Whirlpool Dishwasher Not Draining: What to Check

When a Whirlpool dishwasher leaves water in the tub, the cause is usually a clogged filter or sump, a kinked or blocked drain hose, a garbage disposer that is clogged or still has its knockout plug, or an air gap that is packed with debris. Whirlpool's own troubleshooting starts with those, in roughly that order. If all of them check out and the dishwasher still will not drain, the drain pump or its electrical supply is the next suspect, and that is a job for a technician.

Make it safe first

Turn off power at the circuit breaker, not just at the control panel, and confirm the lights and display have gone dark. If the dishwasher plugs in, you can unplug it instead. Then shut off the water supply valve, which is usually under the kitchen sink on the hot line that feeds the dishwasher and closes clockwise. If the dishwasher has no working valve of its own, close the main water supply to the house. Do both before you reach into the sump, pull the kick panel or work on anything under the tub.

Whirlpool says to stop and call for service if you smell burning, see damaged wiring, or the breaker keeps tripping. The same goes for a hard-wired unit if you are not comfortable removing panels.

Get the standing water out

Lay towels in front of the door, then bail the water into a bucket with a cup. A turkey baster or small hand pump gets the last of it out of the sump at the bottom of the tub. Pour it down a sink or toilet. Whirlpool specifically warns against using chemical drain openers inside the dishwasher.

Where the water sits is a useful clue. A little water just above the filter screen usually means a partial restriction in the filter, sump or hose. Water up near the door opening points to a severe blockage or a pump that is not running at all.

Clean the filters and sump

Most Whirlpool dishwashers use a two-part filter at the bottom of the tub. Pull out the lower rack, twist the upper filter counterclockwise and lift it out, then lift out the lower filter beneath it. Rinse both under warm water with a soft brush. Whirlpool says never to use a wire brush or scouring pad, since that can damage the mesh. Some models use self-cleaning filters instead, which rely on water pressure and do not come out the same way.

With the filters out, shine a flashlight into the sump and pick out whatever is there: food, labels, seeds, toothpicks or broken glass. Reseat the lower filter flat, then turn the upper filter clockwise until it locks. Run a short rinse cycle and listen for the drain pump. Whirlpool recommends cleaning manual filters about once a month, or every two weeks in a busy household. Our general guide to a dishwasher not draining covers the same checks for other brands.

Check the drain hose, disposer and air gap

• Kinks. Look under the sink and behind the kick panel for a hose that is kinked, crushed or sagging, often after something was shoved into the cabinet.
• High loop or air gap. The hose should be looped up and secured to the underside of the counter, or run through an air gap. Whirlpool says an air gap is needed where local code requires one or where the drain connects lower than 20 inches above the floor. Without one or the other, dirty water can flow back into the tub.
• Disposer knockout plug. If a garbage disposer was just installed or replaced, make sure the knockout plug in its dishwasher inlet was removed. A plug left in place blocks the drain completely. Run the disposer to clear any clog while you are there.
• Clogged hose. Loosen the clamp, pull the hose off the disposer or sink tailpiece, and check both ends. Flush it with warm water. For a stubborn clog, work a flexible plastic line through it, never anything sharp that could puncture it.
• Air gap cap. Pull the cap off the air gap on the sink deck and clean it out. If water spills out of the air gap into the sink during a drain, the blockage is between the air gap and the drain.

Also check the sink trap and tailpiece for buildup. Reattach the hose and tighten the clamp snugly without overtightening, then run a short cycle.

Error codes tied to draining

Many Whirlpool models report drain trouble with a code. F9E1 means a long drain time, so Whirlpool points you to the filter, drain hose, disposer and air gap. F9E2 is a drain motor error; clear the disposer and drain, straighten the hose, confirm on a new install that the hose is routed correctly, then cycle the power. On models without a display, the Clean light flashes the code: nine flashes, a pause, then one or two flashes. Our full list of Whirlpool dishwasher error codes explains how to read them and what each one means.

To reset after clearing a clog, unplug the dishwasher or switch off its breaker for 30 seconds, then restore power.

What a technician checks next

If the filter, hose, disposer and air gap are all clear and the tub still holds water, the problem is usually inside the machine. Whirlpool lists these clues:

• A steady hum with no water moving suggests a jammed pump impeller or an obstruction in the pump.
• Grinding points to hard debris, such as glass, in the pump area.
• No pump sound at all during the drain step points to an electrical or control problem: the door switch, wiring, voltage at the pump, or the control board.

A technician will clear the pump, check that the impeller turns, measure voltage at the drain pump during the drain portion of the cycle, and test the pump motor. If the pump gets power and does not run, it gets replaced. If it never gets power, the wiring, door switch and control come next.

When to stop and call a pro

Call for service if draining does not improve after you have cleaned the filters and checked the hose, if a drain code comes back after a reset, or if you see leaks, damaged wiring or a tripping breaker. Replacing a drain pump means getting under the tub, and on many installs the dishwasher has to be pulled from the cabinet. You can find local technicians through our Whirlpool dishwasher repair directory, browse by state on the states page, or start with cities such as Houston, Chicago and Atlanta. This site is an independent directory and is not affiliated with Whirlpool.

Rough cost

Fixr puts a drain pump replacement at about $150 to $400, and a drain pump repair at about $100 to $250. Fixr also lists a diagnostic fee of roughly $50 to $75. If the problem turns out to be the control board, Fixr's range for a replacement is about $200 to $500. Fixr suggests replacing the dishwasher instead when a repair would cost more than about half the price of a new one. See our dishwasher repair cost guide and how long dishwashers last before you decide.

Keep it draining

Scrape plates before loading, clean the filter on schedule, and recheck the high loop any time someone works under the sink or replaces the disposer. Run hot water at the sink before starting a cycle. If water is showing up on the floor rather than staying in the tub, see our guide to a leaking dishwasher instead, or browse all dishwasher guides.