The short answer
The models here step through more than one size, so the causes that scale with load — and the ones that depend on where a component had to go to fit a larger body — move up the order. That is why, on the NTW models, this complaint comes back to a load that will not distribute before anything else — and why the order below departs from the brand-generic one.
What you observe
- The machine walks across the floor — It finishes the cycle somewhere other than where it started.
- A single hard thump at the start of every spin — Then it settles, and the rest of the spin sounds normal.
- NEAR MISS — the machine hums and the drum does not turn — That is a drive or start fault, not a noise fault, and it is a different page.
Causes, most likely first on the NTW line
- A load that will not distribute — Ranked first here — it is temporary and confirming it saves a call that was never needed.
- A coin, a stud or an underwire loose in the machine — Second here — it is the most common find of the list and because the longer it runs the more it costs to put right.
- Shipping bolts still fitted — Third here — it applies to a machine installed recently, which is a story you will know.
- A drum bearing that has begun to fail — Fourth here — it is the expensive one, and it is worth identifying correctly before anything is ordered.
- A drive belt glazed or slipping — Fifth here — it produces a squeal or a smell rather than a knock.
- Body: This line is a size ladder rather than a set of finishes, so load and layout drive the ranking more than component age does. The visible effect is that a load takes a place that a coin, a stud or an underwire loose in the machine would otherwise hold.
Check in this order, and why
- Open the machine mid-spin and look at how the load is sitting — A single towel or a duvet wound into one mass will not balance, however good the machine is.
- Open the pump filter and empty it into your hand — Hardware in the filter is the answer.
- Look at the back panel for bolts through the casing — A newly installed machine that bangs violently on spin has almost always kept its bolts.
- With the machine off, spin the empty drum by hand and listen — A rumble that rises with speed, and grit you can feel through the drum, is the bearing.
- Listen for a squeal that rises as the drum speeds up — A burnt-rubber smell with it makes this close to certain.
- Body: These models differ in size, so the same component is not in the same place on every one of them. Work from the checks that are identical across the line toward the ones that depend on which body you have. The checks below are in the same order as the causes above them, so a clean result sends you one step further down rather than back to the top.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Shut both taps before opening the pump filter, put a shallow tray and towels down first, and expect water.
Models in the NTW family — Every model this page covers, exactly as the model line is recorded. Nothing outside this table is a model number, and nothing on this page claims to cover a model that is not in it.
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| NTW4516F** | amana:washer:ntw |
| NTW4519J** | amana:washer:ntw |
| NTW4605E*+ | amana:washer:ntw |
| NTW4615E*+ | amana:washer:ntw |
| NTW4655E*+ | amana:washer:ntw |
| NTW4665G** | amana:washer:ntw |
| NTW4705E*+ | amana:washer:ntw |
| NTW4755E*+ | amana:washer:ntw |
When to call a technician
Call when the noise rises with drum speed and you can feel grit through the drum by hand, when the machine walks despite being level and loaded properly, or when a burning smell comes with the noise. Stop the machine and call at once if there is smoke, a scorched smell, or a breaker that trips when it spins.
Nearest pages of this class
- Amana NTW washer — a cycle that stalls or will not finish: what changes on this model line
- Amana NTW washer — a machine that will not drain: what changes on this model line
- Amana NTW washer — water on the floor: what changes on this model line
- Amana NTW washer — a machine that will not start: what changes on this model line
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
