The purpose of the drain pump is to pump the water from the wash, through the drain hose, to then be drained away. The drain pump is located at the bottom of your washing machine, but can be easily accessed in order to replace it if need be. If your washing machine is failing to drain during a wash cycle, it could be that there is a problem with the drain pump.
Firstly, just to check you are on the right path, here are the warning signs that your drain pump is broken:
- You can't hear the pump when it’s draining the water out
- You can hear a low humming sound when on spin cycle but the water doesn’t drain
- The washing machine fills up with water as normal
- If the water is drained the Spin cycle still works as normal
There are a couple of things to check first before you start thinking of replacing the drain pump. Blockages can occur within the pump filter, and also with your drain hose, so just check these parts of the appliance to see if either of them could be the cause of the failure in draining.
If you do need to replace the drain pump, but are unsure where to start, there’s no need to panic. We’ll talk you through how to successfully replace the drain pump without damaging your washing machine.
This video shows an example on how to remove or replace the part on a typical machine, some models may be different but the procedure should be similar.
What You Will Need:
- Drain pump
- Screwdriver
- Pliers
- Tea towel
Step 1 - Safety Advice
Safety First! Please make sure that you have switched your appliance off at the mains before starting your repair.
Step 2 - Check The Pump Is Not Blocked
Well before going straight ahead to replace the pump, just do a quick check to see if the issue could just be down to the existing pump being blocked. To do this, just open the access flap at the front of the machine and take the pump filter out.
Place a towel in front of the machine to collect any water that may be left in there (it is always a good idea to make sure that you drain the machine as much as you can). You can check that the pump is not blocked by using a flat head screwdriver to spin the impeller inside. Once done you can now put the filter back in position.
Step 3 - Replace The Drain Pump
Ok then time for the main event - let’s get rid of that old drain pump and get your brand new one fitted! For this you need to put the machine onto its side, But first make sure the dispense has no water in it and as this is a heavy appliance it might be an idea to ask for help from someone else.
eSpares Top Tip: Put a towel down first to then place the machine on, as this will help to protect your floor and the machine.
To remove simply turn the pump motor while depressing the tab that locks the rotation and simply take the electrical connectors off. Grab your new pump, reconnect the electrical connectors and reconnect it.
There you go - all done! Well done you on being able to replace your washing machine drain pump all by yourself! With just a little help from eSpares, you have been able to get your washing machine back up and running. You can now continue with the pile of laundry that has piled up while your washing machine has been out of action.
Fancy Giving Your Washing Machine Some Loving Care & Attention?
Your washing machine no doubt works hard for you in getting your clothes nice and clean. If you want to show it some TLC, then it is a great idea to protect it from the build-up of limescale & detergent that can happen over time in your machine. Introducing the eSpares Limescale & Detergent Remover - where by using this you can help protect from this, as well as removing bad odours and bacteria build-up.
*Not suitable for top loading appliances
Need To Locate The Correct Drain Pump For Your Washing Machine?
We hope you will agree that replacing the drain pump on your washing machine yourself is actually an easy repair for you to do - and in you doing it yourself you will save money that would have otherwise been spent on booking a repair. Here at eSpares, we have a wide-range of replacement washing machine drain pumps for you to select from - so you can soon be on your way to repairing it yourself.
If you need any advice regarding repairs to your appliances at home, eSpares provide many helpful advice articles in our Advice Centre. If you know the specific part that you are after you can find a whole array of various spares across your home and garden appliances on the eSpares website.