Washer Not Draining
Water left in the washer drum after the cycle points to a clog, the drain pump or the controls.
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A washer that isn't draining leaves gray water in the drum when the cycle should be over, stalls before the spin or flashes a drain code. Since the spin waits for an empty tub, the clothes come out heavy and wet as well.
On its way out, the water passes a pump filter on many front-loaders, then the drain pump, the drain hose and the standpipe behind the machine, and a blockage at any point holds it in. The checks below are safe to do yourself. If they don't clear it, a technician can check the pump, the hose and the water level sensor.
Washer Not Draining: common causes
- Clogged pump filter or coin trap — On many front-loaders, lint, coins, hair ties and small socks collect in a filter behind a panel at the bottom front until the pump can't pull water through.
- Kinked or crushed drain hose — A hose pinched when the washer was pushed back against the wall, or one packed with lint, stops the flow even while the pump runs.
- Failed drain pump — A pump with a jammed or broken impeller can hum or buzz while the water stays put, and one with a burned-out motor makes no sound at all.
- Sock or small item in the pump — On top-loaders with no filter to open, a small item can slip past the basket and jam the pump itself.
- Water level sensor or control fault — The control board powers the pump and the water level sensor tells it when the tub is empty, so a fault in either can stop a good pump early or set a drain code.
- Blocked standpipe or home drain line — When the drain box or the pipe behind the wall is clogged, water backs up out of the standpipe instead of flowing away.
Signs to look for
- Gray water still in the drum after the cycle — The pump isn't moving water out, so start at the filter and the hose.
- A hum or buzz while nothing drains — Something is jammed in the filter or the pump, or the pump has failed.
- A drain code on the display — The control waited for the tub to empty and gave up: 5C on Samsung, OE on LG, F9 E1 on Whirlpool and Maytag.
- The cycle stalls before the spin — The washer is waiting for the water level to drop.
- Water rising out of the standpipe — The household drain is blocked or too slow to keep up, not the washer.
- A sour smell from the drum or the door seal — Water may be sitting in the tub or the seal after an incomplete drain.
Checks you can do safely before you call
- Unplug the washer and close both water valves. Do steps 2 to 4 with the power off and the supply valves behind the machine shut, so the washer can't start or refill while your hands are in it.
- Straighten the drain hose. With the washer still unplugged, ease it a few inches away from the wall without pulling on the hoses or the cord; a washer holding water is very heavy, so get help if it won't slide easily. Look for a kink or a hose crushed behind it. The end should sit loosely in the standpipe, not sealed tight inside it.
- Clean the pump filter on a front-loader. With the power still off, let the water cool if a warm or hot cycle just ran. Lay towels and a shallow pan under the access panel at the bottom front, and expect several gallons. If there's a small drain tube, empty the water through it first, capping it each time the pan fills, then unscrew the filter slowly, clear out lint, coins and anything else caught there, and screw it back in by hand until snug so it won't drip.
- Empty a top-loader by hand. Many top-loaders have no filter to open, so with the washer unplugged and the water cooled, bail it into a bucket, or lower the end of the drain hose into a bucket on the floor. Raise the hose end above the washer to stop the flow before the bucket fills.
- Run Drain/Spin on an empty drum. Once the filter is back in place and the floor is dry, plug the washer in, turn both valves back on and start Drain/Spin. A steady pump sound with water flowing out means the blockage is gone; if it hums without draining, unplug it again. If it drains but still won't spin, see washer not spinning.
When to call a technician
- Water stays in the drum after the filter is clean and the hose is straight.
- The pump hums or buzzes with nothing flowing, or makes no sound at all.
- The drain code comes back on the next cycle.
- Water shows up under the washer while it drains, which can mean a cracked pump housing or a loose clamp; our washer leaking water page covers it.
- The door stays locked with water inside after you cancel the cycle.
What happens at the diagnostic visit
The technician drains the tub, checks the filter, the sump and the hoses for debris, tests the pump motor with a meter and confirms the control is sending it power, then looks at the water level sensor and the lid or door lock. If the washer checks out and the standpipe is what's backing up, you'll hear that it's a plumbing blockage before any washer part is quoted.
The diagnostic visit is $89 for a standard residential appliance and $129 for a built-in unit or commercial equipment; a premium brand on its own doesn't make an appliance built-in. When a part is needed, you get its price first and decide whether to go ahead. Read more about washer repair for homes from Los Angeles up to the Santa Clarita Valley.
Brand and model notes
- Samsung: 5C (5E on older models) is a drain fault. Front-loaders keep a debris filter behind the lower front panel, so clean it before anything else. More on Samsung washer repair and Samsung appliances.
- LG: OE means the washer couldn't drain in time. LG front-loaders hide a drain filter and a small drain tube behind the lower front cover. Our LG washer repair page has more, as does LG.
- Whirlpool and Maytag: where the display shows two-part codes, F9 E1 is a long drain. Many front-loaders from both brands have a pump filter at the bottom front, while top-loaders are cleared at the pump or the hose. Visit Whirlpool or Maytag.
- Bosch: 24-inch Bosch compact washers have a pump filter behind a small flap at the bottom front, so drain them into a shallow tray a little at a time. See Bosch.
Book a diagnostic visit
$89 standard residential · $129 built-in or commercial. We identify the issue, explain your options and give you an upfront quote before any repair work begins.
21 Google reviews · Same-day appointments may be available · Licensed & insured · Upfront pricing — no hidden fees
Washer Not Draining: questions and answers
Can I drain the washer myself?
Yes, with the washer unplugged, both water valves shut and the water cooled if a hot cycle just ran. On a front-loader, drain into a shallow pan through the small tube or the pump filter at the bottom front, a little at a time. On a top-loader, bail the water out or lower the drain hose into a bucket on the floor.
Should I keep running cycles to push the water out?
No. Repeated cycles won't clear a clog. If the home drain is blocked, each drain attempt can push water out of the standpipe onto the floor, and a pump straining against a jam can overheat. Unplug the washer and close the valves, then once the water has cooled, check the drain hose and, on a front-loader, the pump filter before another cycle.
Does a drain code mean the pump is bad?
Not necessarily. A drain code means the water didn't leave in the time the control allows. A packed filter, a kinked hose, a sock in the pump or a blocked standpipe can all trigger it, so the cause is confirmed before a pump is replaced.
Can a clogged standpipe stop my washer from draining?
Yes. A clogged drain box or home drain line can push water back up out of the standpipe, or leave it in the tub even though the pump is working. Water coming up at the standpipe during a drain points to a plumbing blockage rather than a washer fault.
Why choose SteelPeak Appliance Repair
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The technician explains what failed and gives you the repair price. Nothing is repaired until you approve it.
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21 Google reviews · Same-day appointments may be available · Licensed & insured · Upfront pricing — no hidden fees