On Apr 13, 12:06 am, wrote:
Model number 417.44092500

Carrying a couch past the washer and whacked the knob off the beast.

Found the knob but what broke is the "program knob pin" it sits on,
Kenmore part # 134347700. Drilled a little hole in the stump and stuck
in a small screw to try to pull it out but it appears that a flange
sits behind the control console panel.

From the parts diagram/list it's not clear how I get the sucker out.

Does the whole panel need to come off to replace that pin? Is anything
holding the buttons and springs / etc in place or does it all fly out
when I take it off? Is this trivial or should I call a tech? (it's
under warranty but I don't know if that warranty includes couch
beatings)

Any advice appreciated (related to my broken washer, that is)

I would expect you'll have to disassemble the control panel to replace
it. Don't know the particular model, but nothing I've ever had would
have anything that is anything other than individual switches/knobs/
etc. so wouldn't worry much about the "fly-apart" scenario.

I don't know precisely what you're describing as the "program knob
pin", but would be unusual I think for there to be anything except the
whole control assembly that was a replaceable part -- it would be
quite unusual to have a knob only that came out to be a single
available part.

GE machines are pretty simple to pull the panel on -- there are two
screws on the front bottom of the panel and four or six on the rear
and it just rolls back. Who built your Kenmore I don't know, but many
were Hotpoint which is GE.

I'm sure they won't think the damage warranty-related and doubt it
would be covered even under an extended warranty/repair policy as it
wasn't a failure but externally-caused damage.