Top Load Washers - HydroWave Wash System and Normal Noises

A HydroWave^TM washing machine is designed to operate quieter than a typical washer.

Each time the lid is closed, the HydroWave^TM wash system senses the washer load and engages a new smart drive system that produces less noise, reduces wear on clothing and maintains great cleaning performance. You might not even know when it is operating.

Below is a list of sounds you may hear during typical operation:

Sound	Cycle	Reason
No Sound (pause)	At the beginning of the cycle or when the lid is closed	The smart drive system is sensing the load.
Gentle splash sound of water	Main agitate cycle (Quiet)	Operation normal – virtually sound free.
Back and forth “swoosh” or “zip” sound during agitation	Agitate (Quiet)	The machine has a drive system that doesn't use gears. The sound is the motor rotating back and forth to agitate the laundry.
Metallic “click”	Beginning and end of agitate.	The drive system will engage at the start of agitate and disengage when agitate is complete. This occurs multiple times.
Quick short agitate sounds at the end of agitate.	End of agitate	At the end of agitate, the motor makes short agitation strokes to redistribute the load. This lasts for about 10 seconds.
Motor “ramping (speeding) up” or “coasting (slowing) down”	Beginning and end of spin	The motor will speed up incrementally during the spin cycle. When the spin is complete, it will coast until it stops or until the lid is raised.

View a short video about normal washer sounds:

Follow these steps to check if your washer is working:Agitation Test:

Open the lid and place a new article of clothing in the washer and note its position.
Close the lid.
Let the washer run for a minute or two and open the lid.
If the agitator is working properly, the article of clothing should have moved around in the wash.

If you find that the clothing has not moved, service will be required. For service, please schedule an appointment with GE Appliances Factory Service.