Hi John.  Two things are needed for the motor to start.  One is the centrifugal start/run switch inside the motor.  If it sticks in the 'run' position, 'start' doesn't happen.  When it is getting sticky, one time it may start and the next time it may not.

The other depends on the mechanical configuration of your machine (which I don't know).  Typical newer washers use a reversible motor; forward for agitate and reverse for drain/spin.  There would be a pause in between those functions when the motor does nothing for maybe 30sec. 

With the reversible motor there is a separate set of contacts in the timer for each direction.  So if the motor only has a problem in one function (agi or spin) the problem is more likely one timer contact going bad.

That's just an overview.  With more data we can narrow it down.

OK, suggests the start/run switch inside the motor is gummed.  Are you good with tools?  The motor does come apart and the sticky mechanism can be sorted.  Or there are shops that can do it for you, if you can remove/replace it.

***Wait a tick.***  Worse on low speed?  It is probable that a single component can be weak and causing all this.  It is a common component to fail and not expensive.  It also comes out with one screw.  The wires pull off and push back on.  By far the easiest thing to try. 

Do you know what a start/run capacitor looks like?  There's one in your central air outdoor part and another in the indoor fan part.  If you have those, that is.  Otherwise, google 'start run capacitor' and have a look so when you see it you will know what it is.  The replacement must have the same numbers on it as the one you took out.  One number will be Volts (V) and the other will be MFD.  You can buy these online but only from a reputable dealer who won't sell you chinese crap.

Speaking of chinese crap, that's probably why yours failed.  Good ones can last 20-30yrs, but almost no appliance mfr uses good ones any more.

There is a difference between start capacitors, which only operate briefly at startup, and run capacitors which are engaged all the runtime.  Run capacitors must be sturdier because they are always on.  Best bet would be buy the exact part from a dealer.  Although it will still be chinese crap and quit again a couple years down the road like this one did, you don't need to futz with whether you have the right type or not.

External start switch?  Honestly didn't know there was such thing.  I'm over my head on this model.

Still sounds like capacitor.  My furnace blower did this, start on high but not on low. 

BUT, I found a diagram showing LATA401AG has none.

If you can follow wiring diagram, perhaps find a problem with the speed switch

or read continuity through the motor on all 3 coils (start, fast, slow).

I smell conspiracy to sell you a whole new machine when a known high-failure part goes bad.  Not that that helps fix it.

The symptom points pretty clearly to that capacitor.  Now it's just a matter of figuring out what the value is and shopping for a new one.  The good news is you will have plenty of choices and it's not expensive.

Oh, we do know now (from the diagram) it is a start (not run) capacitor.  Makes it cheaper and less critical.

Hey Johnny, you're good at this.

Happy to jump in.  You made it easy, already had hands on and the important observations.

Hi John, Does the motor just stall when you switch it from hi-speed to low when it is running ?

This type of motor always starts on hi speed even when the machine is set to low, when the centrifugal Sw opens the contact to the start winding it also switches out the high speed winding and completes the circuit to the low speed winding, this is more likely a motor or CS problem, the start cap does does make any difference, in fact the washer will run with the cap bypassed, it will just struggle to start under heavy load or low voltage conditions without it.

John L.

It is not likely that both speeds are being energized at the same time, If both the 4 & 6 pole windings are energized at the same time the motor will still run for a minute or so, the motor will draw high amps and will either go out on overload or trip a house fuse, we see this happen fairly often.

If this is what is happening the motor will not run again till the motor overload cools down and resets, can you immediately get the washer to run again when it bogs down on low speed or does it have to rest awhile ?, If it has to cool down a while Bud may have the answer, it could either be a bad speed switch or timer.

John L.

Hi John, Yes Bud is likely correct, try his tests.

This is the problem trying to figure out failures on line, this is actually a fairly common problem on AWs with multi-speed motors, I am used to diagnosing things in person.

Usually when this happens the motor sounds strange, it only continues to run for a minute or two, the cord on the washer starts to get warm. 

We had a KA washer do this on Saturday that we were working on in the shop, in our case it turned out to be the timer.

You could probably disconnect the low speed wires and tie them together with the hi speed wires and keep using the washer without the low speed feature which would not be very important to me for example.

John L.

Glad for ya Johnny and thanks for the followup.