Washing machine not heating up water
If the machine is completing cycles normally and laundry is coming out clean, the heater is almost certainly working. Most modern machines display an error code if the heater fails, and the cycle will abort. If you cannot feel heat through the door, this is usually down to insulation in the door glass and the small volume of water modern machines use – not a heater fault.
Not being able to feel heat through the washing machine door is the most common reason people suspect a heating fault – but it is also frequently not a fault at all. Understanding why heat is hard to detect helps separate a genuine heater problem from a normal characteristic of the machine.
Why You Often Cannot Feel the Heat
Insulated door glass
Most modern washing machine doors have an outer plastic cover that insulates the glass. Even when the water inside is hot, little heat transfers to the outer surface of the door.
Less water in the drum
Modern machines use far less water than older ones. The smaller volume means less warm water reaches and splashes against the door glass during the wash cycle.
Heating is brief
The water is only at its maximum temperature for a short period during the wash phase. By the time rinse cycles begin, the water temperature has already dropped significantly.
The heater is almost certainly working. Modern machines abort with an error code if the temperature does not rise within a set time. A machine completing its cycle normally and cleaning effectively has, by definition, heated the water. If laundry is not coming out clean, see our guide on washing not getting clean.
When Is a Genuine Heating Fault More Likely?
A real heater fault is more likely if the machine is producing an error code, aborting mid-cycle, or sticking indefinitely on the wash cycle. On older machines without digital displays or error codes, a failing heater would cause the machine to run the wash cycle for an unusually long time – the thermostat could not sense the temperature it was waiting for.
Modern machine symptoms of heater failureAn error code is displayed and the cycle aborts – the machine has detected that water temperature did not rise within the expected time. See our washing machine error codes guide.
Older machine symptoms of heater failureThe machine runs the wash cycle indefinitely without progressing. The thermostat is waiting for a temperature that never arrives. Other faults can cause this same symptom too.
How to Test the Heating Element
Testing with wires attached gives false readings. Never work on or near the heater with the machine connected to mains.
A heating element is tested with a multimeter set to the resistance (ohms) setting. Check across the two main heater terminals after disconnecting the wiring.
Element is good
A resistance reading of approximately 20 to 50 ohms across the two main terminals. The exact figure varies by element wattage and machine, but a reading in this range indicates a functional element.
Element has failed
An open circuit reading (no continuity) or a very high resistance value indicates the element has failed and needs replacing. Also test between each terminal and the element’s earth tag or metal body – there should be no continuity here. If there is, the element is shorting to earth.
Check the heater wiring and connections before testing the element itself. A broken wire or loose connector on the heater circuit is a much cheaper fix than a replacement element and should be ruled out first. Modern machines often have the heater at the front of the machine – see our guide on how to remove the heating element.
Thermal Overload Cutout (TOC)
If the element tests as functional, the fault may be a thermal overload cutout – a small safety fuse device positioned close to the element, sometimes built into it or pushed inside a small tube on the element body. Like a fuse, it is closed circuit when working and open circuit when tripped.
A TOC trips because the heater reached a dangerously high temperature – typically because it was energised with no water in the machine, or because of a control fault allowing overheating. If one has tripped, find out why before replacing it. Bypassing a safety device removes a critical protection.
Brand-Specific Anomalies: When Heater Faults Don’t Behave as Expected
Most modern washing machines produce a clear error code when the heater fails. However, a number of known exceptions exist where the expected behaviour does not occur.
On certain models, an open circuit heater or a broken connection on the heater circuit can cause the machine to stop completely – lights on, nothing else working – without producing an error code. This apparently contradicts the logic of the fault detection system. The same symptom can also be caused by a faulty door lock, faulty on/off switch, open circuit motor, or PCB fault – so the heater should not be assumed faulty without proper diagnosis.
The instruction manual for these models states: “If there is no detected rising water temperature over any continuous heating period of 10 minutes, the microprocessor will advance to the next part of the program. The user may be unaware that a fault exists unless they use a high-temperature program, in which case the deterioration in wash performance may be noticed.” These machines can complete a cycle apparently normally even with a failed heater.
Certain Zanussi models may fail to heat the water without producing an error code. If heating failure is suspected on a Zanussi, an engineer is needed to diagnose the cause – it could be the element, a sensor, or a connection fault.
A loose wire on the NTC temperature sensor fitted alongside the heater can cause the machine to complete cycles apparently normally without the heater operating – the control board is not receiving temperature readings and may not be activating the heater correctly. If the heater tests as functional and connections look intact, the NTC sensor and its wiring should be checked. See our guide on how to test an NTC thermistor.
On some machines, an element that fails part way through a wash cycle does not trigger an error code – the machine instead sticks at the last minute of the wash, or in some cases advances through the programme as if normal. If the machine consistently takes much longer than usual on the wash cycle or stalls at the same point, a mid-cycle heater fault is worth investigating.
Diagnostic Checklist
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Does the cycle complete in normal time and is laundry coming out clean? If yes, the heater is almost certainly working. -
Is an error code being displayed or the cycle aborting? If yes, look up the code – it will identify whether the heater circuit is implicated. See our error codes guide. -
Check all heater connections and wiring before testing the element itself. A broken wire or loose connector is a cheaper fix than an element replacement. -
Test the heating element with a multimeter across the two main terminals. 20 to 50 ohms indicates a functioning element. Open circuit indicates failure. -
Check the thermal overload cutout if the element tests as good. Look for a small component near or built into the element and test for continuity. -
Test the NTC thermistor and its wiring if all element-related tests pass. A faulty or disconnected NTC can prevent the heater activating without producing a clear error code.
Need a Qualified Engineer?
Heater faults that do not produce clear error codes, or where the element tests as functional, can be difficult to trace without specialist test equipment.
Related Guides
How to Remove the Heating ElementStep-by-step guide to accessing and removing the heater element for testing or replacement.
How to Test an NTC ThermistorHow to test the temperature sensor that controls when and how long the heater runs.
Washing Not Getting CleanIf poor wash results are the concern – not all cleaning failures are caused by heater faults.
Washing Machine Error CodesWhat error codes mean, their limitations, and how to look up codes for specific brands and models.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if my washing machine heater is actually working?
If the machine completes its wash cycle in the expected time and laundry comes out clean, the heater is almost certainly working. Modern machines abort with an error code if the temperature does not rise. A machine completing cycles normally and cleaning effectively has, by definition, achieved the programmed water temperature.
Why can’t I feel any heat through the washing machine door?
Most modern machines have an insulated outer door cover that prevents heat transferring to the surface. They also use much less water than older machines, so less warm water reaches the door glass. The water is only at maximum temperature for a short part of the cycle. All of these factors make it very difficult to feel heat through the door even when the machine is heating normally.
What resistance should a washing machine heating element measure?
A functioning element typically measures 20 to 50 ohms across its two main terminals, with the wiring disconnected. The exact figure depends on the element’s wattage. An open circuit reading (no continuity) indicates a failed element. There should also be no continuity between either terminal and the element’s earth tag or metal body.
My machine completes the cycle but laundry doesn’t seem clean – is the heater working?
Possibly, but poor cleaning is not always caused by heater failure. Other factors include incorrect detergent dosing, water hardness, overloading, and programme selection. Some Hotpoint models are known to advance through the programme even when the heater has not activated – completing the cycle apparently normally while not actually heating. If heating failure is specifically suspected, the element should be tested.
What is a thermal overload cutout and what does it do?
A thermal overload cutout is a safety fuse built into or mounted near the heater that trips open circuit if the element reaches a dangerously high temperature – typically from being energised without water. It prevents the element from overheating and causing a fire. If one has tripped, it should not simply be replaced without investigating why it tripped in the first place.
19 Comments
Grouped into 12 comment threads.
4 replies Hi there, great site- thanks for the effort you put in. I have a Samsung Ecobubble Washing machine, and it doesn't seem to be heating the water up, but has not produced an error code. All was working fine until it was moved downstairs last week, and the washing now comes out of the machine stone cold- to be expected if the last thing in the cycle is rinsing, but previously it came out warm? It doesn't seem to be cleaning very well, and I stopped the cycle a number of times yesterday and the washing was always cold inside the machine. It is connected to a proper cold fill supply. Everything inside the machine is pretty inaccessible. Do you have any bright ideas? Many thanks Larry
1 reply Checked connections also changed sensor (thermostat) still have problem stuck with 1min left. Any other ideas Thanks
Checked connections also changed sensor (thermostat) still have problem stuck with 1min left. Any other ideas Thanks
1 reply Check the continuity on the heating element Philip. An open circuit heating element is one of the causes for the bizarre 1 minute remaining problem.
1 reply My John Lewis washing machine not that old but out of warranty runs the complete cycle but all cycles are shorter than they should be, like 45% shorter so a 1 hr cycle takes 35minutes or so. Appreciate any thoughts on this.
My John Lewis washing machine not that old but out of warranty runs the complete cycle but all cycles are shorter than they should be, like 45% shorter so a 1 hr cycle takes 35minutes or so. Appreciate any thoughts on this.
0 replies Not heating to the required temperature is not a common complaint, washing machines tend to either not heat at all, or overheat, plus it's hard to know what temperature a wash cycle is heating up to in order to say it's not the right temperature. If one was heating up but not getting quite hot enough maybe the temperature sensor is faulty but they tend t either work, or not.
Not heating to the required temperature is not a common complaint, washing machines tend to either not heat at all, or overheat, plus it’s hard to know what temperature a wash cycle is heating up to in order to say it’s not the right temperature. If one was heating up but not getting quite hot enough maybe the temperature sensor is faulty but they tend t either work, or not.
0 replies Hi. I have a Bosch WAA24167GB on which, typically, the guarantee has JUST expired. I have noticed over the last week that the water is not heating up to the required temp on the Cottons settings. Although it seems to work on the Easy Care settings! Apart from telling me to use the easy care side, what do you think the problem is ? Much appreciate your help in this matter.
Hi. I have a Bosch WAA24167GB on which, typically, the guarantee has JUST expired. I have noticed over the last week that the water is not heating up to the required temp on the Cottons settings. Although it seems to work on the Easy Care settings! Apart from telling me to use the easy care side, what do you think the problem is ?
Much appreciate your help in this matter.
0 replies Hi, great article! I today experienced this problem, on my Hoover washer-dryer that is 1,5 years old: The Missus was washing towels, apparently with a fair amount of detergent. Foam came out of the bottom of the machine, so I opened the back of the machine to check for water and possoble leakage. Then I noticed that one of the wires to the heater was completely loose, dangling about 10 cm from where it should be. I of course don't know how long it's been loose. (Could it possibly have slid off if the bottom of the machine got full of foam today?? That sound strange, but the wire felt a bit wet and the metal looked slightly brown. Could there have been a short circuit that made the wire fly off?). Anyway, the strange thing is that the machine has not given any error code and it seems to wash as normal when it comes to how long the cycles are). Another thing; we haven't noticed that the dryer function would not work (I haven't tried it today, though). So I wonder: is there a separate heater for the dryer? Cheers, Per Update! I checked the loose heater wire again. Apparently it was not wet, but the plastic/rubber coating of the wire was had "bubbles" like it has, at some point, been over-heating! Could that happen if it has been slowly sliding off the heater, and at some point has had very little contact with it?
Hi, great article!
I today experienced this problem, on my Hoover washer-dryer that is 1,5 years old:
The Missus was washing towels, apparently with a fair amount of detergent. Foam came out of the bottom of the machine, so I opened the back of the machine to check for water and possoble leakage.
Then I noticed that one of the wires to the heater was completely loose, dangling about 10 cm from where it should be.
I of course don’t know how long it’s been loose. (Could it possibly have slid off if the bottom of the machine got full of foam today?? That sound strange, but the wire felt a bit wet and the metal looked slightly brown. Could there have been a short circuit that made the wire fly off?).
Anyway, the strange thing is that the machine has not given any error code and it seems to wash as normal when it comes to how long the cycles are).
Another thing; we haven’t noticed that the dryer function would not work (I haven’t tried it today, though). So I wonder: is there a separate heater for the dryer?
Cheers, Per
Update! I checked the loose heater wire again. Apparently it was not wet, but the plastic/rubber coating of the wire was had “bubbles” like it has, at some point, been over-heating!
Could that happen if it has been slowly sliding off the heater, and at some point has had very little contact with it?
0 replies Check connections, I had one person report that one of the wires going into the sensor next to or on the heater came away when gently tugged and fixing that connection cured his fault. Other than that there's not much else you can check.
Check connections, I had one person report that one of the wires going into the sensor next to or on the heater came away when gently tugged and fixing that connection cured his fault. Other than that there’s not much else you can check.
0 replies I have a siemens XL1400 which seems not to be heating on any cycle, but also stays on 1min left indefinitely heating element checks out o k any ideas.
I have a siemens XL1400 which seems not to be heating on any cycle, but also stays on 1min left indefinitely heating element checks out o k any ideas.
0 replies If the switch has been very stiff but now it is very free, unless it is somehow just freed itself off something could have broken inside. But presumably if there is a fault the temperature should no longer be able to be selected? If the washing machine appears to work okay it would imply there is no problem now. Make sure it isn't the control knob that's broken though and is no longer turning the shaft of the control.
If the switch has been very stiff but now it is very free, unless it is somehow just freed itself off something could have broken inside. But presumably if there is a fault the temperature should no longer be able to be selected? If the washing machine appears to work okay it would imply there is no problem now. Make sure it isn’t the control knob that’s broken though and is no longer turning the shaft of the control.
0 replies Our ZANUSSI ESSENTIAL 6gh washing machine, we think has a fault with the temperature switch. The switch has been very difficult to move, but now we can turn it all the way round without any problem, we are wondering if the switch has now developed a fault. Thank you JB Hibberd
Our ZANUSSI ESSENTIAL 6gh washing machine, we think has a fault with the temperature switch.
The switch has been very difficult to move, but now we can turn it all the way round without any problem, we are wondering if the switch has now developed a fault.
Thank you JB Hibberd
0 replies I would expect the water to be cold at those times on a normal wash though a 55 minute wash is very quick, and not likely to heat up much. Also only useful for lightly soiled laundry, totally unsuitable for dirty laundry or laundry with stains. It's cold from the start, and will only get warm after 10 or more mins of heating up the water then as soon as it reaches temperature it's likely to pump away the water and fill with clod, drain, then fill with cold again. As washers don;t use much water these days there's very little water gets splashed up the door glass so that tends to feel cold too. Try in on a boil wash (no need to put any laundry in). You should be able to detect some heat after half an hour or so.
I would expect the water to be cold at those times on a normal wash though a 55 minute wash is very quick, and not likely to heat up much. Also only useful for lightly soiled laundry, totally unsuitable for dirty laundry or laundry with stains. It’s cold from the start, and will only get warm after 10 or more mins of heating up the water then as soon as it reaches temperature it’s likely to pump away the water and fill with clod, drain, then fill with cold again. As washers don;t use much water these days there’s very little water gets splashed up the door glass so that tends to feel cold too.
Try in on a boil wash (no need to put any laundry in). You should be able to detect some heat after half an hour or so.
Hi there, great site- thanks for the effort you put in.
I have a Samsung Ecobubble Washing machine, and it doesn’t seem to be heating the water up, but has not produced an error code.
All was working fine until it was moved downstairs last week, and the washing now comes out of the machine stone cold- to be expected if the last thing in the cycle is rinsing, but previously it came out warm?
It doesn’t seem to be cleaning very well, and I stopped the cycle a number of times yesterday and the washing was always cold inside the machine.
It is connected to a proper cold fill supply. Everything inside the machine is pretty inaccessible.
Do you have any bright ideas?
Many thanks
Larry
Likely replying to Larry
Thanks Larry. Washing should come out of the machine stone cold because it should have gone through three or four rinses in stone cold water. It should never come out warm, although in hot weather laundry would not be particularly cold because the cold water would be a little bit warmer. If it previously came out warm there is the possibility it was inadvertently connected to a hot water tap although it could possibly just be that water upstairs is a bit warmer than downstairs.
Read my article here about should the laundry come out warm or cold?
Having said that this shouldn’t affect whether the heater works or not. This particular article covers all the possibilities of whether the heater is working or not. If it washes normally cleans the clothes then it ought to be heating up okay because if the heater doesn’t work it should produce an error, or stick. There are some anomalies which are also mentioned but if these are relevant you would need an engineer to sort it.
Likely replying to Andy Trigg (Whitegoodshelp)
Hi Andy, many thanks for your long and thoughtful reply.
All good points and taken on board; however, I am still puzzled with the fact the washing used to come out substantially warmer than it does now. The machine is cold fill only, and was previously also (we believe) connected to the mains water cold supply, so temperature should be similar. The kitchen it was previously in has now been stripped out, so I can’t check if there was a warm connection that it was inadvertently connected to.
The ‘smoking gun’ however is the fact that I stopped the cycle yesterday 3 times, and the washing was always cold- it was supposed to be a 40C wash, which can’t be right?
Thanks
Larry
Likely replying to Larry
Hello Larry. If it used to come out substantially warmer then the only explanation is that it was rinsing in warm water. The heater is not used during rinses. I have seen many cases where machines have been plumbed in to the hot supply by mistake, sometimes even with cold tap’s with the blue cold water indicator but plumbed into the hot supply so that it looks like a cold tap but it’s actually hot. Normally though such a mess connection would cause excessive creases in laundry and even shrinkage of delicate items.
There are many places in the wash cycle where the water is in warm. On a two-hour 40° wash cycle it might only be warm between say, 20 minutes and 40 minutes for example. If the heater isn’t working in your machine it should timeout on heat and abort. There are some anomalies that stop this from happening but they usually cause the machine to stick on a wash for a very long time.
Does the washing machine take a normal amount of time to wash and is the laundry clean?
Hi Andy
I tend to agree with your idea about the hot water feed, that can be the only solution. The machine seems to be working properly and clothes appear clean, although some serious staining remains on whites where we may have expected better performance.
As an example, the 55min Daily Wash from yesterday with 2 rinses:
Door opened at 40mins left, washing cold, Door opened at 25mins left, washing cold
I may try a very hot wash and then stop the cycle to see what happens?
Larry