If a Kenmore 110 washer does not fill, the top-loader's Kenmore guide lists the checks: both hoses must be attached with water flowing to the inlet valve, both hot and cold faucets must be on, the inlet valve screens must not be clogged and the hoses must not be kinked; the electrical supply must be a grounded 3-prong outlet with no extension cord and the breaker reset; and the lid must be closed. A wash light that stays on means the washer was unable to fill appropriately. Whirlpool's own front-load table for the builder gives F8 E1 or LO FL for low water flow (faucets on, hoses not kinked, no anti-flood devices) and its articles say to clean the inlet screens on the back of the inlet valve.
Differential
Likely causes of “Kenmore 110-series front-load washer will not fill with water or fills too slowly”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Faucets off or hoses kinked
What separates it F8 E1 or LO FL shows because the faucets are off or the hoses are kinked
How to confirm Open both faucets fully and straighten the hoses
- 2
Clogged inlet screens
What separates it The fill is slow because the inlet screens are clogged
How to confirm Clean the screens at the back of the inlet valve
- 3
Anti-flood devices
What separates it The flow is reduced because anti flood devices are in the line
How to confirm Connect directly to the supply, without the anti flood devices
- 4
The lid open (top-loader)
What separates it The washer will not start or fill because the lid is open on a top loader
How to confirm Close the lid, and then start the cycle
- 5
Top-loader (110-series HE, Water Level knob): the water supply is restricted
What separates it The wash light stays on and the washer stops working because it could not fill
How to confirm Check that both hot and cold faucets are on and the inlet hoses are not kinked
- 6
Top-loader (110-series HE, Water Level knob): a clogged inlet valve screen
What separates it Very little water enters even though both faucets are open
How to confirm Clean the inlet valve screens on the washer
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether the wash light stays on
- Whether anti flood devices are fitted to the hoses
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedOpen the faucets
ReversibleOpen the faucets, and make sure that both are fully open, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Straighten the hoses
ReversibleStraighten the hoses, and connect hot, red, to hot and cold, blue, to cold, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Clean the screens
ReversibleClean the screens, by removing the hoses and brushing the inlet valve screens, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Remove anti-flood devices
ReversibleRemove anti flood devices, since a direct connection gives optimum performance, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Clear the code
ReversibleClear the code, by pressing Pause or Cancel twice and Power once, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check the supply
ReversibleBoth hoses must be attached and have water flowing to the inlet valve, and both hot and cold faucets must be turned on. Check for kinks in the hoses, which can restrict water flow, and confirm the hot and cold inlet hoses are not reversed.
Clean the screens
ReversibleInlet valve screens can become clogged. Turn off the faucets, remove the hoses, take out the screens, rinse or descale them, and reinstall before reconnecting the hoses. If the wash light stays on after the water supply is confirmed, note the light and call service.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Water supply basics
- Both hot and cold hoses must be attached and have water flowing to the inlet valve for the washer to operate correctly, and the inlet valve screens can clog from mineral build-up or debris. A hose that looks fine can still be restricted, so run water through it at a sink with the hose off the washer and replace it if the stream is weak.
- Auto Water Level
- Kenmore says the front-loader's Auto Water Level feature adjusts to the size of the load so the washer uses the minimal amount of water needed to clean and rinse. A low, quick fill on a small load is that feature working, while F8 E1 or a wash light that stays on is the real low-flow fault.
- Front-loader guide: F20 and the fill checks
- Kenmore's own 110.4996x guide lists F20 as a water inlet problem, meaning no water or too little. Press STOP twice to cancel the cycle, unplug the washer or disconnect power, then check that both faucets are fully open, that the screens at the inlet hose connection are not clogged and that the inlet hoses are neither kinked nor frozen. Plug in, re-select the cycle and press START; if F20 remains, the guide says to call for service. For a washer that will not fill, wash or rinse it adds the plug, power at the outlet and the valve screens: shut off the water, remove the hoses, clear any film or particles from the screens, refit the hoses and check for leaks. This front-loader's own guide uses F20, F21 and F22, not the F-and-E pairs in Whirlpool's table for the builder's later platform.
- Fill checks
- The lid must be closed for the washer to fill and run. If the Water Level knob is set to Deep Fill the tub fills to the maximum and takes longer. The washer fills in stages: partial fill for sensing, then a fill to the level for the detected load.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the 110-series top-load washer.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the fill error returns after clearing the supply, call Kenmore on 1-800-4-MY-HOME
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Kenmore's own guide for the 110 front-loader in full: the pages that carry the troubleshooting, care and cleaning sections are images, so they were read by text recognition and checked against the printed page.
Whirlpool's own table of front-load washer codes, used for the builder's front-load platform.
Exact questions
Common questions
What does the wash light staying on mean (top-loader)?+
The washer was unable to fill appropriately.
Should I use flood-safe hoses?+
No; they can reduce pressure and flow.
Can the lid stop the fill?+
Yes; the top-loader will not fill with the lid open.
Are the screens cleanable?+
Yes, with a brush and mild soap, without removing them.
Why does the wash light stay on?+
It indicates the washer was unable to fill appropriately.
Do both faucets need to be on?+
Yes, both hot and cold must be fully on.