New Bosch Front Loader Washing Machine Shakes Quite a Lot

discod on 28/10/2021 - 11:55
Last edited 28/10/2021 - 16:41 by 1 other user

Hi All,

I have a new Bosch washing machine (German made). When ramping up and down during the spin cycle, the washing machine shakes quite a lot. It also has a high pitched whine on its max speed setting of 1600rpm.

A few important points:
1) Machine was transported with transport bolts which were removed before installation.
2) Machine has been levelled with a spirit level.
3) The floor base is wood floorboards on concrete stumps. The floor is in good condition.
4) I have placed the washing machine on a solid/heavy porcelain tile with a thin anti vibration mat (more on this later).

I had a warranty tech come out who checked for fault codes and found nothing. He visually inspected the machine (didn't take anything apart) and said that the issue was the machine was installed on a wood floor.

The tech pointed me to the manual which mentioned that installing the machine on floorboards it was recommended for the machine to be placed on a seperate panel of hardwood (30mm thick) which is drilled into the floor. I don't believe this is relevant as I can visually see the machine shaking around on top of the tile and it is clear that the tile itself is not moving. I have also had a previous machine used on the same floor with no issues.

To me it felt like the tech was using the wood floor as an excuse and I'd like to escalate this further.

Has anyone had a similar issue? If so what was it?

What can I do to take this further? I feel like the manufacturer will just say "you need to drill the wood base into the floor" which is an exercise I don't want to do unnecessarily (I am certain it won't make a difference).

I've attached some videos of the issues.](https://imgur.com/a/iYEOumj) In the video with the shaking, I show a close up of the machine shaking on top of the tile and to me it is clear the tile is not moving at all (i.e. not a floor issue). Can anyone confirm if this is an abnormal level of shaking from a washing machine? None of my previous models had anything like this.

  • First video is of the whining sound
  • Second video (near end) shows closeup of machine vibrating on tile
  • Third Video shows the pronounced shaking (i took the dryer off because it felt like too much shaking)

I have had someone mention that it could be my shock absorbers. Apparently if you push on the drum from the inside and it bounces more than once, your shocks are cooked. Mine bounces 3 or 4 times. Does anyone elses machine do this?

Electrical & Electronics Bosch Washing Machine

Comments

  • John Kimble on 28/10/2021 - 12:09
    +2

    Mine sounds and shakes similarly at it's max 1400rpms. WAW28460AU. It's on solid concrete.

    I'll try and record it and upload next load.

    The tech didn't mention it was normal/abnormal?

    • discod on 28/10/2021 - 12:21

      He didn't comment on the shaking (he didn't actually test the spin cycle with a load in it). He mentioned he thought everything was fine with the machine and told me to install the wood base.

      • MITM on 28/10/2021 - 13:43

        He came all the way out and didn't visual the problem in action ? Lazy tech just relying on self diagnostics and error codes. Ask for another tech to come out.

        • discod on 28/10/2021 - 16:43

          Yes. It definetely felt that way, he seemed pretty keen to tick the box and move on.
          I figured there are probably tons of things that could go wrong, that would not throw an error code, so how on earth would he know if something was faulty in that instance.

  • ShortyX on 28/10/2021 - 12:09

    Doesn't look normal but I'm comparing to a 10 year old Bosch (WAS24460AU/03) and it's max rpm is 1200.

    How handy are you? You could take off the back cover and take a look while it's running. Might be a shock absorber issue?

  • Drakesy on 28/10/2021 - 12:40
    -1

    I have a 4 year old Bosch front loader
    That's normal, if not better than mine.
    An issue would be if the vibrations were so bad that it started to move away from it's location.

    When you put a load of unevenly distributed clothing into a drum and spin it at 1600 rpm it'll never be vibration free.

  • Stewardo on 28/10/2021 - 12:45

    Looks as it should to me. You have a timber (not wood)
    Framed house this powerful machine has a lot of energy, it’s using your houses frame and flooring like a drum. This is pretty common I don’t think the machine is faulty.

  • skid on 28/10/2021 - 12:46
    +2

    It's normal and it's not that bad.

    The anti-vibration pad is too soft. If you can, remove the pad and replace it with a small wedge under one of the feet. Make the wedge out of folded up cardboard. Repeat for each foot until the machine can't be rocked by you pushing on the machine.

    Now that Kmart has opened up, go to the sports section and buy a thin pool noodle. Wedge the pool noodle between the sink and the side of the machine. This will act like a vibration dampener. Push your dryer up against the left side of the washing machine and wedge another pool noodle between them.

    The shaking will be worse when the washing is not balanced inside the drum.

  • pharkurnell on 28/10/2021 - 12:56
    +1

    Your machine is barely moving at all…

    Mine shakes more, but first front loader I've owned, I thought it was normal
    i now only run my spin at 800 - small loads 1000 as I think its going to shake its way up the Hume Highway to Qld on its own

  • discod on 28/10/2021 - 13:43
    -1

    Interesting and thanks for your feedback all.
    I have added another video with more pronounced shaking being shown (3rd video).
    I did take the dryer off as it felt like it was shaking too much.
    To clarify, it still shakes as much as the 3rd video whether the dryer is or isnt stacked on top.
    So is that a normal amount of shaking?
    This is definetely more than my last two machines, I guess i was expecting the new wizz bang german model to be less shaky.

  • JimmyF on 28/10/2021 - 14:11
    +1

    I've attached some videos of the issues.](https://imgur.com/a/iYEOumj) In the video with the shaking

    Yep looks normal for a 1600rpm…. Try lowering the speed if you are worried to 1400rpm.

    Otherwise do what Bosch has advised. Look at fixing a more solid floor for the machine.

    1600rpm is very fast, there is lots of forces from the washing weight spinning around inside!

  • Duckie2hh on 28/10/2021 - 14:39

    should have bought an LG

  • bmxr on 28/10/2021 - 14:44

    I put 12kg of dumbells on top of ours and it doesn't shake anymore during spin up/spin down!

  • iampoor on 28/10/2021 - 15:36
    +1

    Could the pad be contributing to the shaking?

    Seems like a pretty soft material, perhaps remove that and test again. That should hopefully lessen the shaking and the dryer on top would probably eliminate most of it.

  • discod on 28/10/2021 - 16:41
    -1

    I have had someone mention that it could be my shock absorbers. Apparently if you push down on the drum from the inside and it bounces more than once, your shocks are cooked. Mine bounces 3 or 4 times. Does anyone elses machine do this?

    • Drakesy on 28/10/2021 - 21:05

      I think you're looking for a problem that in your case doesnt exist

  • hasselbladsnapper on 28/10/2021 - 16:56
    +1

    Sorry, thats stuff all in the video, my LG rocks and rolls on a concrete floor, about 6 times worse than yours!. As ours is located between walls the foam/noodle trick works well and has sorted ours. I think it is still mostly due to the load balance, bath towles are the worst for setting the thing off!.

  • BigM4brekkie on 02/11/2021 - 01:02

    I know you said you removed the transit bolts but did you actually remove the white(or clear) barrels that the bolts were screwed into as well? Alot of people only remove the bolts but not the barrels (usually when removing the packaging the hoses are clipped to them)

    What the tech mentioned about the floor can also be a cause, if i was you to prove a point (if the transit barrels are removed) is to take this outside onto solid concrete and test - if there is no excessive vibration there the flooring is the issue.

    As for the noise - these new machines which spin at 1600rpm do create a louder noise especially with clothing inside.
    From the video it looks like it is close to the laundry trough and the vibration could be causing a slightly louder noise?

    If you do all this and its none of these mentioned solutions call Bosch again and get a technician (internal technician) to come out and actually open up the machine to check there is no loose concrete / check shock absorbers

    under ideal conditions that much vibration is not normal on a new machine

    Please let me know if any of this helps :)

  • stedmaster on 03/11/2021 - 15:36

    Its hard to get a good idea of what is acceptable when it comes to new washing machines and how they perform of certain surfaces, even that which might be considered an ideal surface.

    I've used various front load machines some of which have almost been dead still and virtually silent at max speed, and then some that have made all sorts of noise new and even have issues like walking all over the floor depending on what was in the wash, but It didn't bother me at those times, the machines kept running for years like that.

    One thing I would suggest, as I'm not sure, but have you tried running the machine just on the wood floor by itself? I am suspicious of this anti vibration material you have under the machine. Is it specifically made for washing machines, and even then, which ones? Different materials can have varying absorption properties, it might not be good for dispersing that kind of vibration, sometimes they can actually make things worse, especially if it is opposing the counter vibration mechanisms such as to what the machine already has. Sometimes using a material like that is just right, despite manufacture recommendation, but other times it can also make things worse. It may have been good for your previous machine say, but not this one.

    The frame rate of the camera won't show the accuracy of the vibration obviously, but it looks as though your machine is wobbling on a jelly primarily in an up down motion.

    To be fair, what is observed is on the lower end of significance compared to what some other machines can be like. What would generally be described as a high pitch whine at max speed is also quite normal. I wouldn't be concerned personally.

    When the guide says the machine has to be set on a hard surface or a hard board on the floor, that is the manufacture guide lines, its only then if you adhere to that and there is still an objectively significant issue that you really have an argument, because then it is not working in the environment even the manufacture themselves has recommended.

    The most impressive machine I have seen is the Haier in a unit I currently use, it has the least vibration and noise I've ever noticed, I didn't think a machine could be like that, even though it sits in a shelf. But my previous one at my old place, on a concrete floor, used to walk nearly ever time, and make much more noise.

  • ax1 on 14/12/2021 - 11:37

    My Bosch washing machine is worse than yours even at 600rpm. :-(
    Internet said it could be a shock absorber issue, but mine has the same issue from day 1.
    I was thinking to get a washing machine stand from Bunnings, but not sure if it helps.
    Did you find any other possible solutions?

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