In short
Most new washer noises are the load or the installation rather than the machine. On this machine the first suspect is machine not level, or transit bolts still fitted.
What you observe
- Banging and walking during spin only — An unbalanced load, or a machine that is not level.
- A grinding that rises and falls with the drum — A bearing, and the one noise here that reliably worsens.
- A rattle or clatter at the start of drain — Something hard has reached the pump.
- A squeal during spin — A belt or a drive component under load.
- NEAR MISS — noisy and also leaking — Deal with the leak first: water on the floor beside a powered machine comes before any noise.
Causes, most likely first on a Smad washer
- Machine not level, or transit bolts still fitted — A machine that rocks hammers itself on every spin, and one on transit bolts cannot absorb anything. Ranked first on a Smad washer: on a machine that is new or has just been moved, it outranks everything mechanical.
- Unbalanced or overloaded drum — An overloaded drum cannot redistribute at all, so every spin becomes a banging attempt.
- A coin, wire or underwiring between the drum and the tub — A bra underwire is the classic version and it makes a sound nobody mistakes for anything else.
- Something hard in the pump — Coins, buttons and grit reach the pump and rattle against the impeller at every drain.
Check in this order, and why
- Push the top corners and watch the machine spin — Any rock at all means the feet need adjusting.
- Note whether the noise happens only during spin — Open the door mid-cycle and look at where the load has gone.
- Turn the drum slowly by hand and listen for something sliding — Check the filter at the same time: that is where they often end up.
What an owner can safely check
- Level the machine on its feet until it does not rock, and check the transit bolts were removed — All four feet must carry weight, and the locknuts are tightened afterwards so nothing drifts.
Tools: spirit level, adjustable spannerAbout 25 min
- Stop the cycle, redistribute the load evenly around the drum, and run a spin on its own — Wash large single items with something else to balance them, and never fill the drum to the door.
About 15 min
- STOP HERE if the next step needs a panel off or a meter on live terminals — That is where the owner checks end and a service call begins, whatever the ranking says.
Before you open anything
Safety
Isolate the machine at the wall and shut both taps before any filter cap comes off; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is down. The filter holds several litres, so a tray and towels go down first. The door lock and the lid switch are safety devices and are never bypassed, and a door on a drum full of water is never forced. Drain the machine before you move it: it is far heavier full than empty.
When to call a technician
Owner work is the load, the levelling, the filter and anything you can reach through it. Bearings, belts and drive components are behind panels, and a bearing is the repair that decides whether the machine is worth keeping. If your unit is an absorption model running on gas, the gas side is not owner work: a licensed gas technician handles the burner, the flue and any smell of gas.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page covers the Smad washer as a class, not one family or model line. Where a family- or model-specific page exists for your unit it is linked above and it is the better answer — read it first. Deliberately not here: part numbers, wiring colours, panel removal order and torque figures, all of which differ between families under one nameplate.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
