Garmin Forerunner F25 Fix (It’s Actually a Whirlpool Washer F25 Error)

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What This Error Means

F25 means the washer can’t read the motor speed — it’s a drive motor tachometer error.

In plain English: the control board can’t tell how fast the drum is spinning, thinks something’s wrong, and kills the cycle.

If you searched this as “Garmin Forerunner F25 fix”, that’s just the internet messing with you. Garmin watches don’t use an F25 code; this one belongs to Whirlpool front‑load washers (Duet and similar models).

Official Fix

Here’s the by‑the‑book Whirlpool approach.

  • Unplug the washer or kill power at the breaker for safety.
  • Try spinning the drum by hand with the door open.
    • If it’s stiff, grinding, or jammed, you’ve likely got a mechanical issue (foreign object, bad bearing, seized pulley) causing the error.
  • Pull the top and/or rear panel off to access the drive system and motor.
  • Check the drive belt (if your model has one):
    • Make sure it’s on the pulleys, not shredded, not slipping.
  • Inspect the wiring harness from the motor up to the control board:
    • Look for loose plugs, broken wires, burn marks, rubbed‑through insulation.
    • Reseat every connector you touch; they must click fully home.
  • If you own a multimeter, ohm‑check the motor and tach according to the tech sheet for your exact model (usually hidden behind the front kick panel or inside the cabinet):
    • If the motor windings are open/shorted or the tach reading is way off spec, replace the motor assembly.
  • If motor, belt, and harness all test good but F25 keeps coming back, Whirlpool’s manual says the control board (MCU/CCU, depending on model) is the likely culprit and should be replaced.
  • After any repair, run a Drain/Spin or Rinse/Spin cycle empty to confirm the drum ramps up to full speed without throwing F25 again.

The Technician’s Trick

Here’s how a field tech usually attacks F25 before ordering pricey parts.

  • Unplug the washer.
  • At the motor, unplug the small tachometer connector and the main motor plug.
  • Inspect the pins closely:
    • If you see green corrosion, moisture, or heat marks, that’s your smoking gun.
  • Gently squeeze the female terminals with a pick so they grip tighter, then plug everything back in firmly. A loose tach plug is a classic F25 trigger.
  • If you have contact cleaner, hit the connectors once, let them dry, then reconnect.
  • Secure the harness so it’s not flopping around where the drum can tug on it during spin (zip ties are your friend).
  • With panels still off, restore power and run a Drain/Spin while you watch:
    • If the drum jumps smoothly to high speed and no F25, you just fixed a bad connection — no new parts.
    • If it stutters, hums, or the motor just growls, you’re probably looking at a weak motor or tight drum, not an electrical ghost.
  • Drum hard to spin by hand? Check between the inner drum and outer tub with a flashlight for socks, coins, or debris. Clear anything jammed before you condemn the motor.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Washer under ~8–10 years old, cabinet in good shape, and F25 goes away after connector cleanup, new belt, or a single mid‑priced part (motor or board) under about $250.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Older Duet with rust, noisy bearings, or recurring error history where you’re now looking at a motor and control board in the same repair.
  • ❌ Replace: Tub bearings roaring, leaks, or multiple fault codes plus F25 — if total repair parts creep near half the price of a new machine, put that money toward a replacement.

Parts You Might Need

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See also

Chasing other washer codes along with F25? These breakdowns help you decode the rest.