With many years of experience repairing dishwashers, I find out that some issues can be fixed easily without calling an appliances service technician.

This article will guide you on finding why the dishwasher is not draining and how you can quickly fix it by yourself.



One of the most common dishwasher problems is a non-drain issue.

This problem can happen for a few reasons.

Clogged drain hose.
Blocked drain pump.
Drain pump failure.
Before you start taking the whole dishwasher apart, there is an easy way to get an idea if you have a blocked drain hose or a drain pump issue.

Start by turning the dishwasher on and Appliances Repair North York try to drain it. Starting a cycle and then cancel it will force the dishwasher to go into a drain mode without running the whole cycle.

Now when the dishwasher is in a drain mode, pay close attention to the noises.

If you can hear a humming noise and the pump is draining slowly, then it is most likely a clog in the drain system.

If the pump is humming and there is no drain at all, then it most likely a drain pump issue.

If there is no noise at all, it can be a drain pump failure caused by electrical problems like a broken electrical wire, seized drain pump, or a mainboard failure.



Clogged drain hose.

A clogged drain hose is the most common issue, it can be an easy fix, or very difficult depends on where the clogged is appear and what type of dishwasher you have.

A clogged drain hose is actually the first thing you need to inspect when facing a non-drain issue.

And the first and easiest spot you need to check first is under the sink.

Under the sink, it is usually where the drain hose is connected to the main drain.



What do you need to do?

Locate the dishwasher hose connection under the sink.
Remove the clamp that securing the drain hose to the main drain.
Pull the drain hose from the nozzle.
Now inspect at the end of the drain hose for a block or any debris; if the hose is clear, check the main drain little tube by putting a screwdriver inside it to check if any obstruction is there.
If you find the blockage at the end of the hose, well done. Put it all back together, secure the hose with the clamp and run the dishwasher to check if the problem is solved.



Drain hose at the drain pump side.

If the drain hose and the connection under the sink are ok and there is no blockage, we will need to look for a block at the beginning of the drain hose.

Open the kick panel at the front bottom of the dishwasher and locate the drain pump and the drain hose connection.

Gently remove the clamp securing the hose to the pump, and remove it from the pump.

Look inside the hose and at the drain pump outlet and see if there any blockage there.

Take a good look because if there is glass there, it will be hard to spot it.

If you find something there, perfect. Put it all back and turn the dishwasher on.

If you didn't find anything there, then it's time to look at the pump itself.

So before you put back the drain hose, disconnect the electrical power going into the drain pump and put it aside.



Remove the drain pump.

We will remove the drain pump out, so take a good look at its position and mark it if necessary.

Some pumps have a secure latch holding the pump from turning. Find that latch, press it, turn the pump 45 degrees counterclockwise, and gently remove the pump from the housing.

Keep in mind that a huge water spill is expected when you remove the pump if the dishwasher is packed with water.

The pump should come out very easily. If you feel that it is hard to come out, then you are doing it wrong.

After taking out the pump:

Look at the impeller.
Inspect for hair or some lint wrap around the shaft.
Look inside the drain pump housing for debris, like glass, pits, bones or anything that can prevent the pump impaler from spinning.


Clean the pump and put it back.

If you find something there, then remove it and put the pump back.

Make sure to put it back straight as possible to prevent water leaks.

Put back the drain hose and secure it with the hose clamp.

If there was nothing there, then only two options left.

A faulty drain pump
blockage in the middle of the drain hose.


Inspecting the drain pump and the main control board.

To determine that, you can simply connect the drain pump power and turn the dishwasher to drain mode and see if the pump is turning on.

If it does, you may need to take out the drain hose entirely out and try to find the blockage inside or just replace the hose.

If the pump didn't turn on, then there is an option that the pump itself is busted or no power going into it.

For this test, you will need a multimeter.

Remove the power to the pump and connect the multimeter to the terminals.

Put the dishwasher into drain mode and check for 120v coming to the pump.

If you get the power, then the pump is busted. If no power, then you probably have a bad main control board.

Keep in mind that not all dishwashers are built the same.

In some dishwashers, the drain pump is located at the back of the dishwasher. And in some cases, the drain pump works at a different speed, so the electrical power is not 120v and can be different.

Also, keep in mind that some drain pump removal is more complicated to remove. They are secure with screws to the drain pump housing. To dismiss them, you may need a higher skill level.

This article is very broad and general, and some may find it easy to fix the drain issue, and some will find it very hard.

Also, in some dishwashers, you will need to remove it and flip it on the side to gain access to the drain pump. And in some dishwashers, You will need to open the filter inside the dishwasher to access the drain pump impeller. In any case, it may be. I always recommend getting a professional technician from octopusroyal.com appliances repair and services to do the repair for you.

That will promise you a clean job and a working dishwasher without the risk of electrocution or a flood.

I will always be happy to help and guide you over the phone in troubleshooting the dishwasher for any questions.