Washing Machine Vibration and Shaking: Causes and Fixes

Excessive washing machine vibration can damage floors, create noise disturbance, and indicate underlying problems.

Common Causes

Leveling Issues

The #1 cause of vibration:

All four feet must contact floor

Machine must be level

Soft or uneven floors worsen problems

Unbalanced Loads

Single heavy items

Items bunching to one side

Mixing heavy with lightweight items

Shipping Bolts Still Installed

New machines have transport bolts:

Must be removed before use

Cause severe vibration if left in

Check installation manual

Worn Suspension

Older machines may have:

Worn shock absorbers

Damaged suspension springs

Failed dampening components

Fixing Vibration

Level the Machine

Place level on top of machine

Adjust feet until bubble centered

Check both front-back and side-side

Lock adjustable feet in position

Load Properly

Distribute items evenly

Wash similar weight items together

Do not overload or underload

Add Anti-Vibration Pads

Place under each foot

Absorb vibration

Protect flooring

Check Floor

Solid flooring best

Reinforce if floor flexes

Consider anti-vibration platform

When Vibration Indicates Problems

Call for service if:

Vibration is new and sudden

Occurs even with proper loading

Accompanied by unusual noise

Machine walks across floor