The short answer
Leaks on the Criterion MAV washer come from a short list, and two of its entries need no parts at all. The connections — two supply ends at the taps, two at the machine, and the drain — account for most of them, and detergent accounts for a surprising share of the rest: a foaming detergent in a machine specified for low-foam washing produces a leak that looks exactly like a failed seal.
What you observe
- A wet joint behind the machine during the fill — A supply connection: washer, union or a perished hose.
- Water only while the machine drains — The drain connection, the pump, or the standpipe backing up.
- Foam at the door or the seams with water on the floor — Oversudsing rather than a failed seal.
- A steady drip under the centre of the machine — A tub hose, a clamp or the pump seal.
- NEAR MISS — water pooling around the standpipe only — The house drain cannot take the flow, which is a plumbing matter.
Causes, most likely first on this family
- Supply connections and hoses — First. Washers harden, unions loosen with every spin, and the leak only shows when the hoses are under pressure.
- Detergent type or dosage — Second on this machine, above where a generic page ranks it, because the correct detergent for a given revision is documented rather than obvious.
- Drain connection and standpipe — Third, identified by water that appears only while the pump runs.
- Tub hoses, clamps and the pump seal — Fourth: a steady leak that does not care which stage the cycle is at.
- Outer tub or bearing seal — Last, least common, and the one that decides repair against replacement.
Check in this order, and why
- Dry and check the four hose joints and the drain by hand — The highest-yield two minutes available on this machine.
- Run a rinse-only cycle with no detergent — If the leak disappears, it was foam, and the fix costs nothing.
- Lay paper under the machine and note which stage wets it — Fill, wash, drain or spin each implicate a different part.
- Look underneath at the pump and tub hoses — 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 MAV family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| MAV44C-A2808PS/01FM-US | criterion:washer:mav |
When to call a technician
Replacing supply hoses, tightening unions and correcting detergent are owner work. Call a technician for a leak that persists with the joints dry and the suds ruled out, since what remains is inside the cabinet. Shut both taps immediately if a hose is bulging or weeping at a crimp, and call at once if water is reaching the cord or the outlet.
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.
