The short answer
Most new noise on the FWN line is a balance or a foreign-object problem rather than a failed bearing — the machine is telling you what is in it or under it. On this page the load balance leads, because a washer that walks is usually telling you how it was packed. When the noise happens matters more than what it sounds like: fill, wash, drain and spin each involve different parts.
What you are seeing on the FWN line
- A rattle or grinding only while it drains — Something in the pump: coins, buttons and hair grips end up there.
- A rumble that rises with spin speed — A drum bearing. It grows steadily worse over months and never improves.
- NEAR MISS — noise plus water under the machine — Treat it as a leak first. A pump that is being chewed by a foreign object often leaks before it fails.
Causes, most likely first on the FWN line
- The load is unbalanced or the machine is not level — Ranked first on the FWN line because it costs nothing to test and because it produces the most alarming noise a washer makes: a single heavy item on one side of the drum will make a healthy machine walk across the floor.
- A foreign object in the pump or the filter — Coins and underwires reach the pump and rattle against the impeller. Left there, they eventually cut the seal and the noise becomes a leak.
- Transit bolts, packaging or something trapped in the tub — Transit bolts left in, or packaging left under the tub, transmit every movement straight into the cabinet. It is free to correct and does no harm if caught early.
- Suspension rods, springs or shock absorbers are worn — Last, but it is the answer when levelling and reloading change nothing at all.
Check in this order, and why that order
- First — redistribute the load and check the machine sits solid — Spread the washing round the drum and push each top corner in turn. A machine that rocks needs its feet wound down and locked.
- Then — open the pump filter at the bottom of the machine — Have a shallow tray and a towel ready; there will be water. Coins, clips and buttons in there are the whole answer surprisingly often.
- Only then — check the back panel for transit bolts — On a machine delivered or moved recently, they are the first suspect. Removing them takes a spanner and two minutes.
- STOP here if the next check needs a panel off or a meter on live terminals — Everything above can be done with nothing dismantled; past it the checks need test equipment.
Models in the FWN family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| FWN6ZR**116T*** | alliance:washer:fwn |
| FWN6ZR**119T*** | alliance:washer:fwn |
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the washer or switch off its breaker before removing any panel or reaching into the pump — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off, and the drain impeller can start without warning. Close both supply taps before disturbing a fill hose. A loaded drum is heavy: never tip or walk a machine with water still in it, and get a second pair of hands rather than levering it on the door.
Where the owner job ends
Call when the drum rumbles with nothing in it, when the tub can be rocked against the cabinet, or when the noise has grown steadily worse over months. On the FWN line, call rather than continue if the rear panel or the tub has to come apart. Call immediately if there is water under the machine as well as noise, or if the drum strikes the cabinet hard enough to mark it.
Other faults covered for the FWN line
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
