Give the water a clear way out
- Whirlpool describes F21 as a drain problem with draining taking longer than expected. Maytag also identifies F21 as a drain problem.
- For a Whirlpool front loader, begin with the external drain path and your detergent type and dose.
- Both brands offer a power reset that sometimes helps. Use the brand-specific instructions below, then the service handoff if the problem remains.
If you're looking at the display and wondering whether to reset it immediately, we'd check the hose first. Whirlpool calls for a straight, unobstructed drain path to allow adequate water flow, so that check addresses a physical reason water could be having trouble leaving your washer.
Use F21 to focus your attention on draining. Whirlpool's F21 explanation (opens in a new tab) describes the condition as a longer-than-expected drain time; that doesn't identify a failed component by itself. The useful next decision is whether the external path or detergent needs attention before you try resetting the control.
Check the hose and its outlet
Look along your Whirlpool washer's drain hose for kinks. Straighten a kinked hose so water has adequate flow. This check concerns the hose's shape: a section that's bent out of shape needs attention even before you consider whether there's a clog inside the drain path.
Next, check for blockages in the hose and at the drainpipe or utility sink receiving the water. Remove any blockage in that external route. Whirlpool's drain-path checks (opens in a new tab) include all three locations, so checking the hose also means paying attention to where it empties.
A kink and a clog call for different corrections. Straightening changes the hose's shape; clearing a blockage opens the obstructed path. If the hose is already straight, the drainpipe or utility sink still belongs in your check, because the hose is only one part of the route Whirlpool asks you to inspect.
The hose needs its form and secure placement
Look at how the drain hose is supported as well as whether it's clear. For this Whirlpool guidance, use the U-shaped drain hose form and secure the hose. Those are separate parts of the check: the hose should have its form in place and be secured.
Follow your washer's installation instructions for the details of the form and securing arrangement. Whirlpool's draining guidance (opens in a new tab) directs you to those instructions alongside its hose checks. Use the instructions for your washer when deciding how the existing arrangement should look.
This gives you two things to assess about the external path: its condition and its setup. An unobstructed hose answers the first question; the form and secure placement answer the second. Whirlpool includes both in its guidance for a washer that's having trouble draining.
HE detergent still needs a measured dose
Check the container you've been pouring from. Whirlpool requires only HE, or high-efficiency, detergent in its front-load F21 guidance. Non-HE detergent can produce excessive suds, so detergent type is a practical troubleshooting check even though the displayed code points you toward water removal.
Check quantity separately from type. More than the detergent manufacturer's recommended amount can also create excessive suds, including when you're using HE detergent. Having the right detergent and using the right amount are two different requirements; the HE label answers only the first.
Always measure detergent and follow its manufacturer's directions for the amount to use. Compare the amount you've been adding with those directions, rather than relying on the fact that you've chosen an HE product. The dose check is about your measured amount, not just the wording on the container.
Too many suds can contribute to leaking, drainage concerns and poor rinsing. Those are the consequences behind Whirlpool's HE detergent and dose requirements (opens in a new tab). Checking detergent therefore addresses more than the amount of foam in the wash.
Excess suds can sometimes stop the washer from pumping water and spinning, as explained in Whirlpool's draining and spinning guidance (opens in a new tab). That's why detergent belongs in this drain-problem check even when the external hose looks fine.
When Whirlpool's Pause/Cancel doesn't work
Whirlpool says resetting the washer control can sometimes solve the issue. Its F21 reset guidance (opens in a new tab) describes cycling power to the control. The purpose of this action is to reset that control after the drain-path and detergent checks.
If Pause/Cancel doesn't work, follow this Whirlpool restart sequence (opens in a new tab). Keep that condition attached to these steps: this is the restart Whirlpool gives for an unsuccessful Pause/Cancel attempt.
- Unplug the washer or disconnect its power for five minutes. Leave it disconnected for that full interval.
- Plug the washer back in or reconnect its power. The power connection should now be restored.
- Reselect the cycle and press Start. Watch the display as you restart the selected cycle.
The final step matters because this sequence includes restarting your selected cycle after reconnecting power. Once you've done that, the display gives you the next decision point: whether the error remains after you've checked the listed conditions.
If your washer is a Maytag
Use Maytag's front-load F21 guidance (opens in a new tab) for a Maytag washer. It identifies F21 as a drain problem and recommends cycling power to reset the washer control.
Disconnect your Maytag washer from its power source for five minutes, then reconnect it. If it plugs into an outlet, unplug it for that interval and plug it back in afterward. The five-minute interval is part of Maytag's control-reset procedure.
Maytag describes resetting as something that sometimes solves the issue. That makes this a troubleshooting attempt with a result to assess afterward: whether you still need help with the washer.
The error remains after your checks
For Whirlpool, the stopping point is an error that remains on the display after all the listed conditions have been checked. If that's what you're seeing, call for service. You're at the service stage of Whirlpool's F21 guidance.
To arrange help, use the contact or appointment options on Whirlpool's US F21 support page (opens in a new tab). You can contact Whirlpool or make an appliance service appointment through its preferred list of service providers.
For Maytag, contact the manufacturer or schedule service if you still need help after the reset. Maytag's US F21 support page (opens in a new tab) provides contact and appointment options, including its preferred service providers.
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