Direct answer
For the GE GDT670 dishwasher, identify whether the sound occurs during fill, circulation or drain. First, run empty and record the exact stage and spray-arm movement.
What this covers
- GE GDT670 dishwasher (GDT670S*)
- GE/GE Profile dishwasher; Dry Boost, bottle jets, UltraFresh and Wi-Fi equipment varies.
- The specific fault this record addresses: makes grinding, humming, knocking or squealing noises
What it does not cover
- ×The same symptom on a different GE product line, which has its own record and its own cited source
- ×An on-screen error code whose meaning has not been checked against this exact model's manual
- ×Live electrical, gas, sealed-system, internal battery-cell or structural repair — a technician boundary, not a self-service step
Differential
What actually causes this, and how to tell them apart
These are ordered by how often each one is the answer, not by how easy it is to try. The point of the middle column is that two causes producing the same headline symptom rarely produce the same detail — that detail is what tells you which one you have before you change anything.
- 1
The spray arm is striking an item
What separates it A rhythmic knocking or clattering that stops when the machine is run empty.
How to confirm Spin each spray arm by hand through a full rotation with the machine off and note what it contacts.
- 2
Items are rattling against each other
What separates it Irregular clattering that varies with the load and disappears on an empty run.
How to confirm Secure lightweight items so they cannot be moved by the spray.
- 3
Something is in the drain pump or sump
What separates it A grinding or rattling during the drain phase specifically. Broken glass, fruit stickers and small bones are typical.
How to confirm Disconnect power, remove the filter and inspect the sump area for visible debris.
- 4
The drain pump is running against a partial blockage
What separates it A humming or straining during the drain phase, usually alongside slow draining.
How to confirm See not-draining.
- 5
Normal operating sounds are being mistaken for a fault
What separates it A regular gurgling at the end of the drain phase, a click as the detergent door releases, or a quiet hum through the wash.
How to confirm These are normal. Owners moving from a louder older machine to a quieter one often notice sounds that were previously masked.
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
Every item below stops existing the moment a reset, re-pair or settings change is made. Written down first, they are what separates the causes above; recovered afterwards, they are guesswork.
- Whether the sound persists on an empty run — this separates load noise from machine noise in one test.
- The phase it occurs in: wash, or drain specifically.
- Whether it is rhythmic, matching spray arm rotation, or irregular.
Run the machine empty and note whether the sound persists
ReversibleIf it stops, the noise is the load and not the machine.
Spin each spray arm by hand and note what it contacts
ReversibleA rhythmic knock almost always means the arm is striking an item.
Disconnect power, remove the filter and inspect the sump for debris
ReversibleGlass fragments and fruit stickers reaching the pump cause grinding during drain.
Confirm normal sound on both an empty and a normal load
ReversibleVerifies the fix across both conditions.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
Generic advice for the product line fails here. Each item below is a property of this specific model family that changes which of the steps above apply to you.
- Model scope
- GDT670S*. GE/GE Profile dishwasher; Dry Boost, bottle jets, UltraFresh and Wi-Fi equipment varies.
- Drying — Dry Boost
- Dry Boost fan-plus-heat active drying, good on plastics when enabled. Rinse aid helps.
- Wash & racks
- Stainless tub and a 3rd rack; bottle jets on some builds. A manual filter must be cleaned periodically.
- Drain path
- 'Won't drain' is usually the filter, drain hose, air gap, or an un-removed disposer knockout plug.
- Symptom boundary
- This record covers GE GDT670 dishwasher when it makes grinding, humming, knocking or squealing noises. A different symptom on the same hardware, or this symptom on a different GE product line, has its own record with its own causes and its own cited source.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
Continuing past any one of these costs more than the repair saves — in safety, in warranty, or in evidence a technician needs.
- !Stop for grinding accompanied by broken glass, a burning smell, leaks, or a pump that hums while hot without moving water.
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Visible sources support the visible claims. Home Product Support records the publisher, the fact used and the review date; community reports can suggest an issue but do not become a published fact on their own.
Where the manufacturer's article stops. GE Appliances publishes this as "Owner support". Official GE and GE Profile model manuals, troubleshooting and service entry point. What that article does not carry is the model boundary — it is written for a product line, and GDT670S* is the scope applied here. Where a control label, terminal, indicator pattern or reset sequence differs on your unit, the manual for that exact model is the authority, not this page and not the article.
Exact questions
Common follow-ups
My GE GDT670 has a film on glasses.+
Film is usually hard water and rinse aid. Fill and raise the rinse-aid dosage, and in hard-water areas run a dishwasher cleaner/descaler periodically and consider a detergent with a built-in softener. A cloudy etch that will not wipe off can be permanent glass etching from too much detergent plus soft water — reduce detergent. Make sure the water is hot and the filter is clean, too.
There's a rhythmic knocking sound during the wash.+
That is the spray arm hitting something. Run it empty to confirm the noise disappears, then spin each arm by hand through a full rotation with the machine off — a tall item, a pan handle through the rack, or a hanging knife is usually catching it.
Does this answer apply to every GE model?+
No. It is scoped to GDT670S*. GE/GE Profile dishwasher; Dry Boost, bottle jets, UltraFresh and Wi-Fi equipment varies.
What should I record before troubleshooting grinding or humming or noise?+
Record the complete model identifier, exact message or indicator, software/firmware where visible, the operating stage and what still works.
Why is a factory reset not the first step?+
A reset can erase accounts, networks, maps, schedules or preferences without distinguishing grinding, humming, noise. The ordered checks preserve that evidence.
When should I stop and use qualified service?+
Stop for grinding with glass, smoke, leaks or a stalled hot motor.
Answer for the exact device and software version shown above.