Samsung Dishwasher Grinding, Humming or Rattling: Causes and Checks

Dishwashers are never silent, but there is a difference between the swish of a normal cycle and a sound that makes you look up from the sink. A grinding that was not there last month, a hum that continues after the water has gone, or a rattle that appears halfway through a cycle all deserve a closer look. Some are harmless and some are the start of something worse. The sound itself is your strongest clue.

Grinding

Grinding usually means something hard is moving where it should not. Broken glass fragments, a bone, a seed, a bit of ceramic or a loose piece of plastic can lodge in the pump area or the drain screen. The pump pulls water through, and small debris can bounce around in the chamber or rub the impeller. A worn bearing in a pump can produce a similar scrape, though that one tends to get steadily worse, not appear and disappear.

Owner checks: switch off at the breaker, then remove the lower rack and the filter as the manual shows. Look for glass, shell or hard debris in the filter basin and the drain screen. Take out anything visible by hand, with care for sharp pieces. Do not reach deep into the drain opening.

Humming

A humming sound means something electrical is energized but not moving freely. During a normal cycle, you may hear a gentle motor note. A loud, steady hum with no water movement, especially if the cycle stalls or a code appears, can mean the circulation or drain pump is trying to turn and cannot. A blockage that jams the pump, a worn motor, or a pump that cannot get enough water can all cause that.

The 3C code page and the 5C2 code page describe pump and drain-pump behavior from the code library. If your display shows one of them along with the hum, write it down and stop running cycles.

Rattling

Rattling is more often about loading than about a fault. Check the following:

• A utensil or small lid that has fallen through the basket and now sits against a spray arm.
• A spray arm that has loosened or knocks against a tall dish.
• Lightweight items such as plastic cups tapping the rack.
• Racks that are not fully seated on their rails.
• A dishwasher that is not level, so water pressure from the arms shakes the cabinet against the surrounding cupboards.

Open the door after the sound begins and look for where the spray arms touch something. Many rattles stop the moment you rearrange the load.

Squealing and other sounds

A high squeal during the drain stage can reflect a pump under strain. A thump at the start of the fill is often the water inlet valve closing, which is normal in a plumbing system with firm pressure. A vibration against the countertop or the neighboring cabinet suggests the unit has shifted in its opening. Many Bay Area kitchens have narrow cabinets and tight tolerances, and a dishwasher that was once snug can rub after the floor or cabinet has settled.

Checks in order

1. Note when the sound happens: fill, wash, drain or dry.
2. Switch the dishwasher off at the breaker.
3. Remove the racks and clear loose items; check spray arms spin freely by hand.
4. Clean the filter and drain screen of debris.
5. Look at the tub for items under the arm or by the sump.
6. Restore power and run a short empty cycle to see if the sound returns.

If you want a method for describing intermittent sounds, our guide to documenting a new appliance noise explains how to take notes and a short clip.

What not to do

• Do not remove the lower panel or touch the pump or wiring.
• Do not keep running a dishwasher that grinds loudly; debris can chip the impeller.
• Do not use a metal tool in the sump area.
• Do not pour solvents into the tub to dissolve what you cannot see.

If you smell something burning or notice a hot spot near the base, switch the breaker off and leave the unit alone.

When to book

Book when the noise remains after you cleared the filter and rearranged the load, when you hear a humming pump with no water movement, or when a code appears. Provide the model number, what you heard, when it happens and any clip. Our Samsung dishwasher repair page describes how the visit works, and the Samsung dishwashers guide covers the lineup. You can also read the entry for the DW60R2014US/AA to see how a model page is organized. We diagnose before repair, provide a written estimate, and repair nothing without your approval.

Preventing the next noise

Scrape plates before loading, especially bones, shells, olive pits and fruit stones, and keep broken glass out of the tub by checking racks after a breakage. Clean the filter on a regular schedule and look at the spray arms now and then. A few minutes of upkeep keeps small items from reaching the pump, and it makes a new sound much easier to recognize, because the old baseline is quiet.

Built-in and panel-ready units

Panel-ready and built-in dishwashers sit flush with the cabinets, which can hide a rubbing edge. If the sound seems to come from the cabinet more than the machine, open the door and look along the sides for scuff marks or a gap that has narrowed. Slight rubbing against a cabinet is easy to fix once seen, and it is worth ruling out before blaming the pump.

Frequently asked questions