Whirlpool Washing Machine F21 Error Code Fix (Long Drain)

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What This Error Means

F21 on a Whirlpool front-load washer means long drain. The washer turned the drain pump on, but the water level did not drop fast enough, so the control timed out and threw the error.

Most of the time this is:
  • A clogged drain filter / coin trap.
  • A blocked or kinked drain hose or standpipe.
  • A weak or dead drain pump.

Official Fix

Here’s what the manual and factory procedure want you to do.
  • Kill power first
    • Unplug the washer.
    • If it’s hard-wired, flip the breaker off.
    • Turn water taps off so you don’t add more water by accident.
  • Cancel the cycle
    • Plug back in only when you’re ready to test.
    • Press Pause/Cancel twice to clear the display.
    • Do this later after you’ve cleaned everything to see if F21 comes back.
  • Check the drain hose routing
    • Pull the washer out just enough to see the hose at the back.
    • Make sure it’s not crushed, kinked, or pinched behind the machine.
    • The hose end should go into a standpipe or sink, typically 39–96 inches high. Too high = slow drain.
  • Clear the house drain / standpipe
    • Pull the drain hose out of the standpipe or sink.
    • Look down the pipe. If you see lint, slime, or standing water, it’s restricted.
    • Use a small drain snake or hot water to clear the pipe before blaming the washer.
  • Clean the pump filter / coin trap (this is the big one)
    • Unplug again if you plugged it in to move it.
    • On most Whirlpool front-loaders there’s a bottom front access panel (3 screws along the bottom edge).
    • Remove that panel and you’ll see the drain pump with a round clean-out cap or large cover.
    • Put a shallow pan and a pile of towels under it. It will dump a lot of water.
    • Slowly turn the cap counterclockwise. Let water trickle into the pan. Empty pan, repeat until it’s mostly drained.
    • Once the cap is off, pull out everything inside: coins, screws, socks, hair, lint balls.
    • Reach in and spin the pump impeller gently with your finger. It should turn freely, no grinding, no wobbling.
  • Inspect the drain hose for clogs end-to-end
    • Disconnect the drain hose from the pump (spring clamp or screw clamp).
    • Run water through it in a bathtub or outside with a garden hose.
    • If it doesn’t flow freely, replace or thoroughly clear it.
  • Reassemble and test
    • Reinstall the pump clean-out cap snugly. No cross-threading.
    • Reconnect the drain hose to the pump and to the standpipe/sink.
    • Put the lower front panel back on.
    • Plug the washer in.
    • Run a Drain & Spin or a short cycle and watch the drain.
      • If water shoots out the hose strong and steady and F21 does not return, you’re done.
      • If the pump just hums or dribbles water and F21 comes back, the pump is likely weak or dead.
  • Factory recommendation if problem persists
    • Replace the drain pump assembly.
    • If the pump is good but the washer thinks it’s not draining, the pressure switch or main control may be at fault. At that point, Whirlpool says: call for service.

The Technician’s Trick

Here’s what the pros do to save time and avoid a flood when F21 pops up.

  • Vacuum the water out first
    • Before you touch the pump cap, hook a wet/dry shop vac to the end of the drain hose at the standpipe or sink.
    • Set the vac to suck and seal it as best you can with a rag around the hose.
    • This will pull most of the water out of the tub and the pump, so when you open the filter you don’t drown your floor.
  • Go straight to the pump, skip the guesswork
    • Nine times out of ten, F21 is junk in the pump filter, not a bad control board.
    • Techs don’t waste time fiddling with fancy resets first. They go right to the clean-out, dump the coins and socks, and re-test.
  • Check the air trap and pressure hose if clogs keep coming back
    • On some models, a gunked-up air trap (the plastic chamber on the side of the tub) and pressure hose will confuse the control.
    • If the washer drains but still throws F21, pull that small rubber hose off the pressure switch and blow through it toward the tub (washer unplugged).
    • If it’s blocked, pull the hose and clean the air trap out. Cheap fix, no board needed.
  • Quick pump verdict without tearing everything apart
    • During a drain, if you hear a solid, steady buzz/hum but very weak water flow, the pump is usually tired.
    • If it’s totally silent and there’s power at the pump connector (for people with a meter), the pump is dead.
    • In both cases, replacing the pump is faster than fighting with it.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Machine under ~10 years old, otherwise working fine, cabinet solid, and you’re only looking at a clog cleanout or a drain pump (<~$75 DIY part).
  • ⚠️ Debatable: 8–12 years old, repeated F21 errors, plus other issues (occasional leaks, minor control glitches). Worth it only if you DIY and the tub bearings are still quiet.
  • ❌ Replace: Loud roaring spin (bad bearings), rusted drum spider, or dead control board and F21. If the repair quote is over 50% of a new mid-range washer, stop spending.

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