It sounds like a common problem on top loading washers.

The seal at the bottom of the shaft starts leaking water, and that ruins the shaft bearing.

I don't know about labor, but I could check the parts price if I had a model number.

We had a 7yr old Amana washer that did the same thing.
Instead of repairing it, we bought a new FL w&d.

But that's me, you may opt to have yours repaired.

Call a few repair places and check their estimates.

Tub bearing and seal.

I had a kitchenAid Tl that would leak water while the machine was agitating, but not while it was still to fill or in a pause. It did this 1 year after I purchased it. Water running all over the floor.

The repair guy came and had to replace the pump. He said that the pump was not made well enough to withstand the revolutions of the motor. It was a direct drive unit.

Every 15 months I had to have new pump. I have them saved in my basement and every once in a while I bump into them and start cursing.

So maybe you have a pump problem.

The repair guy came and had to replace the pump. He said that the pump was not made well enough to withstand the revolutions of the motor.That's ridiculous. Pumps do go bad, like any other mechanical part. However ...

I have a 1992 KA, original pump.

My parents have a 1994 KA, I replaced the pump on it for the first time late last summer, just as preventive maintenance (it was getting stiff to turn, but had not yet failed or leaked) at the same time I replaced a broken drive coupler (which also was the first instance of that). That would be 13 years of use.

Needing to replace a pump every 15 months, there must have been other issues at play.

Thanks for the responses. I thought it might be the pump too, but not sure why it only does this occasionally. I did have a repair man come, but of course the machine would not do the leak or the whining sound while he was there. He could not diagnose the issue, meanwhile, every now and then, I have to deal with a flood on the floor while the machine is washing, because there has not been a complete failure of whatever is wrong, this has been going on for quite some time now, the machine is only 5 years old.

Have you noticed if the leaking problem is more likely to occur with a particular type of load (jeans moreso than shirts, for example) ... or at higher water levels / larger loads moreso than lower water levels / smaller loads?

I have an ederly neighbor that lives alone so only washes for herself. She bought a new Kenmore in July 07 and then around Christmas she had to getthem out to check hers because it was leaking. She said the guy ran it through a cycle and it didn't leak a drop. He told her "Oh these new ones just do this sometimes". To me that is no answer, but maybe they thought since she was old it was just something she had caused herself?. Time will tell.

Servicers sometime say things to pacify customers who are upset or think something is wrong with their machine when there's really no problem other than user error or misunderstanding ... like the person I ran across on Epinions ranting about her Cabrio or Oasis (whichever) and insisting a serviceman told her that the machine reuses the wash water for rinsing, LOL.

Well, I think a lot of these techs now are idiots. I read a post on another forum where a Sears repairman had told a customer the reason her F/L washer smelled was her detergent, which I know that is true, but he said you shouldn't use any powder in it and to only use liquid Tide HE and nothing else. Where did he get that?? If anything,liquid Tide makes them stink more than any other brand.IMO

As for the elderly neighbor, if hers leaks again and she has this to clean/mop up she could easily fall and possibly break a hip or something. I don't know what else the tech could have done, but I think he could have checked it better than just running it through and saying "that is just the way they are". When you are 84 years old you don't need that kind of worry to deal with since you have paid your good money to get a machine you think will last you the rest of your life.

Actually you can use any Brad h e detergent in front load washers I'm a service tech and have been for over 30 years when you get the smell inside of front load washers most of the time it's caused by shutting the door after the machine has run its Cycle and never leaving it open to air out also if you use a liquid fabric softener and do not clean the dispenser tray that tray comes out and and apart pretty simplistically if you've never cleaned it and you use a liquid fabric softener you will see all of the mold build-up I always suggest use a face cloth just drape it over the door of your front load machine keep the door open just a crack to let air inside also periodically clean the boot which is the seal that the door closes on sometimes you often find socks stuck in there as well