AEG possible bearing issue

[tony359]

Hi there

I've noticed today that my brand-new AEG is getting noisy when spinning at a certain speed with a full load. To me, it's a bad bearing noise. It's not awful but obviously it raises some concerns.

I have noticed that if I spin the drum by hand with NO POWER connected the drum spins freely up to a certain speed, then it develops a "spongy" as if the motor was counteracting and it stops immediately. No noise is produced.

I'm wondering if this is just a normal behaviour of an inverter motor or a further confirmation that something is not right.

Finally, the drum has a very little play if I pull it at the bottom.

Thank you!

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hello Tony. It would be highly unusual for drum bearings to fail in a "new" washing machine. Does it sound like this at all? Noisy drum bearings sound like this https://www.whitegoodshelp.co.uk/what-do-noisy-drum-bearings-sound-like/

Also, try to take off the drive belt before spinning the drum by hand to ensure you are only hearing and feeling the drum and bearings.

[tony359]

Hi Andy,

I'll pull the machine out and check. At low speed - by hand or when spinning on its own - is VERY quiet, I believe I can just barely hear the noise from the belt. And if I run the spin with no load I can't hear anything unusual. It was just today with a full load. I'll try and take a recording next time I do the laundry again.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Yes please do. Washing machine noises have many different potential causes and can be difficult to diagnose if not actually at the machine. I have 2 articles offering help here - Washing Machine is Noisy | More causes of a noisy washing machine

[tony359]

I've managed to save a recording. This is with no load and using the diagnostic menu - so the washer spins to 650rpm, then jumps to 1400rpm very quickly.

You'll hear a whining noise towards the end of the cycle. Immediately after I ran another spin cycle which did not show the issue. The speed of the drum does not seem to be affected, it may 'cure' by itself or get worse, who knows. Could I have your opinion please? (I noticed you moved the post under 'repair', sorry for posting in the wrong place!)

In fact, on this occasion there is also a 'squeaking' noise when the drum finally stops which I'm not sure I've heard before.

http://www.cinematech.it/MyLinks/AEG_bearings3.mp3

Thanks!

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

That sounds bad. Is the drum catching on the door seal?

[tony359]

not that I can see. I'll have a better look but it seems to come from the back of the machine. Shall I call AEG and have it fixed before it gets worse/it stops working? The machine is 2 months old.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

It's definitely got something wrong. Let us know what it turns out to be. 

[tony359]

Ok. That was a "damaged" unit from a known retailer in the UK - it came with some cosmetic damage and a good discount. It's under warranty anyway so no worries but I reckon they'll just refund me and take the machine back.

I noticed AEG have just released new models. They are just washing machines - I'm not expecting to behave massively differently from the previous models but do we know if they are any good? I chose mine after carefully browsing the internet and it is one of the best machines recommended by Which - unless you want to consider samsung washers.

If they offered to send an AEG engineer, I'll let you know what it is - can the tub be opened on an AEG? I still feel that AEG would probably replace the machine anyway as replace the bearings is not the quickest task...

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Most modern washing machines have fully sealed tubs these days, including I'm fairly sure AEG.

[tony359]

Today the AEG technician has attended the machine. As expected, the noise had gone in the meantime, despite several attempts to trigger it. He heard the recording and he said that it doesn't sound like a bearing issue. He mentioned that sometimes the belt gets misaligned and it takes a few washes for it to get back into the correct position - he said it's quite a common issue.

He was quite professional though, he said to keep using the machine and if the noise came back to call the service centre and he would return to replace the motor and the belt.

Sounds like a plan!

[tony359]

update: 2 washes later the noise has clearly returned...

It's weird, it does sound like squeaking rubber. I guess I'll follow the technician's plan and have belt and motor replaced.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

The recording you posted sounds like an empty drum resonating because it's catching on something rubber. Does the noise occur when fully loaded? Have you checked the gap between the drum lip and the back of the door seal all around to make sure it isn't catching somewhere - maybe at the top?

[tony359]

yes, it happens when full and when empty, low and high speed. I am going to check the seal better but the gap is very small and the drum is definitely not whining all the time. Another option would be to open the back when it's noisy and it should be clear if the noise is coming from there or not.

This is a 'damaged' unit from a big retail chain here - indeed the front panel has a small dent so I'm supposing that the seal is slightly pushed towards the drum than it should be... But, again, it only happens every now and then.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hello Tony. The lip on many washing machine drums is rarely perfectly round. Sometimes they can be quite a little bit off. That could mean there's one spot on the drum lip that can catch on the door seal if the gap is very small. Sometimes it catches at the top of the door seal so you might need to get your head inside with a torch and slowly turn the drum to see if there is one point where it gets very close.

I suppose heat and expansion or cold and contraction could account for the intermittent aspect. It's hard to think of anything else that tends to catch. However, as you said if you remove the back panel and lid you might be able to track down where the noise appears to be coming from. Obviously be extremely careful with the machine running with no lid or back panel.

Check that the drive belt is on properly. The only other thing I can think of is the circulation pump but it doesn't sound like a pump problem.

[tony359]

Update, after a long time!

I've called AEG again - I just kept putting that off! - they replaced belt and motor. While the noise had recently decreased and become intermittent, it happened briefly during the spin test. The technician says that as this is intermittent AEG are unlikely to go any further as the next step would be to replace the tub.

I guess I'll live with that, it's just a small annoying thing...

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Thanks for the update tony. The noise you linked to definitely sounds like the drum catching on the door seal or catching on something. maybe a belt issue could account for it though it doesn't sound remotely like a motor fault unless somehow the motor was out of line causing the belt to catch on something. Keep us updated if it returns.