Error code · Maytag

What you will see

• Lid will not open after a cycle
• F5E3 with the lid stuck down
• Lock light stays on

Most likely causes, in order

Listed from the most common and cheapest to check, to the least common and most expensive. Work down the list — do not jump to the last item because it is the one that sounds serious.

1. Weight resting on top of the lid keeps the latch loaded
2. Lock mechanism jammed after a power loss mid-cycle
3. Lid lock assembly sticking

Safe checks you can do

1. Take everything off the top of the washer — baskets, bottles, folded laundry.
2. Wait 2–3 minutes. The lock releases on a delay after the drum stops.
3. Unplug the washer for 5 minutes, then plug it back in — the lock resets on power-up.
4. Do not pry the lid. Forcing it bends the strike and turns a reset into a repair.

When to call a technician

The lid is still locked after an unplug/replug cycle and 10 minutes of waiting.

Also call if you see or smell burning, if the breaker trips when the washer starts, or if water has reached any electrical part. Those are stop-now conditions, not check-it-later conditions.

Models that show F5E3

We confirmed F5E3 in the published troubleshooting table for these models:

• WTW8000D
• MVWB965H

The code is defined for the shared washer platform, so a sibling model can display it even when its own manual does not list it.

Other Maytag codes

• Maytag F1E1 error code The main control board (ACU) reported an internal fault
• Maytag F2E3 error code The user interface and the main control board failed to initialize together
• Maytag F3E1 error code The washer cannot read the water level
• Maytag F5E2 error code The lid lock will not engage

Related symptom guides

• Washer won't drain
• Washer won't spin
• Washer won't fill
• Washer won't start