How is the liquid fabric softener dispenser supposed to work? It never appears to dispense. The clothes definitely do not smell like they have any softener on them. I looked inside & there aren't any water "jets"above the dispenser, just over the bleach and detergent sections. I cleaned out the dispenser of any old softener. What can I do to get the softener to dispense in the drum? Thanks!

SOURCE:Fabric Softener Won't Dispense
The fabric softener dispenser is notorious for clogging. Liquid fabric softener is essentially a liquid form of wax. After a period of time it begins to gunk up the inside of the fabric softener dispenser. If you remove the dispenser drawer and look into the cavity, there should be a series of holes in the upper part of the compartment where water sprays into all the dispenser trays. These holes get gunked up and clogged and water will not dispense properly. As a result, the washer goes through a complete cycle, but the dispenser stays full. If this is the case, you can take some cotton swabs and/or toothpicks and clean these holes real good. It may be a bit meticulous, but it should take care of the problem. Post back and let me know if this helps.

Check for clogged water nozzles in the dispenser. Also, it's advisable to check for a gummed up softener dispenser--softener has a nasty habit of drying out and leaving a thick waxy paste on everything. Check the dispenser where you put in the softener--I recommend CUTTING THE SOFTENER 50/50 WITH HOT WATER to keep it very fluid. Softener causes lint! Be a scrooge when it comes to adding softener--enough to make the clothes smell nice and be soft--BUT THAT'S IT!! On rare occasions, one of the electric inlet water valves might be malfunctioning and not letting water flow to the softener dispenser.
NOTE TO EVERYONE!!!==>ON ALL *HE* WASHERS, NO MORE THAN 2 TABLESPOONS OF LIQUID DETERGENT IN ANY LOAD, IT'S PLENTY!! You're only using 1/3 of the water the old style washers used to use. As for softener, use only enough to get the job done--and always cut it with hot water, especially in the winter.

Mine is 10 yrs old and I am just now having a problem. Clothes are too damp after last spin cycle. Hopefully, I'll get an answer here soon. Another problem I noticed a few months after I got it, with this model, is the fabric softener dispenser on top of the agitator. You have to remove it every single time and clean it. I added a little water to it before adding fabric softener and thought that would help to stretch the cleaning to maybe once or twice a week. Don't do it! I started to smell mildew and found out why. The agitator shaft that this dispenser sits on was caked with old fabric softener. I just use the blue Downey ball now. The fabric dispenser stinks but I have had 10 yrs of good washing.

Hello - There are several things that could cause the fabric softener to not dispense into the washer. Are you sure the liquid in the dispenser after the wash is fabric softener? If it is fabric softener, the solenoid that lets the water into the dispenser is not working. This solenoid is located on the back of the dispenser. It only gets voltage during the dispense time and fills the fabric softener dispenser with water. The fabric softener dispenser fills while the washer is filling for the rinse cycle.

When the washer begins to fill for the rinse cycle, the fabric softener solenoid is energized and water flows into the fabric softener dispenser cup. When the cup is full the water siphons out and softener and water flow into the tub.

If the liquid in the fabric softener dispenser is pure softener you may need a technician to diagnose and repair the problem. The voltage will have to be tested to the softener solenoid and a volt meter is required.

If the liquid in the fabric softener dispenser is water you probably need to clean the dispenser cup. **** will build up in the siphon tube and stop the liquid from going into the washer tub. The incoming water will dilute the softener and overflow the dispenser cup and run into the tub. The instructions for cleaning the dispenser should be located on page 43 of the use and care guide that came with the washer.

If you don't have the use and care guide these instructions will help. Open the dispenser until it stops. In the left rear corner of the dispenser, there is a release that is labeled push. Press down on the push area and you can slide the dispenser drawer out.

Remove the insert from the bleach and fabric softener compartments. Clean the bottom of the insert and the bleach and fabric softener compartments. Reinstall the insert and put the drawer back inside the washer.

To test the siphon action slowly pour water into the fabric softener compartment. When the water level goes above the maximum line stop pouring. The water should all drain out.

Hope this information proves to be helpful however if it is ineffective please contact a professional to move forward accurately.

this is joyce
You need to call who ever you bought it from and tell them the problem that you are having, I have the same set and I am not having that problem at all. I love my set, just be sure to use the he detergent, or you will have problems that the manufactr will not help with.
thanks,
Dont overload machine the clothes wont smell clean.
joyce

Not sure if you've ever resolved this issue, but I'm dealing with it myself. I have come across this service manual that gives a very detailed illustration of the systems, how it works and how to test it.
Focus on pages 15 thru 25. Hope this helps you.
http://www.servicematters.com/maytag_library/docs/16026126.pdf

According to the manual on pages 12 & 13.

1. Place a load of sorted clothes into the washer. See “Laundry
Tips.”
■ Load evenly to maintain washer balance. Mix large and
small items. Items should move easily through the wash
water.
■ Load only to the top of the basket as shown. Overloading
can cause poor cleaning. Items need to move easily
through the wash water.
2. Pour measured powdered or liquid High Efficiency detergent
into the detergent dispenser. Always use the detergent
dispenser, and do not put detergent directly onto clothes in
the washer.
3. Add color-safe bleach (powdered or liquid) to this dispenser,
if needed. Be sure to match powdered color-safe bleach with
powdered detergent or match liquid color-safe bleach with
liquid detergent.
4. Pour measured liquid chlorine bleach into the liquid chlorine
bleach dispenser, if needed. Bleach is diluted and
automatically dispensed at the proper time during the wash
cycle.
■ Do not overfill. Do not dilute. Do not use more than 1 cup
(250 mL) for a full load. Use less with a smaller load size.
■ Follow the garment and the chlorine bleach
manufacturer’s directions for proper use.
■ To avoid spilling, use a cup with a pouring spout. Do not
let bleach splash, drip, or run down into the washer basket.
■ At the end of the cycle, a small amount of water may be
left in the dispenser. This is normal.
NOTE: Use only liquid chlorine bleach in this dispenser.

5. Pour measured liquid fabric softener into the fabric softener
dispenser, if desired.
■ Do not overfill. The dispenser holds 3 oz (94 mL), or a
capful of fabric softener.
■ The fabric softener is dispensed in the final rinse. If Extra
Rinse is selected, the fabric softener will be dispensed
during the Extra Rinse.
■ Do not spill or drip any fabric softener onto the clothes.
■ At the end of the cycle, a small amount of water may be
left in the dispenser. This is normal.
NOTE: Use only liquid fabric softener in this dispenser.
6. Close the washer lid.
7. Press POWER. This turns on the washer display.
8. Select a Wash Cycle. See “Cycles.”
9. Select the desired Modifiers. See “Modifiers.”
10. Select an Option, if desired. See “Options.”
11. Select Delay Wash, if desired. See “Delay Wash” in the
“Modifiers” section.
12. Press START. The wash cycle begins, and the display shows
the estimated remaining time. The lid will lock.
NOTE: If you do not press Start within 5 minutes of pressing
Power, the washer automatically shuts off.


The way that I read the manual, your color safe bleach would go in the detergent dispenser. Your liquid chlorine bleach would go in the bleach dispenser.

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The fabric softener dispenser is notorious for clogging. Liquid fabric softener is essentially a liquid form of wax. After a period of time it begins to gunk up the inside of the fabric softener dispenser. If you remove the dispenser drawer and look into the cavity, there should be a series of holes in the upper part of the compartment where water sprays into all the dispenser trays. These holes get gunked up and clogged and water will not dispense properly. As a result, the washer goes through a complete cycle, but the dispenser stays full. If this is the case, you can take some cotton swabs and/or toothpicks and clean these holes real good. It may be a bit meticulous, but it should take care of the problem. Post back and let me know if this helps.

I'm sure you heard a small motor running from time to time during a cycle. That moves an "arm" which sends water to the different chambers during a cycle. Fabric softener is dispensed when water goes to that chamber and dilutes the fabric softener. That chamber then empties by a siphoning action.
If you want to narrow down the problem a little to help trouble shoot -- put some wet rags in and run the Rinse and Spin cycle with some fabric softener. If the softener is not dispensed, then you know that the water isn't being sent to that chamber properly.
If you are intrepid enough to take the top off your washer, do that and see if the arm appears to be moving during a normal cycle. Maybe the arm got dislodged or broken during the move.
If water isn't being diverted properly, I think this calls for a real repair person.

Fabric softener is mostly a liquid wax. It is common for dispensers to have problems if the you use liquid fabric softener a lot. The softener becomes a sticky solid and can gunk up everything over time. I believe the type of dispenser on your washer simply flushes water into the reservoir at a prescribed time and then dispenses into the wash tub. If this reservoir becomes clogged somewhere it may actually be filling up and overflowing into another reservoir in the dispenser and getting dispensed that way. I would try cleaning the dispenser thoroughly, first. Since it IS dispensing (but at the wring time) I don't think you have a control problem. Try cleaning and let me know if this helps. PS Sorry to ignore your request for online assistance. I was already in the middle of typing a solution for you. I hope this was the help you needed.