Washing machine problems can be a bit frustrating sometimes, especially when the washing tank is full of water. However, you don’t need to panic whenever you experience any washing machine auto-lock issue because the problem can be solved with some effective tricks and techniques.
Simple Steps To Unlock Your Samsung Washer
- First, set out towels under the machine if it’s still at mid-cycle, and in case it has stopped working or you’re trying to open the door mid-cycle, set about five dry towels under the washer’s door. This is to soak up any water that may spill over when you open the door.
- Put a large pan or short bowl in front of the door. If you have plenty of water in your washer, this is like a backup plan in case the towels are not enough.
- Locate the drain hose and pill it out, this should empty the water content in the drum. Now disconnect the hose from your washing machine by unscrewing/turning it counterclockwise, or you can simply pull it out of the seal.
- You can also drain the water through the filter if your machine has one. If you have a filter, take the cover off with a flathead screwdriver or by hand (if you can). Now Raise your machine up and place a bucket underneath it. Reach carefully into the opening (that is where the cover is located) and find the cap for your filter.
- Turn it counterclockwise by hand to lose up the filter; this will let the water flow out directly into the bucket. Be careful to not place your hands or feet under the machine while it’s up. You can use hardwood or brick to raise the machine up.
Finally, you can prepare a cord with a diameter of about 5 millimeters and 25 centimeters in length; this should be equal to the circumference of the machine door.
Carefully push the string into the space between the door and the body (if necessary, you can use a screwdriver or other similar tool). Slowly pull out both ends of the cord; this should give some opening opportunity to gently force the door open.
Why Is My Samsung Washing Machine Difficult To Open?
If the machine door after washing does not open for the first and second time, leave it and don’t try to brute-force it open as doing that increases the pressure and force applied to your washer thereby damaging them.
Such an approach will only exacerbate the situation and add a broken lock or a torn door to the lock. It is more productive to understand the reasons for this situation, which can be one of these five:
Standard Automatic Lockout
It might be a standard automatic lockout during machine operation; this is a minor auto-lock issue, just leave it for at least 5 to 10 minutes, and the door will open up on its own.
Defective Locking
Defective Locking could also be the possible reason, the door may be jammed up due to natural wear and tear, inaccurate tank loading/unloading, or sudden opening of the door, and any of these will negatively affect the locking mechanism.
Blocked Or Defective Hose
There could also be a Blockage in your machine’s drain hose, this occurs when water is not drained from the tank, so the system does not provide an unlock signal. Even if the cycle is complete. There’s also a child lock special protection mode that can be activated randomly by your washer.
Bad Handle
Often, the desire to quickly open the hatch door ends with a damaged handle and a broken latch. This is how the machine will respond to attempts to force and bypass the lock. For those who have not calculated its power, an alternative option is offered to open the washing machine.
Quick Fixes for a Samsung Washing Machine that Won’t Open
First of all, you need to reduce the heat, there is a possibility that the machine did not cool down after the previous wash cycle, and someone was in a hurry to continue washing as soon as possible and forgot to automatically close the door. This measure is a standard safety requirement that all front-loading washing machines are programmed to have, and Samsung is no exception.
It takes about 1-2 minutes for your washer’s drum to come to a complete stop, the water should be drained, and the system will display a green light to open the door afterward.
If the specified time has passed and the machine is still not opening, we disconnect the washing machine from the main power socket and let it rest for about an hour. The machine could respond by blocking sudden changes in voltage, a hitch in the water supply, or a slight blackout in the apartment. In about an hour, the washer’s system will reset and open the door lock.
It should be noted that the described methods below are only suitable for unlocking the machine with an empty tank.
Panel Lock
Waiting for the child protection mode to self-troubleshoot doesn’t bring results; you need to pay close attention to the control panel. Almost all modern Samsung washers are equipped with a child lock option, which is activated by just simultaneously pressing two buttons. Each model has its combo, but it consists of “Rinse” and “Temperature” most of the time.
You can find the instructions in the corresponding section of the product manual or carefully examine the machine; check for any “lock” buttons. It was effectively placed there to troubleshoot auto-lock issues, just simultaneously press the keys and hold them for 20 seconds. Then your washer’s door should open without difficulty.
All the methods described will only “work” when you have an empty washer. Let’s now discuss what to do if you have a filled-up washing drum and you’re confused about how to solve the problem.
Complex Troubleshooting Techniques
When the door is locked at the end of a washing cycle, and the washing drum is still filled up, then you need to check your washer’s drainage system.
First, try to activate the default “Spin” or “Rinse” mode,
On every Samsung model, there is an emergency washer opening, check for any special handle that is painted in intense red or orange. It is often located near the filter, behind a rectangular panel in the lower right corner of the unit. Pull it slowly enough to release the door latch.
Using The Emergency Door Cable
Using the emergency output cable can get your apartment flooded due to the rate of liquid content that’ll be discharged from your washing machine, and for those who couldn’t find the emergency unlock cable, we recommend using the below methods:
- Disconnect the washing machine from its power unit
- Remove the top cover of the machine
- Now try to tilt the machine till there’s a little opening
- Inspect the open locking mechanism and if the door is still locked, it’s best to locate the product manual and read up on any additional emergency measures.
There is no need to panic or troubleshoot the issue by force. The main thing is to be calm and consistently perform all the methods we’ve discussed. You should also note that all the techniques we’ve described here can be executed independently, but hiring a technician to sort out the problem will be faster and easier for you.
Do I Need To Consult A Technician?
The good news is that you don’t need to call a technician to unlock your Samsung washing machine. The issue relating to auto-lock is just from the built-in protection mechanism, a system “glitch” or a small blockage, which can easily be eliminated without any help. It is not difficult to troubleshoot this problem yourself, and the instructions here should be able to help you unlock your Samsung washer.