A washer that's loud during the spin cycle is usually reacting to the load or the floor, or telling you about its suspension, drum or drive, and since each of those makes a different kind of noise, a technician rules out the first two before testing the rest. A short phone video of the sound, and a note of when in the cycle it starts, is one of the most useful things you can hand a technician.
Before the visit
- •Model and serial number, from the label under the lid, on the console or around the door opening.
- •The sound itself. Thumping, banging, a rising roar, grinding, squealing or rattling all point in different directions. Record it if you can.
- •When it happens. Only with heavy loads, or even with the washer nearly empty?
- •When it started, and whether the washer was recently installed, moved or leveled.
- •Error codes on the display.
- •Access around the washer so it can be pulled out and tilted if needed.
Safe pre-checks:
- Run a spin with a small, evenly spread load of mixed items.
- Rock the washer gently at diagonal corners. LG's vibration guide uses this test to confirm a washer is level, and Whirlpool notes that a washer that isn't level may struggle to spin properly.
- Check pockets and the drum for coins, keys or hairpins.
- On a front-loader that's been loud since delivery, ask whoever installed it whether the shipping bolts on the back were removed.
The checks, in the usual order
| Step | What's tested | What it rules in or out |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Load makeup and any off-balance code | Rules out a single heavy item or a lopsided load |
| 2 | Level, feet and floor | A rocking washer or a springy floor turns a normal spin into a loud one |
| 3 | Shipping bolts on a newly installed front-loader | Bolts left in place cause severe shaking from the first spin |
| 4 | Suspension, with a push-down test on the tub or basket | Excess bounce points to worn suspension parts, which vary by design |
| 5 | Turning the empty drum by hand with the washer unplugged | Roughness or rumbling points to drum bearings; a scrape points to something caught between tub and basket |
| 6 | Drive belt, pulley and motor mounts | A squeal or slap points to a loose or worn belt or pulley |
| 7 | Stored fault codes and a spin test in service mode | Confirms whether the control saw an imbalance or a speed problem |
Whirlpool's tech sheet for one top-load washer (W11448643) spells out several of these checks. It lists an off-balance load as its own fault code, says the basket should not bounce more than once when pushed down, and names friction or drag from the motor, the bearings or clothing caught between the tub and basket, along with a loose pulley or belt, among the causes to look for. On front-loaders, LG explains that shipping bolts in the rear hold the tub in place for transport and that, if they aren't removed, the tub makes excessive noise and vibration; it also says tangled laundry bunched on one side can unbalance the washer.
Tools you may see
- •A level, on top of the washer and front to back.
- •Flashlight and inspection mirror, to look between the tub and basket and around the pump.
- •Service diagnostic mode. On the tech sheet above, it includes a fault code display and an automatic test that runs agitation, drain and spin in turn, so the technician can hear the noise on command.
- •Multimeter, if a motor or speed code is stored.
Questions you'll probably be asked
- •Is it a thump, a roar, a grind, a squeal or a rattle?
- •Does it happen with every load, or only with towels, bedding or rugs?
- •Does the noise rise with the spin speed?
- •Was the washer recently delivered, moved or placed on a pedestal?
- •Is it on a slab floor, a wood floor or an upper level?
- •Have you seen water under it, or found anything missing from pockets?
What the findings usually mean
- •Thumping only with heavy or single items: a load issue, not a fault. The washer is reacting to the weight being in one place.
- •Banging even with a light, even load: suspension wear (springs, rods or dampers, depending on the washer) is the usual suspect once level and feet check out.
- •A roar or rumble that rises with speed: a sign of bearing wear, which the hand-turn test and a spin test help confirm.
- •Rattling or scraping: a small object between the tub and basket or near the pump.
- •Squeal or slap: the belt or pulley.
- •Severe shaking on a brand-new front-loader: shipping bolts still in place.
If the spin is quiet but the clothes come out dripping, see how a washer that leaves clothes soaking wet gets diagnosed.
Sources
- •Tech Sheet W11448643 (top-load washer), Whirlpool
- •Troubleshooting Vibration Issues on an LG Washing Machine, LG
- •8 Reasons Your Clothes Are Soaking Wet After Washing, Whirlpool
Good to know: A 20-second video of the noise often narrows the diagnosis more than a written description.
For a washer that's gotten loud, call TrueFix San Antonio at (210) 401-3007; details for one brand are on our Whirlpool repair page.