How to Diagnose Washing Machine Drain and Pump Problems

If your washing machine is not draining water properly or seems to be blocked entirely, there are a few possible causes for the issue. It's important to be able to determine exactly why your washing machine won't drain, as this will allow you to fix the problem and return your appliance to full working order. In this article, we'll explain how to diagnose washing machine drain and pump problems so you can get your washing machine draining again.

Let's dive in! To learn how to diagnose washing machine drainage problems, either watch the video or follow our step-by-step diagnosis guide below.

Remember, safety first! Always make sure your appliance has been switched off and unplugged from the wall before taking it apart and carrying out any work.

A common cause of washing machine water not draining is a blockage. The first thing to check is your washing machine's filter, which can be found at the bottom of your washing machine on the front. The filter serves to collect foreign objects and prevent them from getting stuck inside the machine or reaching the pump. You should be able to access the filter by opening the flap and unscrewing it.

However, it may be the case with your machine that the front of the filter is actually attached to the body, as pictured below. This means that, if you get an object caught in the filter, you can't actually unscrew the filter to remove the obstruction because it catches on the sides.

In this case, you will need to get access to the sump hose or the pump assembly and remove either one of them to reach and remove the obstruction from the filter. You can learn how to access these parts in our sump hose replacement guide and our pump replacement guide.

If you check the filter and find that it's clear of blockages, have a feel of the sump hose itself to see if there's anything blocking it inside. If you do find anything, you will need to disconnect the sump hose and remove the blockage. Again, you can use the sump hose replacement article linked in the step above for guidance with this.

Your washing machine could also not be draining properly because the pump has burnt out, or because something has become wrapped around the impeller like an elastic band or piece of plastic. When this happens, you'll need to remove the obstruction before putting the pump back in. Again, you can learn how to access this with our pump replacement guide.

The machine we're using in this guide has two pumps; a recirculation pump and a drainage pump. If you're getting strange noises during the wash cycle, this issue is more likely to lie with the recirculation pump. If you're hearing strange noises when your washing machine is draining, the issue is likely to be with the drainage pump.

If you've checked all of the above areas for blockages and still can't find anything, and if your machine is connected to the spigot beneath the kitchen sink, the issue could be that the sink is blocked with something like fat. To check for this, disconnect the drain hose from the spigot and try emptying the drain hose into a bucket. If water comes out of the hose unobstructed, you will need to clear your kitchen sink before reconnecting the drain hose.

A common question we get is "how do I drain my washing machine if it's stopped while still full of water?" When this happens, there are a few things you can try. First, open the filter cover to access the small drainage hose beneath it. This can be used to empty the water into a bowl or bucket.

Another thing you can try is to lean the machine backwards so that the water level inside is lower than the door. Then you can open the door and scoop the water out.

One other solution to try is to take the drainage hose and lower it to the floor so that it's lower than the water level in the drum. That should enable the water to run out of the hose.

Now that you've learnt how to diagnose a washing machine that's not emptying, you should hopefully have your appliance draining again and back in action!

With your washing machine working properly once more, it's important to make sure it's nice and clean too. Otherwise, an unhygienic washing machine won't be able to do its job properly. Our guide on how to clean your washing machine will teach you everything you need to know!

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