Appliance Spares
Quick answer: A washing machine leaking from underneath is one of five things: door seal torn (front-loaders only — water on the floor in front), drain pump housing cracked (water under the front-middle), sump hose clamp loose (water under the back), outer tub seal perished (water under the back, behind the drum), or inlet hose leaking at the back of the cabinet. Locate where the water first appears, and you’ve narrowed it to one of the five. Door seals, pumps, sump hoses and tub-seal kits in our Sydney warehouse — same-day dispatch.
Locate the leak first — it tells you the part
Put a few sheets of paper towel under the machine before running the next cycle. Where the towel gets wet first is the answer.
| Where the water appears | Likely source |
|---|---|
| Front of the machine, on the floor in front of the door | Door seal (front-loader) or detergent drawer overflow |
| Front, under the kick panel | Drain pump housing or pump-to-tub hose |
| Back, under the rear half of the machine | Sump hose, tub seal, or inlet hose |
| Sides (rare) | Internal hose between detergent dispenser and tub |
Source 1: Door seal (front-loaders only)
The big rubber gasket between the door and the tub. Two failure modes:
- Torn from foreign objects — coins, bra wires, jeans rivets puncture the seal at the bottom of the door rim (where they collect when the drum stops).
- Mould-perished — years of trapped moisture rot the rubber thin, especially at the bottom of the seal where water pools.
Symptoms:
– Water dribbles from the bottom of the door during the wash, before the drain phase.
– Wet floor only in front of the door.
– Visible tear or thin spot when you fold the seal flap back.
The fix: Door seal replacement. 45-60 minute job — outer ring clamp off, inner clamp off, peel old seal, fit new one, refit clamps.
Parts (examples — open the listing and match the model number printed on your sticker; every compatible model is in the listing title):
– Bosch door seal — WAY32840AU / WAY32891AU.
– Bosch door seal — Avantixx / Serie 4 / Maxx / Serie 8 / i-DOS / Logixx 8 — fits WAK24160AU, WAP24261AU, WAS24460AU, WAS28440AU, WAS28461AU, WAS32440AU, WAS32741AU, WAS32742AU, WAT28440AU, WM14S440AU, WM16S740AU.
– Beko door seal — WFA100S, WM7355S, WM7127W, WMB71231B, WME7227.
For Samsung, LG, F&P, Electrolux door seals: run your model through the Part Finder.
Source 2: Drain pump housing (front-middle leak)
The drain pump body can crack — usually from freeze damage (an unheated laundry in a cold climate), thermal stress, or a hairline crack from a heavy impact. Once cracked, water leaks past the pump body during the drain phase.
Symptoms:
– Water under the front-middle of the machine, only during or after the drain phase.
– No water leak during the wash phase (pump isn’t pressurised then).
The fix: Replace the drain pump. Full diagnosis + brand-specific pump links in our washing machine not draining guide and Bosch E18 error walkthrough.
Source 3: Sump hose clamp (back, under the rear)
The sump hose runs from the bottom of the outer tub to the drain pump inlet. A spring clamp at each end holds it on. Over the years the clamp can lose tension or the hose itself can perish at the clamp.
Symptoms:
– Slow drip from the back-bottom of the machine.
– Mostly during the wash phase (when the tub is full and the hose is pressurised by the water above it).
The fix: Tighten the spring clamp (free) or replace the sump hose (~30 min yourself). If the hose itself is perished, replacement is the right call — re-tightening a clamp on a thin hose just delays the leak.
Source 4: Outer tub seal (back, behind the drum)
The outer tub seal is the rubber boot between the wash water and the bearing housing on the back of the drum. When it perishes (typically 10+ years of duty), water leaks down the back of the drum and pools at the very back of the cabinet floor.
Symptoms:
– Slow stain on the floor directly behind the machine, growing over weeks.
– Often paired with grinding bearings (water has been getting into the bearings for a while).
– Visible rust streaks down the back of the drum if you pull the back panel.
The fix: This is the same job as a bearing replacement — the drum has to come out. Plan to replace the seal AND the bearings together; the seal failure is what killed the bearings, and once you’re in there, the bearings are at the end of their life anyway.
Bearing-kit options for Bosch, Samsung, LG, F&P and Electrolux — run your model through the Part Finder. The tub-seal and bearings come out together; plan the job once.
Source 5: Inlet hose (back, near the top)
The inlet hoses connect the wall taps to the inlet valve at the back of the machine near the top. A perished hose or loose connection drips down the back of the cabinet.
Symptoms:
– Water at the back of the machine, even when the machine is idle.
– Stain on the wall behind the taps.
– Visible drip from the hose connection if you watch with the taps on.
The fix: Free — re-tighten the hose connections at both ends. Hand-tight + quarter-turn with pliers. If the hose itself is perished (cracked rubber, bulging, mineral build-up around the ends), replace it. Stocked Australia-wide standard fitting.
Parts that fix this
In stock now and dispatched the same day from Sydney (order before 12pm). Not sure which one fits your model? Find your model number and match it against the fitment list on the part page before you order.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find where my washing machine is leaking from?
Put a few sheets of paper towel under the washing machine before running the next cycle. Where the towel gets wet first tells you the part: front of the door means the door seal, front-middle means the drain pump, and the back means the sump hose, tub seal or inlet hose.
Why is my front loader washing machine leaking from the front door?
A front loader leaking in front of the door usually has a failed door seal — either torn by coins, bra wires or jeans rivets, or perished thin by mould. Water dribbles from the bottom of the door during the wash phase, before the machine drains.
How long does it take to replace a washing machine door seal?
Replacing a washing machine door seal is a 45-60 minute job: remove the outer ring clamp, remove the inner clamp, peel the old seal off, fit the new one and refit both clamps. Match the seal to your exact model before starting.
Why does my washing machine only leak during the drain cycle?
A washing machine that leaks under the front-middle only during or after the drain phase usually has a cracked drain pump housing. The pump isn’t pressurised during the wash phase, so no water escapes until the machine starts pumping out.
Why is my washing machine leaking at the back even when it’s turned off?
Water at the back of a washing machine while it sits idle points to the inlet hoses connecting the wall taps to the inlet valve. Re-tighten both hose connections hand-tight plus a quarter-turn with pliers — and replace the hose if the rubber is cracked or bulging.
Is a leaking outer tub seal worth fixing on an older washing machine?
An outer tub seal replacement is the same job as a bearing replacement — the drum has to come out. Plan to replace the tub seal and the bearings together, because the seal failure is what lets water kill the bearings, and they’re at the end of their life anyway.
Related guides
- Washing machine not draining — full diagnosis
- Bosch washing machine E18 error — drain-pump fault path
- LG washing machine LE error
- Samsung washing machine 4C error — water-supply / inlet faults
- Samsung washing machine repair guide
- Haier washing machine repair guide
Ready to fix it?
- Run your washer model through the Oz Appliance Spares Part Finder — model in, exact-fit door seal / pump / sump hose / tub seal out.
- Browse washing machine parts
- Order before 12pm AEST ships from our Sydney warehouse same day, Australia-wide.
Disclaimer: this article is general information only and is provided without warranty of any kind. Appliance designs vary between models and production runs — always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, switch off and unplug the appliance before starting any work, and confirm parts against the model number on your appliance’s model sticker. Any repair is undertaken at your own risk and Oz Appliance Spares accepts no liability for injury, loss or damage arising from work performed after reading this guide, to the maximum extent permitted by law. If in doubt, use a qualified technician.
