A Kenmore 110-series top-load washer that takes much longer than it used to has added time somewhere in the cycle, and the cause usually shows in what the machine does while the clock runs on. Because a 110 model is built by Whirlpool on the same platform as its top-loaders, the usual reasons apply: a slow fill, a slow drain, repeated attempts to balance the spin, extra rinsing because of suds and a cold water supply that delays a warm cycle.
The checks in more detail
Older mechanical timers also stretch if the water takes a long time to reach the level the timer waits for. Watch the fill first. If the washer takes several minutes to reach its level, the inlet screens on the back of the machine may be clogged with sediment, or one tap may not be fully open. Turn the water off, unscrew the hoses and look for debris in the small screens, rinse them and reconnect.
A cold winter supply and a low water heater setting also slow warm cycles. Then watch the drain. If water takes a long time to leave the tub, the drain hose may be kinked or the pump may be partly clogged, which lengthens each drain step. Look at the spin. If the washer stops and spins several times, the load is unbalanced; open the lid and redistribute the clothes, or wash a single heavy item with other laundry.
Suds also lengthen a cycle on machines that add rinses when they detect foam, so check the detergent dose and use less; Sud or Sd on the display confirms it. Overloading slows everything because the drum cannot move the clothes efficiently. If the cycle stays long after the fill, drain, load and detergent are corrected, a control or a water level switch that is slow to respond may be the cause, and a technician can test it. Note the cycle, the time it takes and the water temperature when you call.
Differential
Likely causes of “Kenmore 110-series top-load washer cycle takes too long or keeps adding time”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Clogged inlet screens
What separates it The fill takes many minutes
How to confirm Clean the screens
- 2
A slow drain
What separates it Water lingers after each drain step
How to confirm Check the hose and pump
- 3
An unbalanced load
What separates it The spin repeats
How to confirm Redistribute the clothes
- 4
Too much detergent
What separates it Sud or Sd and extra rinses
How to confirm Measure the dose
- 5
A water level switch or control fault
What separates it The cycle stays long after fixes
How to confirm Technician check
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- How long each stage takes compared with before
- How long the tub takes to fill
- How long the tub takes to drain
- The water temperature at the tap
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedTime each stage
ReversibleFill, wash, drain, spin.
Clean the inlet screens
ReversibleBehind the hoses.
Check the drain
ReversibleHose and pump.
Spread the load
ReversibleAvoid heavy items alone.
Cut the detergent
ReversibleMeasure the dose.
Call a technician
ReversibleIf it stays long.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Fill time
- The speed of the fill depends on the water pressure, the two taps and the small screens where the hoses meet the washer. Sediment in those screens is the commonest reason a washer that once filled in two minutes now takes six.
- Drain time
- Water leaves through the pump and the drain hose. A kinked hose, a hose pushed too far into the standpipe or a household drain that is slow all extend each drain step, and there are several drain steps in a cycle.
- Spin retries
- When the load is lopsided, the washer pauses, redistributes and spins again. Each retry can add a minute or more, and a heavy single item such as a blanket can cause several retries.
- Suds add rinses
- Washers that sense foam add rinse steps, which lengthens the cycle. The cure is a smaller dose of a suitable detergent, not a different washer.
- Cold water
- A cold supply makes a warm cycle slower because the washer must wait for the water to heat. Check the water heater setting if every warm cycle runs long in winter.
- Service
- If the times stay long after screens, hoses, loads and detergent are corrected, a technician can test the water level switch and the control. Give them the 110 model number from the label.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !Turn off the taps before removing the inlet hoses
- !Do not run a washer that overflows
- !Call a technician if the cycle stays long after the checks
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why is my Kenmore cycle so slow?+
A slow fill or drain, repeated spins or suds.
Are inlet screens important?+
Yes; sediment slows the fill.
Does cold water slow it?+
Yes, on warm settings the washer waits for the water to reach temperature.
Does overloading slow it?+
Yes, a packed drum balances and rinses slowly.
Can the timer be at fault?+
On older machines a worn timer can stretch the cycle, though water and drain problems are far commoner.
Is it a safety problem?+
No, a long cycle is an inconvenience, not a hazard.