What this usually is
A VMX that has started making a noise points first at an unbalanced load, or the machine not level. Several of these are free to fix and one of them is the end of the machine. Most of this page is owner work and it stops before the drum comes out.
What you actually observe
- A rattle or grinding only while the machine drains — Something hard in the pump, which is a pocket check rather than a repair.
- A squeal or burning smell during the wash — A belt slipping, or a drum that is not turning as freely as it should.
- NEAR MISS: the machine stops mid-cycle instead — That is a cycle fault and belongs on its own page.
What it usually turns out to be, in order
- An unbalanced load, or the machine not level — A single heavy item, a duvet wrapped to one side, or a machine standing on three feet turns the spin phase into a hammering that walks the whole appliance across the floor. First, and the whole order below follows from it: it is free to rule out, it changes load by load, and it accounts for more noise complaints than everything else on this page put together.
- Coins or debris in the drain pump — Everything that comes out of a pocket ends up at the pump. Next, and for a closely related reason: the noise is confined to the drain phase, which makes it the easiest fault on this page to identify without opening anything.
- Transit bolts still fitted, or feet not lowered — A new or recently moved machine that was never unbolted cannot move its drum on its suspension. Third, once the two above are clean: it explains a machine that has been noisy since the day it arrived, and it costs nothing but a spanner to settle.
- Worn drum bearings — A roar that rises with spin speed and is quiet at wash speed is the bearing. Last, and that is the point of this order: it is the costliest by a distance, and because everything above it is free to rule out first.
The order to check in
- Open the door mid-cycle and see whether the load is all on one side — A single wet towel wrapped in a duvet is the classic.
- Note whether the noise happens only while water is going out — A drain-only rattle is the pump filter, every time.
- Look at the back of the machine for transit bolts still in place — Noisy from day one plus bolts in the back is the whole answer.
Owner-side checks, step by step
- Redistribute the load by hand, then check the machine does not rock by pressing each corner in turn — Level it on its feet and lock the locknuts.
Tools: a spirit level, a spannerAbout 20 min
- With the machine off, open the filter flap at the bottom front, drain it into a tray and clear the trap — Expect water. Have towels down before you open it.
Tools: a shallow tray, towelsAbout 25 min
- STOP AT THIS POINT if the next step needs a meter on live terminals — That is where an owner check ends and a service call begins.
Safety first, and it is not boilerplate
Safety
Unplug the washing machine or switch off its breaker before opening the pump filter or removing any panel, and turn off the taps before you disturb a hose. The filter flap holds water: have a shallow tray and towels ready before you open it. A washing machine is far heavier than it looks, so do not tip it on your own, and never run it with a panel off to find a noise.
The line between a fix and a service call
Call once the load balance, the levelling, the pump filter and the drum check are all clean and the noise remains, because what is left is the belt, the motor or the bearings. Call sooner if you smell burning, if the drum will not turn by hand, or if the noise arrives with water on the floor.
Where to go next in this class
What is deliberately not on this page
This page covers the VMX washing machine as a class, not one family or model line. Where a family- or model-specific page exists it is linked here. Deliberately not here: bearing part numbers, belt sizes, drum removal sequences and any torque figure, all of which differ by family and belong on the page for that family.
Links: - [VMX dryer dead or humming without turning: what to check](/blog/vmx-dryer-wont-start) - [A VMX washing machine that holds water at the end of the cycle](/blog/vmx-washer-drainage-failure) - [Westbend washer noise: which sounds matter and which do not](/blog/westbend-washer-abnormal-noise)
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
