Dishwasher Not Draining — Troubleshooting Guide (All Brands)
Standing water at the bottom of your dishwasher after a cycle is one of the most common appliance problems. Regardless of brand, the causes and fixes are usually the same. This guide walks you through every step to get your dishwasher draining again.
Step 1: Clean the Filter
Every modern dishwasher has a removable filter at the bottom of the tub. Food particles, grease, and debris accumulate here and block water from draining. Pull out the bottom rack, locate the filter (it usually twists out counterclockwise), and rinse it under warm running water. This alone fixes the majority of drain problems across all brands.
Step 2: Check the Drain Hose
Look under your sink where the dishwasher drain hose connects. Check for kinks, sharp bends, or clogs. The hose needs a high loop to prevent backflow. If your dishwasher connects to a garbage disposal, run the disposal to clear it — and if the disposal is new, make sure the installer removed the knockout plug from the dishwasher inlet port.
Step 3: Check the Air Gap
If your kitchen has an air gap (a small chrome or stainless cylinder on the countertop near the faucet), remove the cap and check for debris inside. The air gap prevents dirty sink water from flowing back into the dishwasher, but it can get clogged with food particles. Clean it out with a bottle brush.
Step 4: Test the Drain Pump
If the filter, hose, and air gap are all clear, the drain pump itself may be faulty. During the drain cycle, listen for a humming sound — that's the pump motor. If it's completely silent, the motor has likely failed. If it hums but doesn't move water, the impeller may be jammed with debris (glass shards and food are common culprits). The drain pump is replaceable on most models.
Drain Error Codes by Brand
Different brands use different codes for drain errors, but they all point to the same issue. Samsung displays 5C or 5E. LG shows OE. Whirlpool and Maytag use F9E1. Bosch shows E24 or E25. Frigidaire displays i20. GE shows C1 or C2. If your dishwasher is showing one of these codes, the troubleshooting steps above apply.