Thumping or banging
The tub or cabinet knocks side to side, especially with towels, jeans, or one bulky item.
Start here: Start with load size, load balance, and whether the washer sits solid on the floor before looking underneath.
Washer noise troubleshooting
Washer Making Noise During Agitate
Direct answer: If your washer is making noise during agitate, the most common causes are an off-balance or overloaded load, something caught between the washer basket and tub, or wear in the drive system under the machine. A heavy thump points you one way, while a grinding or rubbery squeal points another.
Most likely: Start by listening to the kind of noise. Sloshing and light tapping usually come from the load. A steady scraping, grinding, or belt-like squeal during back-and-forth agitation usually means a mechanical problem is developing.
Agitation is a short, back-and-forth motion, so the sound matters more than the fact that the washer is noisy. Reality check: a washer full of jeans or towels can sound rough without anything being broken. Common wrong move: running three more loads to see if it gets better after you already heard grinding or smelled hot rubber.
Don’t start with: Do not start by ordering a motor, transmission, or bearing. Agitate noise is often caused by load position, a trapped item, or a simpler drive part lower in the machine.
If the noise is a hard bang or cabinet slam,shift to a balance and suspension check first, because that is different from a scrape or grind.
If the noise is a scrape, grind, or squeal only while agitating,look for a trapped item or a worn washer drive belt or pulley before blaming major internal parts.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-05
What the washer noise sounds like during agitate
Scraping or metal-on-metal sound
You hear a steady scrape during the back-and-forth wash motion, sometimes with marks on clothing or the basket.
Start here: Check for a bra wire, coin, zipper pull, or other item caught between the washer basket and outer tub.
Grinding or growling
The sound is lower and rougher than normal agitation and may get worse under a heavy load.
Start here: Look under the washer for belt dust, a loose pulley, or signs the drive system is wearing.
Squealing or hot-rubber smell
The washer agitates but makes a sharp squeal, chirp, or belt-like slip sound.
Start here: Inspect the washer drive belt area for glazing, fraying, or a pulley that is not turning smoothly.
Most likely causes
1. Off-balance or overloaded load
Agitation throws weight back and forth. One heavy item or a packed tub can make a healthy washer knock and complain.
Quick check: Run a small balanced load or an empty rinse-and-spin. If the noise mostly disappears, the machine may be fine.
2. Item trapped between the washer basket and tub
Coins, bra wires, small screws, and zipper parts can scrape once each stroke and sound worse with water in the tub.
Quick check: Slowly turn the basket by hand with power off and listen for a repeating scrape or feel for a snag point.
3. Worn washer drive belt or pulley
During agitation, the belt and pulley reverse direction repeatedly. A glazed belt or wobbling pulley often squeals, chirps, or grinds here first.
Quick check: Look underneath for black belt dust, belt cracks, frayed edges, or a pulley that rocks instead of running true.
4. Suspension or internal drive wear
If the tub shifts too far or the drive train has play, agitation can sound harsh even with a normal load.
Quick check: Push the tub by hand with the washer empty. Excessive side movement, clunks, or obvious sagging point to support wear rather than a simple load issue.
Step-by-step fix
Step 1: Match the sound before you touch anything
The noise type tells you whether to stay with simple setup checks or move toward a real mechanical issue.
- Run the washer just long enough to hear the noise clearly during agitate.
- Note whether it is a bang, scrape, grind, or squeal.
- Pause the cycle and redistribute the load if it is bunched on one side or packed tight.
- If you were washing one bulky item, add a few similar-weight items or test with a smaller balanced load.
- If the washer is empty and still noisy in agitate, move on to mechanical checks.
Next move: If the noise drops to normal with a balanced load, the washer likely does not need parts. If the same noise returns with a normal load or no load, the problem is in the machine, not the laundry.
What to conclude: Load-related banging is common. Scraping, grinding, or squealing that repeats regardless of load usually means something is caught or a drive component is wearing.
Stop if:
- You smell burning rubber or hot electrical odor.
- The cabinet is jumping hard enough to walk across the floor.
- You hear a sharp metal grind that gets worse within seconds.
Step 2: Check the basket and tub for trapped items
A small metal item can make a loud scrape during agitation and is cheaper to find than any part you could guess at.
- Unplug the washer.
- Open the lid or door and inspect the basket holes, agitator area, and door boot if your washer has one.
- Use a flashlight to look for coins, bra wires, screws, nails, or zipper pieces.
- Slowly rotate the washer basket by hand and listen for a repeating scrape.
- If you find a loose item, remove it carefully and look for scoring or rub marks inside the basket.
Next move: If the scrape is gone after removing the item, run a short cycle and keep using the washer. If nothing is trapped and the noise still happens only during agitation, inspect the drive area underneath.
What to conclude: A repeating scrape with no trapped item found points away from the basket and more toward the belt, pulley, or internal support parts.
Step 3: Look underneath for belt and pulley trouble
Agitation reverses direction over and over, so a worn washer drive belt or loose pulley often shows itself here before a full failure.
- Keep the washer unplugged and shut off the water if you need to move it.
- Pull the washer forward enough to inspect underneath safely with a flashlight.
- Look for black dust, shredded rubber, belt glazing, belt cracks, or a belt sitting crooked on a pulley.
- Check visible pulleys for wobble, looseness, or rough turning by hand where accessible.
- If the belt is obviously damaged or the pulley is visibly out of line, that is your repair path.
Next move: If you find a damaged belt or unstable pulley, replace the failed drive part before running more loads. If the belt area looks clean and solid, the noise is more likely coming from suspension wear or deeper internal drive wear.
Step 4: Check for suspension movement versus true internal wear
A washer that shifts too much can bang during agitation, but a washer that sounds rough while staying fairly centered usually has drive wear instead.
- With the washer empty and unplugged, press down on the basket or tub rim and release.
- Watch for excessive sway, a hard clunk, or a tub that sits noticeably off-center.
- Check that all washer leveling feet are firmly on the floor and the machine does not rock corner to corner.
- If the washer is level but the tub still moves too far or knocks back, suspect worn washer suspension rods or shocks if your design uses them.
- If the tub feels tight but the noise is still a grind or growl, suspect internal drive wear and plan for a pro diagnosis.
Next move: If leveling or correcting a rocking cabinet stops the noise, keep using the washer and monitor it. If the washer is stable on the floor but the tub support is loose or the drive still sounds rough, the problem is inside the machine.
Step 5: Make the repair call before the washer damages itself
Once you know whether the noise is from the load, a trapped item, a belt area problem, or deeper internal wear, the next move is much clearer.
- Replace the washer drive belt if it is glazed, cracked, frayed, or leaving rubber dust and the pulleys otherwise look sound.
- Replace the washer suspension rods or washer shock absorbers only if the tub has excessive sway or knocks back during agitation and the machine is level.
- Do not buy a washer bearing, motor, or control part based on noise alone from this symptom.
- If the noise is a heavy internal grind with no clear belt or suspension fault, stop using the washer and book service before a minor repair turns into a major one.
- After any repair or adjustment, run an empty wash cycle and then a small balanced load to confirm the sound is gone.
A good result: If the washer agitates with only normal water and clothing noise, the repair path was correct.
If not: If the same grinding or scraping remains after the supported checks, the washer likely has internal drive wear that needs teardown diagnosis.
What to conclude: This keeps you from throwing parts at a washer that really needs either a simple belt repair or a professional internal inspection.
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FAQ
Why is my washer noisy only during agitate and not spin?
Agitation uses a short reversing motion, so load imbalance, trapped items, and belt or pulley wear often show up there first. Spin noise is a different pattern and usually points to a different set of causes.
Can an overloaded washer make a grinding or banging sound?
Yes. Overloading can make the tub knock and the drive work harder than normal. But a true grinding or rubber squeal that repeats with a normal load usually means more than just overloading.
Is it safe to keep using a washer that squeals during agitation?
Not for long. A squeal can be a slipping washer drive belt or a pulley problem. Keep running it and you can turn a small repair into a bigger one.
What if I hear scraping and find nothing in the basket?
Then look underneath. If the basket turns by hand but the scrape happens during agitation, the sound is often coming from the belt area, pulley, or internal support parts rather than from inside the basket itself.
Should I replace the washer bearing for agitation noise?
No, not based on this symptom alone. Washer bearing noise is often more obvious during spin, and bearing parts are not a good guess-and-buy item here. Rule out load issues, trapped items, belt trouble, and suspension wear first.