Whirlpool washers have been built to run efficiently and reliably for many years with proper care and maintenance. Their error codes allow such maintenance to show what part of the washing machine has begun to fail.
If your trusty Whirlpool Cabrio washer has recently begun displaying a dL error code, you may be confused about the meaning of that code and what you should do about it. Don’t worry, though.
In this guide, we’ll explain why your Cabrio washing machine refuses to begin its wash cycle and the meaning of the dL error. We’ll also tell you how to deal with this error and the steps you should take to clear it.
Meaning of the DL Code on Washing Machine
Door lock sensor
Quite simply, a dL or dl code stands for “Door Lock”, which is an error code that your Caribo washing machine throws out when your washer’s central control unit fails to lock the door six consecutive times. And since the door isn’t properly closed, the machine won’t start its wash cycle.
Previously, old washers could keep working even if there was something wrong with them, and the owners would wake up with a floor drowning in water. Thankfully, washers nowadays don’t do that and display an error code in the hopes that you’ll promptly fix the problem before you continue using your Whirlpool washing machine.
Tip: A Whirlpool Duet washer may display the dl error code as F5E2, and other Whirlpool models may display F80, 82, 84, or 85. However, at the end of the day, regardless of the model number, the error codes all mean that there’s a door lock failure.
There are plenty of reasons that could lead your Whirlpool Cabrio washer’s door not to lock properly. The problem can be purely mechanical due to the lid lock assembly or a problem with your central control unit. You’ll find below all the possible causes of a dL code.
You Didn’t Close the Door
As basic as it may sound, people sometimes forget to close the washer’s door after they load it or think they closed it, but it turns out the lock didn’t catch on and was left open. The first thing you should do when you see the dL error code is to make sure you really closed the washer’s door.
Interference With the Door
Interference with door can cause DL code
This is the simplest and most common reason for a door not locking. If you overload your washer, whether by placing too many clothes or placing a single, bulky item, your door won’t close, and this error will pop up in your display.
To resolve this error, simply take out the items interfering with the door locking and making the washer overloaded, and your washer will work just fine.
Problem With the Door Lock Assembly
The door lock assembly consists of the door latch/bolt and the door strike, which is the part that the latch clicks into to close the washer’s door.
Out of Line Door Latch
If the door’s latch isn’t properly aligned with the lock, the latch won’t go into the lock, and the door won’t close. If you can, try to realign the door latch/bolt with its corresponding part, and if you can’t, then replace the defective part.
Broken Door Latch
Sometimes the door latch breaks over time due to mishandling. You could’ve closed the door too roughly, or something heavy could’ve fallen on it. Whatever the reason, the latch broke, and your washer’s door can no longer close.
Interference With the Lock
Occasionally, the door strike can become clogged with debris, stopping the latch from sinking into its intended place. The opposite can also happen, where the door bolt is unable to extend and reach the door strike due to detergent build-up on the bolt.
On rare occasions, the problem isn’t due to the door lock assembly but due to the washer’s control unit. The control unit is basically what manages and runs your machine. If anything happens to it, your Whirlpool washer will start to malfunction.
Main Control Can’t Detect a Locked Door
Sometimes, the control unit can’t detect that the door is in a locked state even if you can see it with your own two eyes.
This is mainly due to a communication failure between the control board and the lock door switch, which is supposed to tell your control unit that the door is shut.
If the connection between them has come undone due to the washer’s vibration or if either of these parts is defective, the locked door can’t be detected, and the dL code will flash on your display.
Main Control Detects an Open Door Switch
Here, the problem is the opposite. The control unit is trying to lock the door, but it’s getting another message from the open door switch, telling it the door is open. The mixed messages confuse the control unit and make it unable to determine if the door is locked or unlocked.
How to Clear the Error Code
Clearing the DL Code on the Whirlpool Cabrio Washer
To clear the error code, you should first check if the door of your Whirlpool Cabrio washer is actually closed, and if any objects are impeding the door or the lock bolt from locking in its place, make sure to get rid of such obstacles.
Once you’ve sorted everything out, reset and plug the washer and see if it starts. Provided it doesn’t, the latch is probably broken or misaligned, and you’ll need to repair or replace the door lock assembly.
If the lid lock assembly is whole and sound, unplug the washer from its power source and remove the control panel and any other panels blocking your view to the connections between the door switches and the main control unit. Then, reconnect any loose connections that you see while the washer is unplugged, plug in your washer and try to close the door again.
If the door fails to lock again despite all your efforts, check the door switches and the control unit with a multimeter to see which component is the problematic factor. If you don’t know how to do this part, leave it to the professionals and call an appliance repair company to send over a home appliance technician.
Final Words
Many things can go wrong with your Cabrio washer’s door, and seemingly unrelated things can cause a door lock problem. For example, a clogged drain pump or drain hose filter won’t allow a door to unlock, and detergent build-up during a new cycle can prevent the door from shutting.
That’s why it’s vital to understand how each part of your washer can affect the others and figure out the true meaning of the error codes that pop out.
The dL error code is thankfully one of the easier errors to deal with. However, if you’re totally lost about what to do, you can still call a certified appliance technician to help you with your washer or run appliance repair diagnostics.
