Why Is My Washing Machine Beeping During the Cycle? 5 fixes

“Why is my washing machine beeping?” Let’s look at five common problems and the fixes (sometimes easy) that you can try. No need to call an appliance technician just yet!

Whether you have an old or new washing machine, a continuous beeping sound is worrying. Even if your machine seems to be washing your clothes per usual, you’ll still need to know why it’s beeping so the problem won’t escalate into something that neither you nor a professional can fix.

Your washing machine beeps because the lid is not closed properly, the load is too large, something is not allowing enough water into the washing machine, or there is a clog in the drainage system causing it to hold water.

In the rest of this article, I’ll explain each issue in depth, why it would cause your washing machine to beep at you, and how to troubleshoot the problem if it’s something you can do yourself without professional help.

1. The Lid Is Not Closed Properly

The washing machine will beep if the lid is loose or open because it’s not safe for the washing machine to operate when there’s a risk that all your clothes will fly out of it in the middle of the wash cycle. Otherwise, the washing machine will get damaged and severely injure anyone attempting to turn it off.

How To Fix?

The next time your washer beeps during the cycle, check if its lid or door is secured properly. If it isn’t, turn off the washer and secure the lid. If the lid checks out, and the machine is running per usual, you may have a different issue causing your washing machine to beep constantly.

Read: Why Washing Machine Leaves Lint On Clothes?

2. The Load of Laundry Is Too Large

It’s tempting to throw one last item into the washing machine on top of an already full load. After all, that item only adds a few grams tops, right? But if, after doing that, you find your washer bouncing around or making loud noises in the middle of the cycle, that might be the cause of your beeping issue.

If you overload a washing machine, it will beep at you, especially if it’s one of the newer models. The reason this feature exists is that an overloaded washing machine can severely damage its critical internal components.

See, when you overload your washing machine, it adds extra weight to the drum. Remember that clothes get a lot heavier when they’re soaked. If you load your machine beyond its maximum capacity, you also put more pressure on its internal components, potentially causing damage beyond repair.

How To Fix?

The simplest fix for this issue is to read the manual that came with your washing machine. Alternatively, you can check under the lid to see what amount of clothes your washer can handle. If you can’t find any of this info, use your judgment and adjust the size of your laundry load. 

As a general rule of thumb, your washing machine shouldn’t be more than 75% full when operating. For example, if your washer can only handle up to 7 kilograms (15 lbs), your laundry shouldn’t be heavier than 5 kilos (11 lbs). This is to make room in your washing machine for when the clothes spin around and to account for the extra weight that comes with soaked clothes.

Read: Why Washing Machine Not Spinning Fast?

3. The Washing Machine Is Not on a Stable Surface

If your washing machine isn’t sitting perfectly flat (i.e., all four feet should be on the ground), it will bounce around during fast spin cycles, especially with large loads of laundry. This will cause it to beep at you.

The beep alerts you that the machine is off balance and moving around in a way that may cause it to fall over. If you have a newer washing machine, it may even stop the cycle automatically if it senses the machine bouncing around.

As you might’ve guessed, the beeps and stopping of the cycle are to protect the washing machine from damage. If a washing machine is bouncing around while the drum is spinning quickly, there’s a good chance something will go horribly wrong inside the washing machine.

How To Fix?

This is pretty easy to fix most of the time. Washing machines typically have adjustable feet on them. You can turn the foot either left or right to raise or lower it. You may need pliers to do this, or you may be able to do it with just your hands (if the design of your machine’s feet allows it).

In any case, ensure that all four feet are touching the floor securely. If your washing machine doesn’t have adjustable feet, you can put wood or cardboard shims underneath the feet that are too low. That way, you create an even surface for the washing machine.

I recommend the Ez Shim Heavy Duty Black 7.9″ Shims (available on Amazon.com) to help fix any leveling issues with your machine. Not only are these shims durable, but they’re also made of reusable material, ensuring that you’re not harming the environment in any way.

Read: Why Washing Machine Stops Mid Cycle?

4. The Intake System Is Clogged

Clogs or blocks caused by built-up sediment and other gunk can cause your washing machine not to receive enough water. This issue can, in turn, lead to your washer beeping during the cycle, since water levels that are too low can damage your machine. 

How To Fix?

You should ensure the water is turned on and check the integrity of the water hoses connected to your washing machine. Depending on the cause of the problem, you should either clean or replace the hoses.

You can clean your existing hoses by running some hot water through them, but you should avoid any abrasive cleaners. You may need new hoses if your hoses are clogged up badly enough that cleaning them isn’t enough.

These Sharkk Industrial Washing Machine Hoses (available on Amazon.com) are made of stainless steel and 6 feet (1.83 m) long. Washing machine hoses are universal, so there’s no need to worry about sizes. Plus, these hoses are very affordable and come with a 10-year warranty.

Also, ensure that the water going into your washing machine is turned to the highest level. If you’ve just moved into a new place, the previous occupants may have turned off the drains. If you have kids, they may have been playing with the knobs. 

Read: Why Does Washing Machine Make A Squeaking Noise When Agitating?

5. There Are Drainage Issues

If your washer is constantly beeping towards the end of your cycle, it’s likely because the drainage is blocked. You may even find your lid locked with your clothes soaking inside.

Your washing machine cannot drain the water used to wash the clothes and begin the final spin cycles that eliminate excess moisture from clothes. A symptom of a potential drainage issue is clothes that still seem very wet when they come out of the washing machine. Similar to intake system issues, drainage problems can be caused by clogging. 

How To Fix? (Washing machine beeping)

You may be able to solve this issue by examining and possibly replacing the drainage hose on your washing machine. You can clean your existing hose with hot water and a gentle cleaning solution. If cleaning the drainage hose doesn’t work, you can replace it with this Dokaworrld Drainage Hose from Amazon. It’s 10 feet (3.05 m) long, offering plenty of room if your draining hole isn’t anywhere near your washing machine.

It’s also possible you may have an issue with your home’s plumbing causing your washer not to drain properly. There may also be another issue with your washing machine that the above tips haven’t covered. In both of these cases, you’ll need help from a professional.

Read: Why Washing Machine Makes Loud Noise When Draining?

Conclusion

If you want your washer to stop beeping, ensure the lid is closed and secured, don’t overload the washing machine, make sure all four feet are securely on the floor, and check the integrity of your intake and drainage hoses. If you’ve done all of these things and the beeping issue continues, it may be time to seek professional help for your washing machine.