GE Top Load Washing Machine -- Agitator will not cycle

check belt to motor if ok try under agitator the cogs are worn so replace them

Probably out of balance, if in the spin cycle. If not, a "bang" corresponding with agitator reverse, you may have a transmission problem. Override open lid off switch with a pencil or used toothbrush in the small hole upper left location just under lid when closed so you can see the agitator action. If so run it till it breaks. Then replace. Otherwise, call your friendly appliance repairman and ask for a repair estimate first. If it is an ageing machine consider repair cost versis a lightly used one or new.

My parent's Hotpoint did the same thing!! The brake on the bottom of the tub is not engaging! It needs replaced!!

Are you sure it is lint and not soap? My washer does this, and it looks like lint, but it is soap.
If it is lint, always keep the lint collector inside the agitator clean.

If it is soap, and this might work for lint:
1. Turn clothes, particularly black clothes, inside out.
2. Use a concentrated soap with little or no filler.
3. Use less soap than normal.
4. Fully dissolve soap before adding clothes.
5. Run rinse cycle again after completing full wash cycle.

May be a problem with agitator gear box,open on wash cycle and use screwdriver to by pass cut off switch by pushing screwdriver down on little switch that is located where tab on lid is.If agitator is traveling at too much of a rotation that may be cause,also agitator mat be lose if you can grab and move up and down.Then remove cap on top of agitator and tighten bolt,if lose if not agitator may need to be replaced!

there should be 2 or 3 springs that hold it, they mite have broke, take off back panel an check.

Wow that's a strange one.
Are you pouring the soap into the tub onto the clothes or using a soap dispenser? If using a dispenser, it may be malfunctioning, try pouring soap directly into the tub under the waterfall while it is filling.
When the machine is agitating are the clothes on top being drawn under the water? Usually this occurs as a rolling motion from the edge of the tub towards the agitator. If the top layer of clothes have an air bubble trapped in them they may not be submerging into the water. Any soap on top may not be dissolved.
Finally, if you are pouring soap into the tub, make sure you are not spilling any onto the inside of the lid or in the softener dispenser. It could get trapped in the lip around the edge of the lid and be spilling onto the clothes when you open the lid at the end of the cycle.
Do you have the same problem if you use powder soap?

If The washer won't agitate
Check to make sure no clothing got wrapped around the agitator. Check the lid switch, timer, and drive belt, other potential causes, such as a bad transmission or bad agitate/spin solenoid, but they are much more involved.
if the washer won't spin, the lid switch, timer, drive belt, transmission, or agitate/spin solenoid could be the cause here as well. Sometimes if the load is unbalanced or too heavy, the washer won't spin. Take some of the clothes out and try the spin cycle again with a lighter load.

Here are the steps to replace the agitator.
1: Take the fabric softener dispenser off and pry off the agitator lid.
2: Use a socket wrench with an extension bar to remove the stud and seal.
3: Remove the agitator top and bottom.
4: Check the agitator clutch assembly (located in the agitator top) for excessive wear.
5: To replace, just reverse the directions.

sounds like a bad lid switch how old is it?

the agitator is the spline insert . that you can replace. The spin problem is in the clutch which is a bigger job