A Whirlpool top loader in Orange was pumping water out and filling at the same time, on its own, with nobody running a cycle. The main control board on the WTW4957PW0 had failed and was powering the water inlet valve and the drain pump together. I installed a new control board, part number W11608056, which put fill and drain back under cycle control.
Why does a Whirlpool washer fill and drain at the same time?
Because two outputs that are supposed to take turns are live at once: the water inlet valve and the drain pump. On a top load washer both of those are switched by the main control board, so the symptom is either a mechanical fault in one of those parts or a board that has lost control of them.
The first thing I look at is the drain hose. If the hose is pushed too deep into the standpipe or sits too low, the machine can siphon water out while it is filling, and the washer keeps adding water trying to reach level. Nothing electrical is wrong in that case, and the fix is hose height.
Next is the water inlet valve. The valve can fail partly open, usually from debris on the seat, and it will pass water any time the house supply is on, cycle or no cycle. The quick separator is power: if water still trickles in with the washer unplugged, the valve is passing on its own.
After that comes the water level sensor and its pressure hose. A pinched or clogged pressure hose makes the washer read an empty tub no matter how much water is in it, so it fills and fills, and on some cycles it will pump at the same time.
When the hose, the valve and the level sensor all check out, the board is what is left. That was the case on the Whirlpool WTW4957PW0 I worked on in Orange, where the control board was switching the valve and the pump together and was replaced the same visit.
What happens when a washer control board fails?
The board is the part that decides which component gets power and when, so a failure rarely looks like a dead machine. More often it looks like behavior that makes no sense: a washer that starts a cycle by itself, a motor that spins when it should agitate, lights that stay on after the lid opens, or water moving in both directions at once. Relay contacts on the board can weld shut from arcing, and a welded relay leaves a component energized permanently.
That is also why a board problem is worth confirming before ordering. Boards are matched to the model, and one wrong digit in the model number gets you a board that will not run the machine. Other cycle faults on these washers come from simpler parts, like the door latch on a Whirlpool washer, which stops a cycle without any strange water behavior.
What can you check yourself?
Shut off both water faucets behind the machine first. That stops the filling immediately and buys you time without doing any harm. Then look at where the drain hose enters the standpipe and how far down it goes, because a hose shoved in too far is the one cause on this list a homeowner can correct.
With the faucets back on, unplug the washer and watch the tub for ten minutes. Water still entering means the inlet valve is leaking through. No water entering means something is sending it power, and tracing that means working on the board side with the machine live, which is my job.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to keep using a Whirlpool washer that fills and drains by itself?
No. Leave it unplugged with the faucets closed until it is repaired. A washer that fills without control can overflow if the level sensor is also involved, and the drain pump running dry for long stretches will overheat and shorten its life. There is also the obvious waste, since the machine can run water continuously for hours while nobody is home.
Can I replace a washer control board myself?
The board sits behind the console and carries line voltage at the relays, including the terminals that feed the motor and the valve. Even unplugged, the console has to come apart in a specific order or the lid switch harness gets pulled. Beyond that, boards are model specific and most are non-returnable once the bag is opened, so an ordering mistake costs the full price of the part.
How long does a washer control board last?
Most run the life of the machine, ten years or more, since nothing on them moves except the relay contacts. What kills them early is water intrusion from a leaking inlet valve or a dripping supply hose above the console, and voltage surges on the house line. If a board fails inside the first few years, I look for the water path that caused it before fitting the replacement.
Book a repair
We repair washers throughout Orange and the surrounding Orange County cities. You can book a service visit with Cactus Appliance online or call us at (949) 544-5550.
