How to Fix a Pressure Switch for a Washer With Filling Issues

The water level pressure switch controls the water level in the washer. If it fails, your tub may overflow or not fill up at all, as the switch cannot accurately monitor the water inside the washer.

What is the Pressure Switch?

The water level pressure switch signals to your washer whether it is sufficiently filled or empty. As the tub fills up with water, air pushes up the air dome tube and actuates the pressure switch when the tub is full. The switch then closes the water inlet valves and notifies the electronic control board that the washer can begin agitating.

Where is the Pressure Switch?

It is commonly found behind the control panel and will have a hose or air dome tube that connects it to the tub.

How to Access, Remove, and Inspect the Pressure Switch

1. As with all repairs, begin by unplugging your washer. If you have a gas washer, shut off the gas supply and disconnect the gas lines.
2. Additionally, be sure to turn off your hot and cold water supplies.
3. Shift your washer away from the laundry room wall.
4. Place a towel underneath the hose connection to catch any water that leaks out.
5. Loosen the metal fittings on the hoses, both at the back of the washer and at the faucets, with hose pliers.
6. Loosen any screws securing the console and rotate it toward the back of the washer.
7. In the console, disconnect the pressure switch wire connector.
8. Release the switch from its slot after removing any mounting screws securing it.
9. Remove the rear panel of the washer.
10. Pull the pressure switch tube off the tub port. It may be secured by a clamp or a retaining wire.
11. Remove the top panel of the washer using a putty knife.
12. Remove the tube from any other fittings it is secured to and pull the pressure switch and air dome tube from the washer.
13. Inspect the tube for kinks or damage of any kind and clean it using a pipe cleaner if it is clogged with debris.
14. Inspect the pressure switch for cracks.

How to Test the Pressure Switch

1. Set your multimeter to read in ohms on the lowest setting (some devices call this mode RX1 or X1). If your multimeter has a setting that tests for continuity by making a sound, you may set it to that as well.
2. If you have an analog multimeter, calibrate the meter by pinching the probes together while adjusting the needle to read 0.
3. Locate the wires leading to the terminals of the switch and disconnect them from the terminals (this can usually be done by disengaging a wire plug, but if they are connected in another way, label them for position before disconnecting) – the water level switch has 3 terminals and should be tested in pairs.
4. Touch the probes to wire terminals 1 and 2 and check the reading – it should either be infinity or 0. Alternatively, listen for a sound.
5. Touch the probes to wire terminals 1 and 3 and check the reading – it should either be infinity or 0. Alternatively, listen for a sound.
6. Touch the probes to wire terminals 2 and 3 and check the reading – it should either be infinity or 0. Alternatively, listen for a sound.

What results did you get? Two of the pairs should have no continuity and one should have continuity.

7. Connect the air dome tube to the switch and blow gently into the tube, listening for a clicking sound.
8. Blow into the tube and retest the terminals for continuity using the same sequence detailed above (1 and 2, then 1 and 3, then 2 and 3).

The pairs that showed no continuity in the first round of testing should show continuity in the second round when you test it while blowing into the tube. Differing results indicate that your pressure switch is faulty and needs to be replaced.

How to Install a New Pressure Switch

1. Reattach the new air dome tube to the tub port and replace its respective fittings.
2. Replace the top panel of the washer.
3. Snap the new switch into place and reattach any mounting screws it may have.
4. Reconnect the wire harness to the new switch.
5. Reposition the rear panel and the console panel.
6. Reconnect the inlet hoses to the washer and the water supplies.
7. Push the washer back into position.

Next: Troubleshooting the Timer

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