What do I do when my washing machine is full of water?

When your residential washing machine stalls mid-cycle and remains completely full of standing water, you must first drain the tub before attempting any repairs to prevent flooding your laundry room floor. Start by pressing and holding the "Cancel" or "Power" button on the digital control panel, then select the "Drain and Spin" program to let the internal pump expel the water. If the machine lacks power or the pump is clogged, place a shallow baking pan and thick towels beneath the lower service access door, and slowly unscrew the pump filter plug a quarter-turn at a time to let water trickle out in controlled batches. You can troubleshoot drainage easily by listening for the pump motor. You can verify that your draining procedure was successful when completely emptying the trapped water allows the drum weight to drop and the door lock to release safely.