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Dishwasher won’t drain

Work from the inside out: the filters, the garbage disposal, the drain hose and the air gap, in the order Whirlpool’s guide uses. Switch the power off at the breaker before you reach into the tub.

6 checks, quickest firstAbout 49 minutes if you do them allLast checked against its sources on

Fix Finder

Fix Finder: dishwasher won’t drain

Work through the checks below, in order.

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Before you start

  • Before reaching into the tub or under the sink: switch the dishwasher off at the circuit breaker.
  • Before touching any hose or connection: turn off the water valve under the sink.
  • Let the dishwasher cool after a cycle; the water and heating element can be hot.
  • Wear gloves when clearing filters. Broken glass ends up there.

More in appliance repair safety basics.

All the checks, in order

  1. Make it safe first

    Take careAbout 2 min

    You’ll be reaching into the tub and under the sink.

    1. Turn the dishwasher off at the circuit breaker.
    2. Turn off the water valve under the sink.

  2. Clean the filters

    Safe to tryAbout 10 min

    Food caught in the filters blocks the way out.

    1. Remove the dishes and the bottom rack.
    2. Twist out the filters at the bottom of the tub (most have an upper and lower part).
    3. Rinse them under running water and brush off residue with a soft brush.
    4. Check the opening underneath for food or broken glass. Use gloves.
    5. Put the filters back and lock them in place.

  3. Clear the garbage disposal

    Safe to tryAbout 2 min

    If your dishwasher drains through the disposal, a clogged disposal blocks it too.

    1. Run the garbage disposal for a few seconds with the tap on.
    2. If the disposal was just installed, its dishwasher knockout plug may still be in place. A plumber can confirm and remove it.

  4. Check the drain hose

    Take careAbout 10 min

    A kinked, crushed or sagging hose stops the water getting out.

    1. Look under the sink for kinks, crushing or a sagging hose.
    2. The hose should rise in a high loop under the counter before it drops to the drain.
    3. If you’re comfortable: put a towel down, detach the hose from the disposal or sink, flush it with warm water and reattach it firmly.

  5. Clean the air gap

    Safe to tryAbout 5 min

    Some sinks have a small air gap cap beside the faucet that can clog.

    1. Pull off the air gap cap and clear any debris inside.
    2. If water spills out of the air gap during draining, the blockage is further down, in the hose or sink plumbing.

  6. Test with a short cycle

    Safe to tryAbout 20 min

    This confirms the fix.

    1. Turn the water and power back on.
    2. Run a short or rinse cycle and check that the tub drains.

When to call a technician

  • Water still stands after the filter, disposal, hose and air gap checks.
  • You notice any electrical problem, or water leaking under the dishwasher.
  • A drain code keeps returning.

Error codes that point here

If your dishwasher shows one of these, open it for the brand’s exact meaning.

Samsung 5CNot drainingLG OENot drainingWhirlpool F9 E1Long drain (not draining)GE C1Pump-out took too longGE C3Won’t drainGE FTDFailure to drain

Questions

How often should I clean my dishwasher filter?

LG suggests every 1 to 2 weeks; Whirlpool suggests at least monthly. Heavy use or lots of food on plates means more often.

What is the knockout plug?

A new garbage disposal has a plug inside its dishwasher inlet. If it isn’t removed when the dishwasher is connected, Whirlpool notes it blocks draining completely.

Sources

  1. Dishwasher Not Draining, Whirlpool Product Help
  2. Dishwasher Error Codes: Reading, Whirlpool Product Help
  3. Dishwasher: Error, Fault or Function Codes, GE Appliances Support
  4. LG Dishwasher: Guide to Error Codes, LG USA Support
Last checked against its sources on