The short answer
Washer noise divides by when it happens. A noise only during spin is imbalance, suspension or bearings; a noise only during drain is the pump; and a noise that changes when you move the machine by hand is stance or something loose inside. Spin the empty drum by hand with the power off. Grinding or roughness you can feel through the drum is a bearing, while a rattle you only hear under power is usually debris or the pump. On a Smeg washer the cause that ranks first is machine not level, or transit bolts still fitted.
What you observe
- A bang at the start and end of spin, but not during it — Suspension or dampers rather than bearings.
- A rumble or roar that rises with spin speed — A bearing, and it will get worse rather than better.
- NEAR MISS — the machine is quiet but leaves clothes soaking wet — That is a drain or spin fault rather than a noise fault.
Causes, most likely first on a Smeg washer
- Machine not level, or transit bolts still fitted — A machine that rocks bangs its way through every spin, and a new machine still carrying its transit bolts is rigid and deafening. It ranks first on a Smeg washer because there is very little slack behind the panels of a compact cabinet, so anything that restricts restricts completely.
- Coin, wire or underwire trapped in the outer tub or pump — Small hard objects work through the drum perforations into the outer tub, where they clatter loudly on every spin and eventually score the drum. Second on this platform: it is the only cause that begins suddenly rather than gradually, and it is often free to fix.
- Suspension rods or shock absorbers worn — The dampers that control drum movement lose their grip and the drum knocks against the cabinet at the start and end of every spin. Ranked here because it produces a bang at the transitions rather than a continuous noise, which distinguishes it from a bearing.
- Drum or tub bearing worn — A rumble or roar that rises with spin speed, and roughness you can feel turning the drum by hand, means the bearing behind the drum is going. Last, and the reason to work down the list rather than guess: it builds gradually over months, so it is the cause with the longest warning and the highest repair cost.
Check in this order, and why
- Push each top corner in turn and check the back for unremoved transit bolts — A machine that rocks, or that still has its bolts in, is producing its own noise.
- Note whether the noise started suddenly rather than gradually — A sudden metallic rattle is debris, not wear.
- Push the empty drum down by hand and let go — A drum that bounces rather than settling has tired dampers.
What an owner can safely check
- Remove any transit bolts and level the machine until no corner rocks — Transit bolts must come out before the first wash, always.
Tools: spirit level, spannerAbout 25 min
- Open the pump filter and check what comes out, then check pockets on the last loads — Put a towel and a shallow tray down first — water comes with it.
Tools: shallow tray, towelAbout 20 min
- STOP at the point where the next check means live terminals or a panel removed — Everything past that line is a technician's work, however likely the cause above it looks.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the machine or switch off its breaker before opening a pump filter or reaching into the drum, and shut the water supply off before moving it. Have a tray and towels ready: the filter chamber holds water even when the drum looks empty.
When to call a technician
Call once the stance, the pump filter and the transit bolts are ruled out and the noise persists, and stop using the machine if it is walking far enough to strain its hoses. On a European-controlled machine, ask what the control was reporting when it stopped — it usually records why it aborted, and that shortens the visit.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
What this page covers is the washer class as Smeg builds it, not an individual family or model line. If a page exists for your particular family or model, it is linked above and it is the better answer — go there first when your model is named. Left out on purpose: part numbers, connector colours, disassembly order and torque values, because every one of those varies by family.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
