Hope you can help.

One of the paddles inside my drum had sheered off, so I ordered a replacement. When it arrived I began to fit it, and noticed that there was a mangled piece of metal around the heating element.

My husband isn't very good at emptying his pockets before he does a wash and I thought it was something from his pocket and removed it.

It was a bit stuck but with a good pull out it came.

I then replaced the paddle and put on a wash. When i came back to the machine it had finished, i unloaded the wash and closed the door. Thats when it started to hum of its on accord and the little red light above the on off switch started to flash!!!

I got to thinking perhaps the piece of metal was part of the machine after all.

Can you please advise me how to go about rectifying these issues.

The washing machine is an Hotpoint Aquarius WF240 1400 spin. Roughly 2 years old.

The paddles have been a problem and i'm sure i've replaced 3 so far.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give

Heather, September 2009

when coins or other foreign objects are put in the machine they work themselves between the drum and the tub shearing the plastic lugs on the underside of the paddles

the metal you removed is the bracket for retaining the heater and a new heater will most likely be required

remove lower back panel, disconnect wires and undo nut, heater slides out from rear,underneath heater position is the sump hose (black rubber hose retained with jubilee clip )this will also have to be checked as the coins will have ended up here

good luck

monthehoops, September 2009