How to Fix a Washer Not Draining: 2026 Diagnostic Guide

A washer not draining leaves you with a drum full of sudsy, foul-smelling water and laundry you can’t finish — a frustrating problem, but one that’s almost always solvable. In 2026, the four causes below account for the vast majority of residential drain failures. This guide ranks them from most to least likely so you can work through them efficiently and stop at the fix that works.

4 Common Causes for a Washer Not Draining

1Clogged Pump Filter

The pump filter (also called a coin trap or debris filter) sits between the wash drum and the drain pump impeller — the spinning blade inside the pump that moves water out of the machine. It catches lint, hair, coins, and small objects before they reach the pump impeller and cause mechanical damage. Over time that debris accumulates and restricts water flow until the machine can no longer drain at all.

Important note on top-load washers: Many older top-load agitator models do not have a user-accessible pump filter. The lint trap on those machines is built into the agitator column or the drum rim, and the pump itself is only serviceable by a technician. If your owner’s manual does not show a user-accessible filter panel, skip directly to Cause 2.

Symptoms

• Standing water remains in the drum at the end of a cycle
• A drain error code appears on the display (brand-specific — see FAQ below)
• Slow draining rather than a complete failure to drain

Care Plan

1. Unplug the washer from the wall outlet and turn off the laundry circuit breaker as a secondary precaution before touching any internal components.
2. Locate the filter access panel — on front-loaders it is typically a small rectangular door at the bottom front of the machine. On top-loaders, consult your owner’s manual; if no panel is shown, your machine likely does not have a user-accessible filter, and you should skip to Cause 2.
3. Before opening the filter cap, confirm the power cord is unplugged and moved away from the floor. If your wall outlet is at floor level, place a dry towel over it as a precaution against any released water reaching it. Place a shallow drain pan or a rimmed baking sheet on the floor directly under the access door — have additional towels ready, because some machines retain more than a gallon of water in the sump even after a cycle.
4. Slowly unscrew the filter cap counter-clockwise. Water will flow out gradually; let it drain into the pan before fully removing the cap.
5. Pull the filter out, remove all trapped lint, hair, coins, and debris, then rinse the filter under running water. Inspect the filter housing cavity with a flashlight and remove any remaining debris before reinstalling. Thread the cap back in clockwise until snug, close the access panel, restore power, and run a short spin/drain-only cycle to confirm drainage is restored. If the machine still won’t drain, move on to Cause 2.

Common Mistakes

• Using a standard baking dish to catch the released water — a 9×13 dish holds only about 1–1.5 quarts and will overflow immediately. Use a proper drain pan or be prepared with a stack of large towels.
• Reinstalling the filter cap without fully clearing the housing cavity, which allows remaining debris to re-clog the filter within a few cycles.

2Blocked or Kinked Drain Hose

The drain hose carries water from the pump out to a standpipe or laundry sink. If the hose develops a sharp kink — common when a washer is pushed too close to the wall — or accumulates a blockage of soap scum and lint internally, water backs up into the drum. An improperly routed hose can also trigger siphoning, where water drains continuously and never reaches the correct level.

Symptoms

• Water drains very slowly rather than stopping completely
• Gurgling sounds from the drain standpipe during or after a cycle
• Water on the floor near the back of the machine (indicating a hose blowout from the standpipe)

Care Plan

1. Unplug the washer and turn off the laundry circuit breaker. Pull the machine far enough away from the wall to see the full length of the drain hose.
2. Visually inspect the entire hose run for kinks, sharp bends, or pinch points where the hose contacts the wall or cabinet edge. Straighten any kinks by hand and add a hose guide clip if the hose consistently bends back into position.
3. Check the standpipe connection. The drain hose should be inserted 6 to 8 inches into the standpipe — deep enough to prevent blowout under pump pressure, but with the standpipe itself extending at least 30 to 36 inches above the floor to create the air gap that prevents siphoning. A hose inserted only a few inches will blow out of the standpipe during a pump cycle; a standpipe that is too short will allow the machine to siphon water back in. Consult your washer’s installation guide for the exact recommended depth for your model.
4. Before disconnecting the hose to clear a blockage, confirm the wash drum is completely empty — if standing water remains, use the filter cap method in Cause 1 to drain it first, or scoop it out manually. Once the drum is empty, disconnect the hose at the standpipe end and flush it through with a garden hose to dislodge any internal blockage. If the blockage won’t clear with flushing, replace the hose — replacements are inexpensive at $10–$30.
5. Reconnect the hose at the correct insertion depth, restore power, and run a short spin/drain-only cycle to confirm drainage. If the machine still won’t drain, move on to Cause 3.

Common Mistakes

• Pushing the washer back against the wall before verifying the hose isn’t kinked — the machine’s weight can lock a kink into the hose permanently.
• Disconnecting the drain hose before verifying the drum is empty, which can release gallons of water onto the floor.

3Failed Drain Pump

The drain pump is the component that actively forces water out of the machine. It can fail mechanically — a foreign object jams the impeller — or electrically, when the pump motor windings burn out after sustained overload (often caused by a long-running clog that was never cleared). When the pump fails completely, no water moves regardless of how the cycle is programmed.

Warranty notice: If your washer is under warranty, contact the manufacturer before opening the cabinet. Self-performed pump replacement typically voids remaining coverage. Arrange a covered service call instead.

Symptoms

• The drum is completely silent during the drain portion of the cycle — no hum, no water movement
• A loud grinding or buzzing sound during the drain phase followed by a drain error code
• The machine hums but water does not move (impeller jam)

Care Plan

1. Unplug the washer and turn off the laundry circuit breaker. Because pump replacement requires working near the line-voltage wiring harness inside the machine, both steps are essential — not just unplugging. If the machine has been pulled out and panels removed, it may be difficult to verify the plug is still seated; the breaker provides a reliable secondary lockout.
2. Access the pump. On front-loaders, remove the lower front panel or the entire front panel depending on your model — consult a model-specific service guide or video before proceeding, as panel removal steps vary significantly by brand. On top-loaders, accessing the pump typically requires a second person: the machine can weigh 150–200 lbs, and tipping or tilting it unassisted risks serious injury and floor damage. Use appliance moving straps and have a second person support the machine’s weight before tilting it backward or removing the cabinet. Consult your model’s service guide for the safest access path for your specific machine.
3. Before condemning the pump, check the impeller manually. Disconnect the pump’s electrical connector and rotate the impeller by hand — it should spin freely with light resistance. If it is jammed solid, a foreign object may be lodged in the pump housing; removing the obstruction may restore function without replacing the pump.
4. If the impeller spins freely, test the pump motor electrically. Set your multimeter to resistance (ohms) mode and probe the pump motor terminals. A healthy washer pump motor typically reads 5–15 ohms — consult your model’s service manual for the exact specification. A reading of zero ohms (short) or infinite ohms (open circuit/broken winding) confirms motor failure. Note: continuity mode alone is insufficient — a pump can show continuity and still be failed due to shorted windings or thermal damage. Always verify against the resistance specification.
5. Order a replacement pump using the model and serial number from the appliance’s rating plate (located inside the door frame or on the back panel) to look up the correct OEM part number through the manufacturer’s parts portal or a reputable appliance parts supplier. The pump’s own label often shows a supplier part number rather than the appliance manufacturer’s part number, which is what you need for ordering. Parts cost $35–$120 depending on brand and model — LG, Samsung, and European-brand pumps trend toward the higher end of that range. Disconnect the old pump’s hose clamps and electrical connector, mount the new pump in position, reconnect all hoses and wiring, reassemble panels, and run a spin/drain-only cycle to confirm the repair. If the new pump does not resolve the issue, call a licensed appliance technician — the fault may be in the control board or wiring harness.

Common Mistakes

• Relying on continuity mode alone to test the pump motor — a pump with shorted windings can pass a continuity test and still be completely failed. Always check resistance in ohms against the service manual specification.
• Ordering a replacement pump using the part number printed on the old pump’s label, which is often a supplier code rather than the appliance OEM part number. Use your washer’s model and serial number to find the correct replacement.

4Faulty Lid or Door Switch

The lid switch (top-loaders) or door latch switch (front-loaders) signals the control board that the machine is safely closed before allowing the motor and pump to run. When this switch fails, the board interprets the machine as open and interrupts the drain cycle as a safety measure — even if the lid or door is physically shut. This is a purely electrical failure but mimics a mechanical drain problem perfectly.

Symptoms

• The machine fills and agitates normally but stops completely when it reaches the drain/spin phase
• No motor sound at all during the drain.
• The machine fills and agitates normally but stops completely when it reaches the drain/spin phase.
• No motor or pump sound at all during the drain portion of the cycle.
• The “Lid Lock” or “Door” light flashes, or the machine remains paused despite pressing the Start button.

Care Plan

1. Safety First: Unplug the washer and turn off the circuit breaker.
2. Locate the Switch: On top-load washers, the lid switch is usually under the top main panel near the lid strike. On front-load washers, the door lock assembly is behind the rubber door boot (bellows).
3. Test with a Multimeter: Access the switch wiring harness and set your multimeter to continuity (Ohms). For a lid switch, you should see continuity (near 0 ohms) only when the lid is closed and the switch is depressed. If the meter stays at “OL” even when the switch is manually pushed, the part has failed.
4. Inspect the Actuator: Check the plastic “strike” or “pin” on the lid/door itself. If this plastic piece is snapped off or bent, it won’t physically reach the switch to trigger it.
5. Replace the Part: Unscrew the faulty switch and install an exact OEM replacement ($10–$50). For front-loaders, you may need to remove the spring-loaded wire hoop around the door boot to reach the lock assembly. Reassemble and test.

Common Mistakes

• Bypassing the switch. While old-school “tricks” suggest jumping the wires to bypass a lid switch, this is extremely dangerous. A washer spinning at high speed with the lid open can cause life-altering injuries. Always replace the switch; never bypass it.
• Misdiagnosing a Front-Load Lock. Front-load washers use a wax motor or solenoid to lock the door. If the door doesn’t lock, the machine won’t drain or spin for safety reasons. Check for debris inside the lock hole before buying a new part.