The short answer
On a Maytag dishwasher, a noise that was not there before usually comes down to debris in the chopper assembly rather than anything deeper in the machine: the chopper grinds against a fixed plate, and anything hard trapped there produces a harsh rattle during wash only. That keeps it an owner check first, not a service call. Start here: check whether the interface responds at all before opening the door panel, because Maytag splits the interface from the control and only one half is usually at fault.
What you are seeing
- A hard rattle that only appears during the wash phase
- A steady whine that rises as the cycle gets going
- A knocking that stops the moment the pump stops
- Not this fault: A hum with no water movement at all, which is a stalled pump rather than a noise fault
- Not this fault: Water on the floor with the noise, which is a leak and takes priority
- Body: Maytag builds this dishwasher as the tall-tub platform with a hard-food chopper on many models, a single-piece door gasket and a control split between a door-mounted interface and a lower control board. That architecture decides which of these you see first.
- Also check note: If these fit better, the fault is a different one.
Likely causes, in order
- Debris in the chopper assembly — Why this rank: The Maytag hard-food chopper grinds against a stationary plate, and a chip or a bone in there is a hard rattle that only appears during the wash phase.
- A failing wash-motor bearing — Why this rank: The Maytag wash motor is a sump-mounted assembly whose bearing whines steadily rather than knocking.
- A foreign object in the sump — Why this rank: The Maytag sump sits under the filter and holds anything hard right in the wash impeller's path.
- A blocked or unseated spray arm — Why this rank: Maytag's arms thread on rather than clip, so a loose arm wobbles instead of knocking.
- Debris in the hard-food disposer — Why this rank: A shard of glass or a fruit pit in the grinder rattles hard.
- Body: Ranked for a Maytag dishwasher specifically.
What to check, in order
- Body: The order follows the ranking, and the ranking follows the platform. First: with the power off, reach into the sump and turn the chopper by hand. It goes first because the Maytag hard-food chopper grinds against a stationary plate, and a chip or a bone in there is a hard rattle that only appears during the wash phase. Second: open the door mid-cycle and note whether the noise stops with the pump. With the first check clean, this is what the Maytag platform makes next most likely. Third: lift the filter and feel round the sump with the power off. Only after those three is it worth reaching for a blocked or unseated spray arm: it costs more to get at, and it does not explain the first three coming back clean.
Checks you can make
- Press the cancel or drain pad with the door open and listen for the pump. A machine that drains on command but will not start a cycle has a latch or interface fault, not a pump fault. — Tools: none — Time: about five minutes
- With the power off, lift out the filter and feel carefully round the whole sump with a gloved hand for glass, bone or fruit stones, then look with a flashlight before refitting anything. — Tools: gloves, flashlight — Time: about fifteen minutes
- Reach into the sump and turn the chopper by hand with the power off. Grit under it is what you are hearing during wash. — Tools: gloves, flashlight — Time: about ten minutes
- Lift each spray arm off its mount, run water through it at the tap and check that every jet passes water. Refit each arm and spin it by hand to confirm it turns freely through a full rotation. — Tools: none — Time: about fifteen minutes
- Body: Stop at the first step that would need a meter on live terminals or a sealed assembly opened.
Before you open anything
Safety
Switch the machine off at its breaker, or unplug it, before removing any panel. Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Work with the floor dry and stand on something dry. Water on the floor is part of the electrical hazard, not separate from it.
When to call
The line is not difficulty, it is what the next step costs and risks. Call when: the noise is a metallic grinding that gets worse over a single cycle the sump is clear and the arms turn freely but the whine remains
Nearest pages
What this page omits
This is generalized information: it ranks causes for the Maytag dishwasher range as one platform, not for a single model. Where a page exists for your specific model it is the more specific one and takes precedence over this. The narrower pages below cover the other presentations of this symptom.
Entries: - [Maytag Dishwasher: Controls, Display or Error Code](/blog/maytag-dishwasher-control-fault) - [Maytag Dishwasher: Will Not Start or No Power](/blog/maytag-dishwasher-wont-start-2) - [Maytag Dishwasher: Door, Latch or Seal Fault](/blog/maytag-dishwasher-door-seal)
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
