Dishwasher making a loud grinding or rattling noise during the wash (all brands)
✅ Safe to check yourself
This is a common, low-risk check most people can do safely. Always unplug the appliance (or isolate power) before touching internal parts.
Quick TipTake a photo of the appliance's model/serial number sticker now — you'll want it if this does end up needing a part or an engineer.
A grinding, rattling, or scraping noise during the wash cycle is one of the more common dishwasher complaints, and is very often something trapped and spinning against the spray arm or pump, rather than a mechanical failure.
What to check first
- Check both spray arms spin freely by hand and aren’t catching on anything — a stray fork, glass shard, or small item fallen through the rack is a very common cause of a rhythmic grinding noise as the arm rotates.
- Remove and check the filter assembly in the base of the tub for a small hard object trapped against the pump impeller (bay leaves, olive stones, and broken glass are frequent culprits, as with drainage faults).
- Check nothing is loaded so it overhangs into the spray arm’s path, even slightly.
- Check the racks themselves are seated correctly on their runners and aren’t rattling against the tub walls at certain points in the wash.
When to call an engineer
If nothing is trapped and the racks are correctly seated, but the noise persists, the wash pump bearing or motor may be wearing — worth a professional check, particularly if the noise has developed gradually and is getting worse.