Dishwasher Making Whistling Noise
A dishwasher making a whistling noise during the wash cycle may have an unexpected and trivial cause. Before assuming a mechanical fault, it is worth trying a different brand of detergent first.
Could the Whistling Be Caused by Detergent?
At least one major dishwasher manufacturer includes the following in their instruction manual troubleshooting guide under “malfunctions”:
“If there is a whistling noise during washing. This is not a cause for concern, but to try using a different brand of detergent.”
It appears that some dishwasher detergents can produce a whistling sound during the wash cycle while others do not. No technical explanation is given in the manual for why this occurs.
If the noise does not sound as though it is coming from the motor or pump area, trying a different detergent brand is a sensible first step. It is also worth running a cycle without any detergent at all to see whether the noise is present – this helps confirm whether the detergent is the cause before switching brands.
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