Dishwasher not draining: causes and what to do

Likely causes

• blocked filters: food remains, glass splinters, bones;
• a blocked drain pump — small objects get stuck under its cover;
• a kinked, twisted or blocked drain hose;
• a blockage in the sink trap or where the hose joins the sink;
• a badly connected drain hose (Samsung lists this as one of the causes);
• a faulty drain pump or control board.

Safe steps you can try

Before you start, switch the machine off and unplug it. Wear gloves: there may be glass splinters in the water.

1. Take out the lower basket, unlock the filter at the bottom and lift it out.
2. Take the filter apart (the cylindrical part unscrews) and rinse all parts under running water, with a soft brush if needed and nothing abrasive. Samsung warns not to fit the fine filter upside down.
3. Soak up the remaining water with a sponge and ladle out the rest.
4. Lever the pump cover off with a teaspoon — as Bosch suggests —, remove it and take out any objects. Refit the cover until it clicks.
5. Reassemble the filter and turn it until the arrows line up.
6. Check the drain hose behind the machine and under the sink: no kinks or twists. The hose may hold hot water — drain it into a bucket.
7. Check the sink trap and the hose connection; clear any blockage.
8. Switch the machine on and run Drain or the shortest programme.

When to call a technician

Call a technician if the filters, pump and hose are clear but water still stands, you cannot hear the pump while draining, or the drain error keeps returning. Bosch advises contacting a specialist in that case.

The technician will test the drain pump, its impeller, the wiring and the board and replace the pump on site if needed. A MasService technician names the price before the repair.

Book a technician