Grinding, buzzing and knocking from a dishwasher seldom mean the pump. They usually mean debris, a spray arm strike or an unlevel cabinet. The ranking begins with glass, a seed or a bottle cap in the sump. None of the steps below require a part to be bought before the cause is known.
What it looks like from the outside
- Loud buzz only during the drain phase — Typically, a drain-only noise belongs to the drain pump or a restricted hose.
- Knocking that repeats at a steady beat — The beat matches the arm rotation.
- Sloshing that has always been there — Water noise during the wash is normal on most machines.
- Rattle that changes when the door is pressed — Worth knowing: it sounds worse than it is.
- Humming with no water movement on an Amama dishwasher — It is the one sound worth stopping for.
What is most likely, and why on an Amama dishwasher
- Glass, a seed or a bottle cap in the sump — As a rule, anything hard in the sump grinds against the pump every time it circulates. Look for a chipped glass in the load that lost a piece. It heads the list on this build: most frequent, and quickest to eliminate.
- Drain pump restricted or a hose kinked — As a rule, the noise appears only in the drain phase. Time the noise against the cycle and note whether it is drain only.
- Spray arm striking an item or a rack — More often than not, it is the classic rhythmic knock. Spin both arms by hand with the racks loaded and watch for contact.
- Loose kickplate, panel or rack fitting — From experience, a fastener that has backed out lets a panel drum. It falls here because the entries above it come up more frequently, though this one is far from rare. Press the kickplate and the door panel while the appliance runs.
- Machine not level or feet on a soft floor on an Amama dishwasher — Practically speaking, vibration passes into the cabinetry and amplifies into a buzz. Press each corner of the appliance and note whether it rocks. It closes the list: reached only when every cheaper explanation has been ruled out.
The sequence of checks
- First: glass, a seed or a bottle cap in the sump — Look for a chipped glass in the load that lost a piece. It comes at this point because the check above has already ruled out the alternatives.
- Second: drain pump restricted or a hose kinked — Time the noise against the cycle and note whether it is drain only, with an Amama dishwasher in front of you. It is placed here because everything above it is cheaper to eliminate and more common.
- Third: spray arm striking an item or a rack — In most households, re-load the tall items and run again to verify the change. It is placed here because everything above it is cheaper to eliminate and more common.
Steps you can take now
- Search the sump — Worth knowing: take the filter stack out and inspect the sump and the pump inlet for glass and hard debris. Wear a glove; glass is the typical find.
Tools: Gloves, TorchAbout 15 min
- Test a rinse cycle empty — If the noise disappears empty, the problem is loading rather than mechanical, on an Amama dishwasher of any age. Run a rinse with the racks empty and listen for the noise without any load contact.
About 15 min
- Check the spray arms against the load — Start here: handles, cutting boards and tall glasses are the typical culprits. Load the appliance, spin the arms and adjust the tall items until nothing catches.
About 15 min
- Steady the machine — A appliance held only by its feet on a soft floor will always be loud. Adjust the levelling feet until the appliance sits without rocking and tighten the mounting brackets.
Tools: Level, Screwdriver, WrenchAbout 15 min
- Time the noise against the cycle — As a rule, run a short cycle and write down when the noise starts against fill, wash and drain. Fill, wash and drain use distinct motors and valves.
About 20 min
Safety first
Safety
Isolate the machine and close the water supply before you inspect anything. Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Keep the floor dry around the machine while you work.
The line between the two
Book a visit if the appliance hums without pumping after the sump has been cleared. When the page runs out of owner checks, the remaining causes need a meter and a technician.
References
General guidance- Manufacturer service manuals; OSHA control of hazardous energy standard — Manufacturer service manuals; OSHA control of hazardous energy standard, fetched
Similar pages elsewhere in this reference
What this page does not cover
The guidance here is generalized across models. It does not carry the codes, part numbers or panel layouts of any single family. A model-specific page would name the exact panel, code list and part numbers; this one names the fault class and the order of checks. At present nothing more specific exists for this Amama dishwasher. Any future family or model page will be linked here and will outrank this one. The other problem pages for this appliance are indexed at amama-dishwasher-problems.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
