I’m trying to fix a broken washing machine for which I do not know the history. It simply had a note on it: “filter needs cleaning”. The cap to access the filter was jammed by a maxi pad that got tangled with the cap arms, which I was able to clear by removing the drain pump.

So then I tried to run a program. All programs fail, even just the spin program. It pauses, then the end program light (“Einde-Fin”) LED blinks. The machine is undocumented (no user manual nor service manual), but often a soft-reset (of sorts) is a matter of holding down start/pause for 3 seconds, which I did. That gets it back into the initial power-on state, but from there every program I start goes to the fault state.

Various videos for repairing other Beko models show entry into diagnostic mode by holding the start button while turning the knob from OFF to COTTON (the first program). When I do that, it seems to give an error code (guessing!) This is in the top pic. Then after a few seconds, it goes what lower pic shows, but with the Fin LED blinking.

I am guessing that the ~3 second display is showing an error code and that it’s in binary. The top LED (1400) is lit as well as the 4th one down (a fill icon). Does that correspond to binary number 1001? Can I then assume it’s error code 9?

Can I then leap to the next assumption that error code 9 is a door latch problem? I get the impression that Beko error codes are relatively consistent across models, and one video for a different model indicates error code 9 is the door latch. Is there a way to test that without buying a door latch? I would be happy to hack it to get a false signal that the door is latched certainly just to test the machine but perhaps even on a permanent basis because no kids live here.

Seems unlikely that the machine would simultaneously have 2 problems. Whoever dumped the machine only knew of the filter problem. So I also wonder if error code 9 is really a drain fault and the machine is trapped permanently in that state as it waits for a secret sequence of steps to clear it (in which case I’m fucked because Beko will not disclose that info unless I take a hostage and even then it would have to be the CEO).

  • diyrebel@lemmy.dbzer0.comOPEnglish
    5·
    1 day ago

    Is there any noise to speak of, like the door lock clicking?

    No noise. It’s completely silent (which suggests it may be just trapped in a stored error state). So I disconnected the garden hose because if it does not even trigger the water inlet solenoids then it does not help to maintain water pressure for future tests.

    User manual seems to be pretty readily available online,

    I’ll have another look, but I generally ignore the dedicated third-party manual websites as they are just time-wasting Cloudflare-enshitified rabbit holes. If I am convinced a service manual is in one of those walled gardens, I might go through all the boot licking hoops and do a dance to get it.

    In any case, I appreciate your feedback.

    (edit) i was able to get a user manual for a WMB 51221s from storage.beko.co.uk. It’s just a user manual and for a different model, but it might help in some ways. I have heard that there are WMB 7 series, 8 series, 9 series, etc, which I am guessing is marked by the first digit in the model number. So perhaps the manual is at least close to another model in the same “5” series.

    (edit2) ah, shit, now I recall from videos that there is a huge variation between WMB 5xxxx machines. Some have an LCD and some are just LEDs and knobs. I have no idea what models might be close to mine. There are many more manuals on archive.org than what is even known to Beko’s websites, but no model numbers are numarically close to 51420. Model wmb 51241 has an LCD.