Help! The clothes washer had a bit of smoke and smells electrical.

If it were me, I would unplug the washer and sop up the water and not try to run it. Smoke and an electrical smell does not sound like something to play with.

Was it thrown off balance by the towels? That could have been the banging. The smell and smoke may have been the belt when it was off kilter and banging back and forth with an off balance load.

I think probably it would be odd for it to be off balance if it is full of water.

I agree with @bkcunningham. The smell is most likely from the belt. Towels, rugs and blankets can easily throw off the balance of a load.
I also agree with @JLeslie. Overnight, I’d leave the washer unplugged.

Tomorrow, run a small load. If it smells again, you’ll need to decide to repair or replace.

Smoke and an electrical smell and water are especially not something to play with. Water conducts electricity. Be safe and call service.

Definitely unplug it.

If it was a big, unbalanced load, you could have burned out the electrical motor. Unplug, empty best you can and call a serviceman. Depending on where you are, just buying a new one may be cheaper.

I don’t know if it will start again, but give it a try. Throw two towels in it and get see if it will spin and empty. I don’t think you should run it completely empty. OH, is this a top loader or a front loader?

I had an older front loader die on me and when I called the service company about it, gave them the make and model, they knew exactly what was wrong. It was a manufacture fault and covered by the warranty. They came to me, fixed it, and I never got a bill. I got five more years out of it. Good luck!

It is a top loader.

Thanks for your help. I got a good deal Lowes online, free delivery 10% off, but it will not be delivered for 2 weeks. My nephew just got a job. So it will be rocky the next few weeks. If I can get this thing to gimp along…..the test will be tomorrow, or run to my mom’s to wash.