Eco bubble washing machine - clicking/chugging sound while heating the water.

[Razvan70]

My (newly bought) Eco Bubble washing machine (model WW80J5456FX) makes an unusual sound - like a soft engine rumbling, chugging or clicking inside - in the initial stage(s) of washing, when the water if being heated up. It is not a particularly loud noise, but it is slightly unsettling, especially as the sound is made even when the drum is NOT rotating. So this engine-like chugging coming from inside the machine is heard even when the machine is perfectly still, while the water inside is being heated.

Has anyone else encountered that? The sound in itself is not bothering me, but I would like to be reassured that this is not a defect or a flaw of the machine. (And the customer call centre has been frustratingly useless).

[AndrewL]

@Razvan70: Is your selected cycle completing successfully, and are your clothes coming out clean? Are you getting any error codes on the display? Please be aware that the washing machine will make some mechanical sounds when the cycle begins, before the drum starts spinning, and this is perfectly normal, however it's difficult to diagnose without hearing it for myself.

[Razvan70]

Thank you very much, Andrew.

The cycle wash seems to complete successfully, the clothes are clean and there are no error codes. It seems odd to me that, while nothing is moving - no water is pumped into the machine, the drum is still etc - there still is this chugging sound, as from an engine. Initially I thought it may be the 'bubble generating' system, but the sound is there even when the bubble option is not selected. I would happily upload a short clip with the sound but there is no option for media uploads on this forum.

I am a little heartened though, to hear that the machine is supposed to make noises even when 'still'!

[AndrewL]

No problem, @Razvan70. Just going by my own washing machines behaviour, it does a lot of chugging, sloshing and whirring at the start of a wash while it calibrates, so I can only assume that this is normal. If you're concerned however then I recommend reaching out to Support Centre to arrange for an engineer to inspect the machine. To find your nearest one please check the link below, select Home Appliance > Laundry and enter your post code.

http://www.samsung.com/uk/support/servicelocation/

[Fitzy1]

Hi there. I had a replacement Samsung delivered 5 days ago - on the 2nd day during a wash I too had the awful unhealthy sound. It's like a drill sound - very loud - and also when not agitating. AO believe it could be a pipe blockage, but it's not, because it doesn't happen all of the time. I think it may be when I use the 'bubble' function. I have asked for a replacement machine.

[Tzone]

Having the same issue 😕. It is a chugging noise that certainly wasn't there when I first bought the machine.

[samky]

Mine has just started to do this this morning. Even when the drum isn't rotating it's....Chug, Chug, Chug, Chug!! Very odd. Did anyone get to the bottom of why this is happening?

[Razvan70]

I guess the bottom line is that the machine is supposed to make that sound... Nobody seems to know what that is, but it's OK:-) Mysterious things these contraptions...

[andy_in_ireland]

hi all, even if you have not selected a 'Bubble Soak' cycle the machine still employs the 'ecobubble' feature through many cycles to help the detergent dissolve and clean the clothes better. 

the way I will describe it (on my ww90T534 ecobubble) is that on a bubble soak cycle the pump mixes up the air and soap and then goes up a pipe to the top right hand side of the machine and you can see the bubbles/foam fall down the drum on the right hand side of the drum. Then on other cycles where 'ecobubble' works the water air and detergent mix and come up from the bottom of the drum - so even when drum is not moving you can still hear this extra ecobubble pump working away.

other than that, if it is the heating element heating up the water you can hear a 'boiling' noise , just like you can hear when a kettle is being boiled , and the clicks, groans and bubbling as the water is heating as well even if the drum isnt moving (still heating up the water in the drum) more noticeable when the drum is not moving , and more noticeable if the element has furred up with calcium limescale on the heating element if you are in a very hard water area. 

It could be one of these you can hear. - good luck.

[Nicola74Jane]

Hello I have had the same problem just recently when it’s in washing mode it’s chugging away did you ever get a response as to why it’s been making that noise