Getting a 3E error and have checked all wiring and motor ohm's - okay. The tech manual says to check the speed sensor but I can't locate it. Only thing left is the control board....?

Thank you.

Gene, the SN# is 10306670GE.

I believe I also have a problem with the speed sensor, referred to in the service manual as "Hall" sensor (meaning the Hall-effect that detects the movement of a nearby magnet). [My model is similar to john.nell's, but different: MAH9700AWW.] My washer has had intermittent 'E3' and '3E' errors that could be overcome by restarting the machine but now has become a hard failure - the drum will not spin.

I believe the problem is either in the Hall sensor that is integrated into the drive motor stator coil unit OR the main control board discussed here.* Since I don't have any schematics I can't make measurements of the sensor to test it. I may have to just cross my fingers and buy a new motor stator and hope that fixes the problem, since the control board is fully encapsulated and does not appear to have any burned or broken components. Can you suggest any further diagnostics I can try before taking that desperate measure?

* Gene discussed the motion sensor that now comes as a separate part with the control board. I'm not sure that is the same as the "speed" sensor that john.nell inquired about. After reading the attached Instruction Sheet 16027320 it appears that this sensor is for detecting vibration motion from spinning with unbalanced loads. This may be used by the control board to change the spin speed, but is not a speed sensor in itself. I would also like to add many, many thanks for posting the PDF of the Instruction Sheet!! This is the only place I've been able to find it.

Gene,

I received the new motor today and replaced both the stator and rotor. Then I put washer in Service Mode and tried Quick Spin Test. Drum twitched and then locked up, just as with the original motor. Error code bE (Motor tach signal exists without motor running.) Cycled power and repeated test twice more with same result, although error codes were E3 (Machine control is attempting to drive the motor but is not seeing any tach response) and then bE again.

It would seem the next step is to try replacing the Controller Board. (I have inspected wiring connectors and tested cable continuity end-to-end and found no problems.) The serial number of my MAH9700AWW is: 12576027GL

P.S. I ordered the motor from Appliance Parts Pros instead of one of the other two sources I'd found. APP had the lowest cost, best return policy and wasn't out of stock. Plus I get your help! Thank you.

This is the repair that never ends! Last week I replaced the controller, prior to removing the new motor I had previously tried, and the drum spun properly under fast spin diagnostic.

Confident that the controller was the cause of the problem I reinstalled my original motor, intending to return the new one. Alas, the original fault returned. Being concerned about damaging the controller with repeated attempts I only tried the spin test twice and cancelled it immediately after lockup. After reinstalling the new motor everything worked perfectly and I buttoned it up and called it a success.

On the third load afterwards I encountered another 3E error. I opened the door and rotated the drum 1/3 turn by hand and restarted. Machine operated and finished its cycle. On the fourth load I am back to square one with a hard fault and 3E error. No restart efforts succeeded.

Unless I damaged the controller when testing with my original motor I am at a loss to explain why the problem remains. I thought of clothes trapped between the inner and outer drum, as my wife complains of missing socks, but the drum turns freely by hand. Shall I try asking for a replacement controller?

New controller info: 34001496 CNTRL-ELEC, Made in KR, CODE 111107; 0522-21-01-02; DC82-01001B, A/S MATERIAL ASSY-KIT:MAH9700(OLD), 1 PC, 20110407.