Washing machine door won't open
The cycle has finished, or stopped, and the door is locked shut. Most of the time the machine is simply refusing to unlock because there is still water in the drum — drain it and the door releases.
You can fix this yourself
No special tools or qualifications needed
About 45 min to work through
Free to £140
DIY: Up to £40 in parts
Before you start
Electrical safety: Unplug the machine before opening the pump filter or reaching for the emergency release.
Water: If the drum is full, expect several litres out of the filter housing. Towels and a tray first.
Heat: After a hot wash the door interlock stays locked for a few minutes as a scald precaution. Wait before assuming a fault.
What causes it, most likely first
Water still in the drum
Most likelyThe machine will not release the door while there is water above the door line. Any drain fault therefore presents first as a door that will not open.
How to check: Look through the glass. Visible water means you have a drain problem, not a door problem.
Interlock still in its safety delay
CommonAfter a hot wash the lock holds for one to three minutes while the thermal element cools. Perfectly normal, and it catches people out constantly.
How to check: Wait five minutes without touching anything and try again.
Latched fault holding the lock
CommonA fault stopped the cycle and the board has left the door locked. A full power cycle usually releases it.
Failed door interlock
OccasionalThe lock fails in the closed position. Most machines have an emergency release cable behind the bottom filter flap.
Door interlock£15–£40 for the partDIY with careBroken door handle or catch
OccasionalThe plastic handle mechanism snaps so the catch never releases even though the lock has disengaged.
What to check, in order
Wait five minutes
If the wash was hot, the interlock is probably still in its cooling delay. Do not force anything — just wait and try the door again.
5 minPower-cycle the machine
Switch off at the wall for a full minute, then restore power. This clears a latched fault holding the lock and often releases the door on its own.
5 minDrain the machine down if there is water in the drum
Unplug it, open the bottom flap, and empty the drum through the emergency drain hose into a shallow tray. Once the water is below the door line the lock will usually release.
20 minTowels, Shallow trayUse the emergency release
Behind the bottom filter flap most machines have a small tab or loop of cord. Pull it gently and steadily while easing the door — it mechanically releases the latch. Only do this with the machine unplugged and drained.
10 minTorchIf it still will not open
Do not lever the door with a screwdriver — you will break the catch and turn a cheap repair into an expensive one. A failed interlock is an inexpensive part and a short engineer visit.
5 min
Need an engineer for this?
We list 83 washing machine repair businesses across the UK. Diagnostic callouts typically start around £55, and many will put that towards the repair if you go ahead.
- 01493 290698Appliance Maintenance LtdVerifiedGreat Yarmouth
- 0118 9420 145Reading
- 07766 426665DW AppliancesVerifiedAberdeen
Parts you might need
Typical UK prices for the part alone, before fitting. Worth knowing before you accept a quote — the part is often a small share of what a repair is priced at.
Door interlock
The electrically operated latch that proves the door is shut before the machine will fill, and holds it shut until the drum stops.
£15–£40
Worth repairing, or replace it?
At the top of this range the repair costs a significant share of a graded replacement, which typically starts around £200. Worth getting the quote first, then deciding — on a machine under about five years old a repair usually still wins.
Is there an error code on the display?
If your washing machine is showing a code, that will narrow the diagnosis a lot further than symptoms alone.
Look up your error code