The short answer for this family
On the Criterion CLTE dryer family a new noise comes from one of four places, and each sounds different: the drum rollers, the idler and belt, the blower, or something loose inside the drum. A drum turned by one motor and belt, heated by an electric element in a housing behind or beneath the drum. Where the noise sits in that list decides whether this is a ten-minute job or a strip-down. Written against the one model the spine lists.
What you observe on these models
- A rhythmic thump that keeps time with the drum — Something turning with the drum: a flat spot on a roller, or a seam in the belt. It is slow and regular, which is how you tell it from the blower.
- A buzz from the machine when it is not running — A control relay or a transformer humming with the machine idle is electrical rather than mechanical, and it is a different investigation.
- A rattle or scraping like small stones — Almost always something in the blower: a coin, a button or a hairpin that got past the filter. It is the noise that sounds expensive and is usually free to fix.
- NEAR MISS: the noise arrived with clothes taking longer to dry — Then the blower is the likely source and the vent is the likely cause. Read the heating page alongside this one.
Ranked causes for this family
- The drum support rollers are worn or dry — First on this platform: the rollers carry the whole drum and they wear flat or dry out with age. They give the rhythmic thump or the squeal, and they are the most common mechanical wear item on any dryer.
- Something is in the blower wheel — Second, and the cheapest to fix: coins and buttons get past the filter and rattle in the blower housing. The noise is sharp, irregular, and follows the motor rather than the drum.
- The idler pulley or the belt is worn — The idler keeps tension on the belt and its bearing is small and hard-worked. A squeal that changes with load, or a chirp at start-up, points here.
- A drum felt seal has worn through — This platform carries a felt seal at each end of the drum. A worn felt lets the drum touch the bulkhead, which gives a scraping noise and marks on the clothes at the same time.
Where to start, and why here
- Run the machine empty and listen — An empty drum separates a load problem from a machine problem immediately, and it makes the rhythm of the noise much easier to hear. Each step rules out a cause the next one would inherit.
- Decide whether the noise keeps time with the drum or the motor — Drum-speed noises are rollers, belt and felts. Faster noises that do not track the drum are the blower or the motor, and that halves the list.
- Check the drum and the pockets for loose objects — Look right round the drum lip and into the lint filter housing. A coin at the filter opening is on its way to the blower.
- Push the drum up and down by hand with the power off — Play or a gritty feel means worn rollers or a worn bearing. A drum that is solid and quiet by hand moves the fault to the blower or the motor.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the dryer or switch off its breaker before removing any panel; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Stop using the machine immediately if a grinding noise comes with a burning smell: a hot bearing surrounded by lint is how dryer fires start. Never reach into a blower housing without confirming the machine cannot start.
Models in the CLTE family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| CLTE70N2BG | criterion:dryer:clte |
When this stops being owner work
Running it empty, emptying pockets, clearing the filter housing and levelling the machine are owner work. Call for anything that needs the cabinet open: rollers, idler, belt, felts and the blower are all inside, and on this platform the machine runs on a high-current supply, so anything behind the panel is worked on with the breaker off and confirmed off.
Other problems covered for this family
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
