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Whirlpool · Washer · Error code F21

Whirlpool washer F21 error code

likely causes and what to check

What it means

F21 means the washer took too long to drain. The control expected an empty tub within about 8 minutes and didn't get one, so it stopped and put the code on the display.

It usually shows up mid-cycle with water still standing in the drum. That water is the clue — how fast it leaves tells you which cause you are chasing.

Likely causes, ranked

  1. Drain filter cloggedthe most common cause of an F21 — lint, coins and small garments collect in the filter pocket
  2. Drain hose kinked or blockeda restricted hose slows the pump no matter how healthy it is
  3. Drain pump failinga worn impeller can spin and still move too little water
  4. Excess sudsnon-HE detergent foams the pump and fakes a drain fault
  5. Pressure switch or its air hosea blocked air hose leaves the control blind to the water level

Ranked for this washer in general. Answer three questions inside a case and the list gets shorter.

Verdict, in general terms

In most cases an F21 is a $0 filter fix or a $25–$60 pump, and the washer is worth keeping. Even a 10-year-old machine with a new pump costs less than any replacement.

The checks, in order

4 checks

  1. Check 1 — Pull the drain filter

    5 minutes · no tools — a towel and a shallow pan

    This eliminates: clogged filter, lost items in the sump.

    The step-by-step opens inside a case.

  2. Check 2 — Follow the drain hose

    5 minutes · no tools

    This eliminates: kinked or blocked hose.

    The step-by-step opens inside a case.

  3. Check 3 — Listen to the pump during a drain and spin

    5 minutes · no tools

    This eliminates: silent pump (electrical) versus humming pump (mechanical).

    The step-by-step opens inside a case.

  4. Check 4 — Spin the pump impeller by hand

    15 minutes · one screwdriver

    This eliminates: seized or damaged impeller.

    The step-by-step opens inside a case.

Stuck, or want a person?

Ty Fletcher answers a Second Opinion by email within 24 hours — 10 years of construction and maintenance, not a licensed technician. You send photos and the model plate; the answer names the next thing to do, or the stop line.

Get a Second Opinion — $49One payment. Answered by email.

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