Why Is My Machine Making an Unusual Noise?
Nobody likes a loud machine. If your Cricut machine makes an unusual noise, please follow the troubleshooting steps below.
Grinding Noise
If your Cricut Maker or Explore machine makes an unusual grinding noise, please proceed with the following steps to troubleshoot the issue:
- If the carriage car makes a loud noise when you push the cut button, as if the carriage car is hitting the side of the machine, please record a brief video of the issue, and contact Member Care. The agent will provide instructions on how to submit your video, or the link to the video, for the issue to be reviewed by a technician.
- If an unusual noise occurs with a new machine upon first use, please contact Member Care for assistance. If you have been able to cut successfully with the machine before, and this is a new issue, proceed to step 3.
- Ensure that you are using the power cord that came with the machine. If you are using a different brand or configuration, the voltage coming into the machine may be wrong and may result in a grinding noise. If you are using the power cord that came with your machine, please proceed to step 4.
- The pressure setting you are using may be too high. Open the Manage Custom Materials screen through the account menu, or by clicking “Edit Custom Materials" from the upper right of the cut preview after clicking “Change Material,” and try reducing the pressure settings for the material you are attempting to cut by 2-4. You may need to do this 2-3 times to see a change.
- If this does not resolve the issue for you, please contact Member Care through one of the options below for further assistance.
Note: If you are provided a grease packet by Member Care, please visit this article for the application instructions.
Loud Noise
If your Maker or Explore Air 2 machine is louder than normal, check whether Fast Mode is engaged for cutting or writing. This option is selected on the Make screen in Design Space. If Fast Mode is not engaged, please take a video with sound of the issue and contact Member Care.
Older Machines
Applies to Cricut Personal, Cricut Create, Cricut Cake, Cricut Cake Mini, Cricut Expression, Cricut Expression 2, and Cricut Imagine.
Cricut Expression 2
A high-pitched grating sound when carriage car moves
Complete a visual inspection of the machine. If any of the following are off, or not working properly, please contact Member Care for further assistance:
- Are the roller bars aligned and rolling properly?
- Is the belt taut?
- Move the carriage car slightly to the left and make sure the wheels on both sides are on the track.
Loud noise when loading the mat
- Ensure that you are using the correct size of mats for your machine.
- Ensure that the mat is loaded using the mat loading guides. The mat needs to be inserted under these guides in order to load properly.
- Try moving your machine to a different surface and load the mat again. If the machine is not fully supported, or the surface is uneven, this can cause the loading action to misalign, resulting in unusual noise.
- If you are using the correct mats, have loaded it using the guides, moved the machine to a different surface and the noise is still happening, take a brief video of the issue and contact Member Care. The agent will provide instructions to submit your video and will assist you further.
Loud noise upon startup
Complete a visual inspection of the machine. If any of the following are off, or not working properly, please contact Member Care for further assistance:
- Are the roller bars aligned and rolling properly?
- Is the belt taut?
- Move the carriage car slightly to the left and make sure the wheels on both sides are on the track.
Cricut Imagine
Repetitive whirring noise when trying to start up
- Contact Member Care for further assistance.
Cricut Personal, Cricut Create, Cricut Cake, Cricut Cake Mini, Cricut Expression
Noise during the cut process
- For assistance determining if the noise you are hearing is unusual for your machine, please contact Member Care. If calling, the agent can listen to the noise through the phone line and let you know. You can also take a brief video when the noise is occurring, and then contact Member Care through any of the options below. The agent will give you instructions about how to submit the video, and assist you further.
- Perform a visual inspection to determine if physical damage could be causing the noise the machine makes during cutting:
- Is the carriage car on the track and straight?
- Is the belt loose or broken?
- If the carriage car or the belt/track are crooked, loose or broken, take a brief video when the noise is occurring, and then contact Member Care through any of the options below. The agent will give you instructions about how to submit the video, and assist you further.
- Ensure that the mat was lined up with the mat guides on the machine and loaded straight. If the mat is skewed to the left or the right, it can rub on the wall of the machine during cutting and cause the noise.
- If the machine continues to make noise during cutting, please contact Member Care for further assistance.
Noise when starting up
- Ensure that all cardboard packaging has been removed from around the carriage car.
- Perform a visual inspection to determine if physical damage could be causing the noise the machine makes during cutting:
- Is the carriage car on the track and straight?
- Is the belt loose or broken?
- If the carriage car or the belt/track are crooked, loose or broken, take a brief video when the noise is occurring, and then contact Member Care through any of the options below. The agent will give you instructions about how to submit the video, and assist you further.
- Contact Member Care for assistance determining if the noise you are hearing is unusual for your machine. If calling, the agent can listen to the noise through the phone line and let you know. You can also take a brief video when the noise is occurring, and then contact Member Care through any of the options below. The agent will give you instructions about how to submit the video, and assist you further.
Additional Resources
Related topics:
- I'm getting an error that the machine cannot read the cut sensor marks
- Cricut machine power issues
