The short answer
On the Criterion CLTW washer — one model, one plumbing layout — a leak is identified by when it happens rather than by where the puddle ends up. Water on the floor only while the machine fills points at the supply hoses; water only during the drain points at the drain connection or the pump; water throughout points at the tub, a seal or, surprisingly often, too much detergent.
What you observe
- Water appears only while the machine is filling — The supply hoses or their connections at the taps.
- Water appears only during the drain or the spin — The drain hose connection, the pump, or the standpipe backing up.
- Water from under the middle of the machine throughout — A tub hose, a clamp or a seal.
- Foam at the seams with a wet floor — Oversudsing: the leak follows the foam.
- NEAR MISS — water around the standpipe only — The house drain cannot take the flow; that is a plumbing question.
Causes, most likely first on this family
- Supply hose connections at the taps or the machine — First: rubber washers harden, unions loosen with vibration, and the fault shows only when the hoses are under pressure.
- Detergent oversudsing — Second on this machine, and higher than most lists put it, because it produces a dramatic leak from a machine with nothing wrong.
- Drain hose connection or the standpipe — Third, identified by water that only appears when the pump runs.
- Tub hoses, clamps or the pump seal — Fourth, and the group that produces a steady leak regardless of stage.
- Cracked outer tub or a failed bearing seal — Last, least common, and the only one that makes a repair worth costing against a replacement.
Check in this order, and why
- Dry everything, lay paper, and run a short cycle — Timing the leak is the whole diagnosis on a single-model machine, and it needs no tools.
- Check both tap connections and both hose ends by hand — Four joints, two minutes, and the most likely answer.
- Run a rinse-only cycle with no detergent — If the leak vanishes, it was suds, and the fix is dosage rather than parts.
- Look under the machine at the pump and the tub hoses — Left until last because it needs the machine isolated and moved.
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, and the motor and its control restart on their own when power returns. Shut the hot and cold taps before opening anything behind the machine, never defeat the lid or door interlock to watch a cycle run, and get a second person before walking a loaded machine out.
Models in the CLTW family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| CLTW44A2BG | criterion:washer:cltw |
When to call a technician
Tightening hose unions, replacing supply hoses and correcting detergent dosage are owner work. Call a technician for a leak that persists with the hoses dry and the suds ruled out, because what remains is inside the cabinet. Call at once if water is reaching the outlet or the cord, and shut the taps if a supply hose is bulging or weeping at a crimp.
Nearest pages of this class
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
