What a noise usually means on an Amana
On an Amana top-loader, a scrape or grind that follows every turn of the basket is usually something that has fallen through into the gap between the wash basket and the outer tub. Coins, hair grips and underwires all get there, and there is no filter to stop them. A clunk at the change from wash to spin is the drive instead. Levelling explains the machines that bang rather than scrape.
What you are seeing and hearing
- A scrape or grind in time with the basket turning.
- A clunk as the machine changes from wash to spin.
- A rumble that rises with spin speed.
- The machine bangs and moves across the floor on spin.
- Not this fault: A hum with no movement at all - read the will-not-start page instead.
- Not this fault: A knock that vanishes when the load is redistributed is balance, not a fault.
Most likely causes, in Amana order
- Object in the gap between basket and outer tub — Why ranked: First on this platform because nothing filters that path. The scrape follows the basket exactly, which no other cause on this list does.
- Drive or shift mechanism clunking at mode change — Why ranked: Second, and identifiable by timing: it happens at the moment the machine changes between agitating and spinning, not continuously.
- Machine not level, or feet not locked — Why ranked: Ranked here because it explains banging and walking rather than scraping, and it is corrected without parts.
- Tub bearing or basket support worn — Why ranked: A rumble that tracks spin speed. Progressive, and worth catching before it takes the basket with it.
- Debris against the pump impeller — Why ranked: Last, and it is silent through the cycle and rattles only during the drain, which separates it cleanly from rank one.
What to check, in order
- Note whether the noise follows the basket turning, the mode change, the spin speed or the drain. — Because: That one observation separates all five causes before anything is opened.
- With the machine empty and off, turn the basket slowly by hand and listen. — Because: A scrape reproduced by hand is rank one confirmed, and it needs no cycle at all.
- Push each top corner and check the feet are down and locked. — Because: Rank three is corrected on the spot and removes the most alarming symptom.
- Run an empty spin and listen as the speed rises. — Because: A rumble that tracks speed with nothing in the machine points squarely at rank four.
Checks you can do safely
- Run a short cycle and write down exactly when the noise occurs - agitate, mode change, spin or drain. — N: 1 — Tools: Notepad — Time: one cycle
- With the machine empty and unplugged, turn the basket slowly by hand through several full turns and listen for a scrape. — N: 2 — Tools: None — Time: quick
- Push each top corner in turn. If the machine rocks, adjust the feet until all four are firm and lock them. — N: 3 — Tools: Wrench — Time: moderate
- Check pockets and the tub rim for coins, clips and underwires before every load from now on. — N: 4 — Tools: None — Time: quick
- Stop rule: Stop here. Lifting the basket to retrieve an object, or replacing a bearing or a drive part, means dismantling the machine.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the washer or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. A washer is a heavy appliance - move it with a second person and empty the drum first. Never reach into a basket that is still turning, even slowly. Never defeat the lid lock to watch the machine spin.
When this becomes a service call
A scrape reproduces when the basket is turned by hand - something is in the gap. A rumble rises with spin speed on an empty, level machine. The clunk at mode change has become loud or is followed by a fault. Water appears under the machine along with the noise.
Nearest pages
What this page does not cover
This is generalized information for Amana washers as a group. It does not separate top-loaders from front-loaders, which fail differently, and it names no model-specific parts. Where a family- or model-specific page exists it supersedes this one.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
