Miele Washing Machine Knocking Sounds

[launderess]

Lately Big Bertha has been making rather odd knocking sounds during spinning. Rather like the ones heard in the video below. Indeed there are several on YouTube showing the same complaint even with machines much newer than mine.

New shocks were installed barely three years ago and did pop open the front for a peek. The shocks aren't damaged or appear broken. Took off the top and tried bouncing the tub and it is firm and solid with nil play. Also tried the "hands test" by grasping the inside of drum, again everything is firm without excessive play. When the tub is empty and spun all is quiet.

Am also noticing when full the tub has more bounce than it should; hitting bottom of machine and resting rather low.

Only thing one can think of is that the tub weights have become loose. Thought it was one of the four suspension springs but they all seem fine. Spider appears to be intact as well.

Thoughts?

 

[stricklybojack]

I hear it too!

.
Says my inner captain obvious. Hard tellin' not knowin', but it would seem something is not up to spec. I wonder if you should even use it until it's sorted out. No doubt others more qualified...okay, others who are qualified, could better answer.

 

[whirlykenmore78]

It sounds like there is play in the bearings:

On the machine in the video. A way to test this is to manually turn the cylinder and listen for a grinding or rumbling noise. If you hear that replace the bearing or it could sieze up mid spin and damage the machine.
WK78

 

[askomiele]

Hi

Yes there is noise when the pump is running, but to me it seems that not the pump is making the noise, more a plastic flap is vibrating. Feel on the toekick maybe it rumbles with the pump.

There is the knockingsound and no it's probably not comming from your suspensiongear. I see your washer is sitting under a countertop. My guess is that you washer is vibrating while spinning and something has loosned up by age. One thing you can do is to run a full cycle whit the machine pulled forward. When the washer spins, put your hand on the cabinet to feel the "knocks". Maybe you can trace the source of it.

 

[combo52]

Noisey Miele Washer

The one in the viedo sounds like slightly bad bearings, and by 5-8 minutes sounds like loose counter balance weights, broken spider, or maybe just bad shocks [ not likely ].

 

While Miele makes some very nice well made appliances I have never seen much evidence that they are especially long lived and certainly not a good buy when you consider initial cost and repair cost.

 

Typical experience, Last Monday I was repairing a 2009 KA DW for a customer, the KA needed a new drain pump, total cost to the customer $167. She asked me how much longer the DW might last, I said I don't know but the DW looks great and I would hope for 5-10 more years out of it. Her replay was well it has already done better than the Miele that was installed when we did the kitchen in 2003, she went on to say that the Miele was repaired twice in 6 years and the last time they came out the estimate was nearly $900 at which point the KA went in. She also went on to say the KA works at least as well as the Miele and sure holds a lot more, but did say the Miele was probably a little quieter.

 

[launderess]

Thanks gang.

Keep those suggestions coming. *LOL*

Should have been more clear; unit shown in above video is not mine, just has the same sort of sounds. Indeed there are several up on Youtube and some seem never to have resolved the matter.

Was hoping avoid calling in the repairman, but feel the problems need sorting before they possibly reach a critical and or terminal stage. You don't want to mess about too much with a 26-something year old washing machine. *LOL*

Do have the Oko-Lavamat so am not out of sorts while waiting for service to arrive. Failing that there is also the Hoover TT.

 

[foraloysius]

Have you checked the back panel?

It's probably not the shock absorbers, you would notice the scratches on the door glass.

 

[washer111]

That doesn't sound good, at least not on the machine pictured.

Our nearly 3-y/o Miele W5741 will often make a couple of subtle "clunka-clunka" (spring-esque sounds) as it comes down from the spin, just before stopping, and the load unbalances. Otherwise, it sounds fine, aside form motor noise.

Don't have anything older to gauge against, but maybe you are experiencing loose weights, springs or shocks. Maybe some pipes are knocking against the cabinet?

 

[foraloysius]

From the comments on Youtube (has anyone read them?) I understand the problem was the bottom plate/panel. I've heard similar noises caused by a loose back panel, so those things should be checked.

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

Launderess: You mentioned you've had both the front panel and top panel off while poking, prodding, bouncing and turning.   Have you considered having both of those panels off while running a load so you can look and listen to try and pin-point where the noise is coming from?

 

This will help narrow things down.

 

Kevin

 

P.S... I just looked at the photo again and it looks like you may not be able to have the front panel off and operate the machine at the same time.  Oops.

 

[launderess]

How does one check and or tighten loose counter weights?

 

[combo52]

Noisey Miele Washer

Hi Louis, good idea about checking for loose back and bottom panels, simple things like that can make a lot of noise.

 

Hi Launderess, To tighten loose counter weights you would first try tightening the screws or bolts that hold them in place.

 

[jetcone]

Yes to my ear

it sounds like some other component has worked loose like the drain pump , or something  on the baseplate. The shocks would transfer that eccentric vibration to the baseplate. When it spins down unpowered it doesn't sound like a bearing problem from the tub. I'd look for a loose plate some where while the machine is open and spinning-- NOT With your fingers in there !!!

But a nice piece of drain hose can be used like a stethoscope to locate things exactly.

 

And that keeps fingers and ears out of machine parts, if a hose gets bound up in the works who cares.

 

 

 

 

[iej]

Also before you take anything apart, check there's nothing touching the machine case.

Our Miele started to make a lot of noise and it turned out that a small cat toy was under the machine banging against the bottom !

 

[launderess]

Problem solved

At least one hopes it is for the money given.

Miele came out several weeks ago to see what ails Big Bertha. After some rough handling of the drum (Bertha was not amused)tech pronounced the shocks in fine condition. Well they should be shouldn' they? I mean the things were only installed about three years ago.

Next was a look under the bonnet so to speak and then came an announcement; the suspension spring or springs were stretched out and would have to be replaced. Anyone who knows anything about Miele appliances knows things are rarely simple and straight forwards.

Turns out if one spring is going best to replace the lot (four),and they aren't cheap either. Worse the cast metal holders (attach to drum and springs connect) would have to be replaced as well. Oh and there were four plastic holders that go between the spring and metal washer cabinet and all.

When all said and done my purse was lighter a few hundred but Bertha seems happy once again.

At one point had considered it was the springs and doing the job oneself; am glad didn't go down that route.

It took two grown men better part of three hours to fit the new springs in; moaning, cursing and groaning the entire time. *LOL*

 

[jetcone]

I love it when

Servicemen get into the gritty. You know you're really getting your dollars worth!!

Last time I saw that was when the GE solid tub swallowed a sock and I had predicted that to the service guy at the tender age of 7!! But NO he wouldn't have any of me as a kid what did I know!! He had to remove the tub to get that sock out of the drain screen!!! 

Luscious !!

 

 

[firedome]

to my mind...

good engineering includes good design, quality construction, AND ease of servicing. All 3 attributes together are not found commonly these days, regretfully.

 

[launderess]

"good engineering includes good design, quality construction"..

Would say Miele laundry appliances of Big Bertha's generation and following (the 1900 series washers with matching dryers) were very well engineered including when it came to service and quality. But clearly Miele learned things as they went on.

For instance these units are easily serviced from the front. Both 1000 series washers and their matching dryers can have all repair work done from the front and or perhaps by taking off the top. This makes sense as in Europe and often elsewhere the units are built in. However "ease" is a relative term. *LOL*

Springs on this unit like shocks aren't easily replaced to a point, but then again you shouldn't have to do one or the other that often should you? In both instances I replaced parts that were original to the machine, so we're talking about things that are twenty or more years old. So while it may be a tight squeeze to get at some parts in theory you shouldn't be swapping them out that often.

As the Miele chap was cleaning up and testing out the machine told him about my "find" a few weeks ago (set of Miele units sitting curbside) and how they probably were both really defective IMHO. His reply was "you'd be surprised"...

Apparently now spares for even the 1900 series and matching dryers are no longer in stock from Miele. This means for want of one part a repair to make machine operable again cannot happen. Thus the thing is a goner.

Now Miele will *NOT* install "used" parts. That is if you find spares off eBay or elsewhere that aren't NIB they won't install. You can do so yourself but that is a different kettle of fish. Miele tech told of a customer who really wanted to keep her T1500 series dryer, but the door latching mechanism went and they are NLA, so that was that. Now if I knew that person would have suggested she search European sources for said spares, but don't think MieleUSA goes that route.

 

[candyd10_14x]

Knocking sounds

Hi, I have a Miele W562 Prestige Plus 6 from March 2000 and mine too does the 'clunka-clunka' sound when slowing down, sometimes it is really distinctive when spinning a heavy or unbalanced load and at times makes me believe the shock absorbers are on their way out.

I noticed mine however sounds like there is gravel or loose limescale around the inner tub as it tumbles anti-clockwise sometimes.

Brandon.