Suds in an Amana NTW4516 come from non-HE detergent or too much HE detergent, and Amana's guide is blunt about the consequences: the suds can keep the washer from operating correctly, slow or stop draining and spinning, and trigger the Sud code. Natural, organic or homemade detergents labeled HE may still produce high suds. To clear them, select Rinse & Spin and do not add detergent. Amana's Product Help adds that 'no splash' bleach can create suds and that large pre-measured pacs are for large or soiled loads only.
Differential
Likely causes of “Amana NTW4516 top-load washer shows excessive suds, SUD or Sd behavior”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Non-HE detergent
What separates it There are heavy suds from the fill and slow draining because non HE detergent was used
How to confirm Use only HE detergent, and check the label before you buy it
- 2
Too much HE detergent
What separates it The suds slow the spin and trigger Sud because too much HE detergent was used
How to confirm Measure the detergent to the label and the load size, and use no more
- 3
Natural or homemade HE detergent
What separates it The suds are higher than expected because a natural or homemade HE detergent was used
How to confirm Use less of the natural detergent, or switch to a standard HE product
- 4
No-splash bleach
What separates it Suds appear when bleach is used because a no splash bleach was chosen
How to confirm Use regular liquid chlorine bleach, and avoid the no splash type
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The type and the amount of detergent used
- Whether the Sud code showed on the display
- The size of the load that was washed
Try in this order
0 of 5 completedSelect Rinse & Spin
ReversibleSelect Rinse and Spin, and do not add detergent, so the suds rinse away, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Measure
ReversibleMeasure the detergent, following the detergent maker's directions for the load size and the soil.
Use HE only
ReversibleUse HE only, meaning a package that is marked HE or High Efficiency, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Change the bleach
ReversibleChange the bleach, and use regular liquid chlorine bleach if no splash bleach is used.
Run Clean Washer
ReversibleRun Clean Washer every thirty washes, to clear the build up, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Packets, softener and Extra Rinse
- A single-dose packet goes in the basket before the clothes, not in the dispenser. Whenever softener is added by hand, select Extra Rinse, which uses additional water and agitation for proper distribution; cycles with a spray rinse otherwise do not distribute it. Overfilled softener or bleach can also add to suds and residue.
- Why the NTW4516 is sensitive to suds
- The NTW4516 is an HE low-water washer, so suds that would drain away in a deep-fill machine stay in the tub. Amana's guide says non-HE detergent will likely result in longer cycle times and reduced rinsing performance and, over time, buildup of mold or mildew, and that HE detergents should be low-sudsing and quick-dispersing. Not all products labeled HE reduce suds equally, and natural, organic or homemade ones may generate a lot.
- Clearing a sudsy load
- When suds have slowed or stopped the drain and spin on the NTW4516, the guide's fix is to select Rinse & Spin, which rinses and follows with a high-speed spin, and not to add detergent. Amana's Product Help adds that the Sud code is the washer's own flag for excess suds, and that regular liquid chlorine bleach should replace any no-splash or easy-pour type whose thickener can create foam. Measure the next dose to the label for the load size and soil level.
- Softener and packets can add to residue
- Two more things in the NTW4516 guide feed residue that looks like suds: liquid fabric softener added by hand must be measured, never more than the recommended amount, and needs Extra Rinse so the additional water and agitation can distribute it, and a single-dose laundry packet has to go in the basket before the clothes, since a packet dropped in a dispenser may not dissolve. Keep both in mind before assuming the detergent alone is to blame.
- Parts for this problem on the NTW4516 (RepairClinic, 2026-09-21)
- bleach dispenser, part number WPW10192089, at $12.03.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the NFW5800 front-load washer.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If suds overflow, stop the washer and unplug it, and then contact service
- !If Sud returns with a correct dose, call Amana service
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Amana's own table of top-load washer codes and resolutions.
Amana's own symptom articles for top-load washers, each.
A dealer listing giving the NTW4516FW's capacity, cabinet size and feature list.
Parts and list prices as shown on RepairClinic's parts search for this model number on 2026-09-21.
Exact questions
Common questions
How do I remove suds?+
Select Rinse & Spin and do not add detergent.
Can HE detergent still oversuds?+
Yes, natural, organic or homemade ones may.
Does bleach cause suds?+
No splash bleach can cause suds, so use regular liquid chlorine bleach instead.
Do large pacs suit small loads?+
No, large pacs do not suit small loads, since they give too much detergent.
Why do suds slow the spin?+
Suds keep the washer from operating correctly, slowing or stopping draining and spinning.