The answer first
A rattle that changes when the racks are rearranged is not a fault at all. A few minutes with the filters out usually settles this. On this kind of cabinet the line is a volume sub-brand of a large manufacturer, which means the platform is well understood and the parts are ordinarily obtainable.
The signs, and the near misses
- A regular knock during the wash — Usually a spray arm striking a tall item, which is fixed by rearranging the load.
- A rattle that changes when the racks are moved — Loose crockery or cutlery, which is a loading matter instead of a fault.
- A scraping sound as the arm turns — Something caught under the arm or a bearing that is fouled with debris.
- NEAR MISS — a hammering in the pipework when it fills — That is water hammer in the plumbing instead of a fault in the machine.
Causes, most likely first
- Load fouling a spray arm — Ranked first: A tall item, a tray or a handle hanging through a rack stops or strikes the arm on every revolution. It sits at the top here since the line is a volume sub-brand of a large manufacturer, which means the platform is well understood and the parts are ordinarily obtainable.
- Cutlery or crockery loose in the rack — Second: Items that touch vibrate against each other for the whole cycle and sound far worse than they are.
- Debris in the sump or the drain pump — Third: The noise appears only during drainage, which localises it precisely.
The diagnostic order
- Turn both spray arms by hand before starting a cycle — They must rotate freely through a full turn with the racks loaded; most knocking is found right here.
- Note the stage the fault appears at — Fill, wash, drain and dry use different subsystems, so the stage is worth more than any description of the symptom.
- Note whether the noise is during wash or drain — Drain noise is the pump; wash noise is the arms or the motor.
Safe checks, step by step
- Remove the filters and clear the sump — Switch off at the spur, lift the filters, and remove glass, stones and labels by hand.
Tools: gloves, torchAbout 20 min
- Level the machine and check its clearance — Adjust the feet so the machine is square in its housing and not pressing against the units.
Tools: spirit level, spannerAbout 25 min
- Unclip and rinse the spray arms — Check each turns freely on its spindle and clear the jets with a cocktail stick.
Tools: cocktail stickAbout 20 min
- STOP before any electrical testing — Hand over here: the remaining tests need an instrument and an isolated appliance.
The hazard in this appliance class
Safety
The sequence matters: unplug or trip the breaker, close the supply taps, drain what is left in the hoses, and only then open anything. A stored charge outlives the power switch; a pressurised line outlives your patience. If the floor is already wet, deal with the breaker before you step in it.
When to book a visit
The line is the sump: filters, arms and loading are owner work, and the pumps are not. Where the remaining suspects all sit behind a panel, hand over instead of pressing on — the boundary exists for a reason.
Nearest pages of this class
Generalized information
Treat this as the general case. It does not cover any one family, chassis or model year, and it does not carry part numbers, wiring identification or factory service codes; those live on the specific pages, and where such a page exists for your unit it is linked from here and takes precedence over what you read above. Nothing here should be read as the service procedure for a specific chassis. It says nothing about accessory kits or aftermarket conversions, which change the behaviour described above.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
