I've read multiple posts on this forum...thanks! I found the recommended service manual. We have owned the washer from brand new for almost 10 years. We bought an extended warranty. We had extensive repairs necessary in the first 3 years. At about year three, Sears did a complete rebuild for us. After that, we haven't had any problems for the next 7 years up until this weekend. The washer has endured heavy use...we have six children. What happens is the washer gets all the way through to approximately 10 minutes remaining. Then, the washer stops, there is water remaining in the tub, the clothes are bunched on one side of the washer, and the error code dC appears on the digital read out. Having read about an unbalanced load, I tried a new wash with a smaller load of simple clothes with the same result. I then tested the water pump via the service mode. The pump started fine and drained the tub. Then I tried the spin test. Within the service mode, the washer spun incrementally up to the 850 rpm mark and then slowed back down without event. I then tried to get to the diagnostic codes...here I discovered that the normal, wrinkle control, superwash buttons do not work. I did the button test and they do not in fact work...a new control panel costs $182, just to be able to initiate the diagnostic code tests. I'm just not sure where to go from here...I thought maybe the load balance sensors might be bad but wasn't sure how to complete that test from the diagrams in the service manual. I'm not sure if the washer is worth the $182 to try and figure out what is wrong consider the heavy use. Any advice you might have will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Thank you so much for your input...

Any recommendations for a replacement brand/model that is durable? For a new machine my priorities would be: 1. durable--I hate that a lot of the new appliances are useless after 1-3 years, 2. large capacity--we have a lot of laundry to do!, 3. good spin--love less time/energy in the dryer. My wife would add...gentle on clothes, cleans clothes well.

Additionally, any brands or models to avoid would be helpful, too!

From looking at consumer reports, the top load model recommended are:
whirlpool WTW4850BW
Samsung W48H7400AP
LG WT 5680HVA
whirlpool WTW8500DW

Any thoughts on the front-loaders? We read mixed reviews, with mold problems and lots of electronic components that can fail.

Thanks ahead of time!!