Water is leaking - Washing Machines

Knowing your make and model would help. Here are some generic instructions for finding your leak, please post a comment if you require further assistance:

There are an huge number of things that might make a machine do this and because there is usually a framework at the base of most machines, the point that the water leaks OUT and the place the water is coming from can often be vastly different, so I will cover what I suspect are the main culprits.

Before you start, check the tub shield gasket (This is the big grey rubber between the door hole and the drum. Push the drum backwards a little, look for rips or tears (run your hand around the entire circle of the gasket, there could even be a tear in the side or top, a little out of sight).

It's now time to start taking the top off the machine (You have not supplied a make and model, So I will guess that the top is held on by a couple of torque screws, hidden behind a couple of plastic covers about the size of your little finger nail on each side of the lid, or a couple of screws that are clearly visible on the back of the lid, screwed through a plastic protuberance and into the chassis - One of these two options will probably be correct!).

UNPLUG FROM THE MAINS BEFORE YOU PROCEED!

Having removed the 2 screws, you may need to give the front of the lid a sharp tap backwards, to release the 2 plastic hooks in the lid from their holes in the chassis, now the lid lifts off.

We are looking for water, or marks where water has been (usually a little chalk deposit unless you are in a very soft water area). Obviously, if one of the following checks turns up something, you will have to replace the faulty component.

Look around generally. Pay particular attention to the pipes that lead from the water inlet valves to the soap drawer, gently wiggle any rubber pipes looking for cracks or loose connections. Look down the back of the machine. If the main bearing is failing, then there may be rusty water splashes on the drum or inside the chassis where water has come through the rusted bearing and splashed about as the drum drive wheel has spun.

Still nothing found? Go to the rear of the machine, depending on the make and model there is a good chance that at the bottom you will find an oval-ish panel at the bottom of the rear with a cutout for the empty pipe to exit through it, held on by about 4 screws. There may be a larger and more substantial panel at the back to remove, depending on the machine you have. Remove the panel.

You can now see the motor, the empty pump and the lower half of the drum. Once again, look for water, or water signs, particularly, look at the centre of the drum, if a bearing has failed and water is leaking, there will probably be a rusty water track visible from the centre of the drum, running down until it drips from the bottom (Classically, the drips may have fallen onto the motor). If these signs are there then I'm afraid the cost of repair is probably going to write off the machine.

Check the empty pump (The thing about 4 inches inside the body with the empty hose attached). Look for signs of water.

If by now you have still found nothing, you may feel competent and able to do the following, BUT TAKE NO RISKS. You can plug the machine back in and set a program running and watch what happens inside, look for water or sparks DO NOT TOUCH OR APPROACH the machine in this condition. Have someone looking in the back while you look in the top. Ensure that neither of you are close enough to touch the machine while you do this.

I hope that some of the advice works for you.