband ever made. Can't believe he bought such crap.

I don't have a answer i have a question. OK maybe I'm slow or something, but does anyone know how to remove or whatever needs to do done for the lock on whirlpool top louders? My washer runs washer in it then it trys to lock and it clicks like its trying to lock and will not let anything else happen,so how do you take care of that problem or is my washer need replacing

I am joining in to vent also. Guess there is not help in disabling the lock on the lid to my kenmyore Elite top loading washer. I have tried every website to try and get some help. I have made an appt. but typical of SEars it will be over a week before they can come. My clothes are in the washer. I can't get the lid unlocked to get clothes out and it won't do anything. There should be a way to do this for situations like this. Sounds practical. to me. Give me back your basic washer with agitator and no long on lid. LIke someone said you should at lease have an option of disabling it.

No one seems to understand that we as adults (or people who actually watch their children... *cue shocked reaction*) do not need a locking washer.

I, for one, am sick of companies trying to protect us from ourselves. Locking washers, locking dishwashers, computer software that won't let you install what you want to (if I want to look in the Windows directory and delete all the .dll's... That's my business... I'll reinstall. *sarcasm*).

If I want to throw a sock in the wash I have to wait 2 minutes for the stupid thing to open. I do not need to be saved from myself. My siblings and I grew up without these and all of us are still alive. My friends grew up without this and they are still alive. My parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc... We're all fine. This is a feature that is a burden and useless to people who have kids and watch them, have no kids, or need to re-balance a load of laundry! It is seriously an unnecessary, unneeded, and as you can see from the comments... Unwanted "feature".

There should be a switch on the back like cars have on the doors! Just click up for child locks and down to turn it off. Easy! I don't give a flying fig about voiding my warranty. If I figure out how to hack the thing I will. I'm an adult and do not need to be protected from myself. There are still a lot of fully functioning human beings walking around with full size brains that are fully functional.

Enlighten me... Why is this necessary? What exactly does it do? Why is it needed? And dumb it down if you feel the need to or give it in technical terms using rpm, rps, and the like. Doesn't matter to me. But if the answer is "it's for your safety" and you can't tell me why, then it's a useless feature and no one knows why...

I bought a whirlpool washer WTW4816FW last May of 2017. I then found out it was an early 2015 built and was selling cheap because it had such bad reviews. The first week it destroyed over $200 worth of clothes. I have to babysit the freaking thing. The lid locks, then when I hit the button to open it, the whole cycle deletes. The agitator was not sanded down at the bottom so it scratched, ripped and destroyed everything. It left blue soap stains on the clothes, towels and sheets. So I had to set my kitchen timer to go into the laundry room and add liquid soap. And believe me my clothes are not clean. Their ingenious water level sensing is a joke. I am now looking at a speed queen and would rather spend the money and get a real washer. Lastly, do not at all purchase any appliance from the fly by night appliance places like Appliance Direct here in Florida. Their interest alone is to sell the new but outdated appliances and wash their hands of it the minute you pay. All the electronics they are designing on the new washers are a huge nuisance. Why can’t they just leave a few with the simple dials we want for load size, water temp and cycle preference? The parts alone to fix the electronics cost 3 times what I paid. And it still is screwed up.

I’m not mechanical in the least but figured out a way to unlock the washer and/or soak for hours at a time by simply unplugging it and plugging it again after the desired period of time to accomplish the task at hand whether it be to add additional laundry or have extended soak time.

Whomever wrote the sublevel answer to the person who wants to deactivate the locking mechanism on their washer is rude, noncommuni ati e idiot. So you have all the answers eh? Maybe more people would listen to you if every other word wasn't fucking this and that and in eteeen you insulted the questioning person with trash talk. I now know who the a_ h_ole is. YOU!!! Get some class of better yet say nothing at all. PLEASE

Dear God, Please put me in a country only populated with people like Manage my Life and the like (basically if they are cussing the stupidity of these products that are rendered useless because some widget with the IQ of a smushed carrot designed them - those are my people. Please group the it'll void your warranty and it's for safety folks with the smushed carrot and place them elsewhere)

Thank you

PS yes you can pop the lid off with a flathead in front and pull the stupid lock off of the side by pressing down and sliding it to the back. kindof annoying still since the damn thing is never balanced with anything like a blanket so it will set there and beep for eternity once it is done because everyone knows that the washer is the most important thing in the fucking universe right next to the damn microwave which is just as proud - so before you take a sledge to it just wipe the switch to heavy duty or something and back to your normal wash to shut it up. (also god, please allow all these beepy bastards that think their product is the most important thing on the planet to choke on their rice milk)

Hello Cali. I checked on any Sears updates for the door locking mechanism for this washer. I did not see any revisions or changes in that component. I understand your dissatisfaction with this feature. I appreciate your feedback. I have forwarded your comments (and the other comments) to our product engineers.

Hello Sonja. I am sorry to hear about that problem that you are having with your Kenmore washer. I added some images below that show how to access the lid lock/switch and the control so that you can replace that component yourself. UNPLUG the washer before accessing internal components. One you release the lid lock/switch assembly, you will need to open the console as shown in the bottom of the first image so that you can unplug the old harness and plug in the harness for the new lid lock/switch assembly. You can order parts from the

Sears PartsDirect

website. You may need to replace the strike on the bottom of the lid as well as the lid lock/switch mechanism. If you need more help, reply with additional details and the full model number of your washer.

If the washer was spinning, the lid will not unlock until the basket stops. You can normally cancel a cycle by pressing and holding the Start/Pause button for 3 deliberate seconds. If the lid is locked on the washer and will not unlock, then I recommend that you call Sears at 1-800-469-4663 (1-800-4MY-HOME). You will probably need to have a service technician visit your home and repair the washer.

I understand your frustration with the problem that you are having with this brand new Kenmore washer. This is an unusual failure. If you still want to return the washer, you can contact the store. We appreciate your loyalty to the Kenmore brand. I hope that we can resolve this problem and keep your business. If you need more help, reply with additional details and we will try to assist you further.

Thanks Mary. You could be correct. Charlie could have been asking how to completely disable that lid lock on his new washer. The lid lock may seem stupid but it is an important safety feature. It is a necessary "nuisance" that is required on the washer to guard against serious injury. I do not recommend that you attempt to disable this feature. I am sorry to hear that you don't like your new washer. Many of the newest models will have a lid lock. There are a few models that still have a lid switch that will simply stop the washer when the lid is opened. I provided a Sears.com link for one example of a Kenmore washer that fits this description. There may be a few of these machines left in your area. You may consider exchanging your washer for this model or a similar model. Let me know if you need more help.

Modfying the washer in this manner will void the warranty and can lead to serious injury.