Samsung Dishwasher: not draining

Professional Repair Guide

What is this symptom?

Is your Samsung dishwasher not draining properly? If you find water pooling at the bottom after a wash cycle, it could be due to clogged filters, a blocked drain hose, or even a faulty drain pump. Identifying the issue early can prevent further damage and costly repairs.

Urgency: Medium

Important Tips for Samsung Models

  • Samsung models may display drain-related error codes such as 5C/5E/OC/OE indicating drain/overflow issues specifically.

Possible Causes

Clogged filters and drain path

How to Identify: Water remains after cycle; visual inspection shows food debris accumulation in filter area.

Part: Filter assembly and drain basket

Drain hose kinked or blocked

How to Identify: No or slow drainage; under-sink inspection reveals hose bent sharply or debris inside hose; hose pinched under dishwasher.

Part: Drain hose

Garbage disposal/air gap blockage or improper connection

How to Identify: Dishwasher drains into disposal area but water backs up; air gap cover shows debris. (iFixit

Part: Garbage disposal connection or air gap assembly

Faulty drain pump or impeller damage

How to Identify: Pump hums but no water moves; multimeter test shows pump not powering; impeller blades visibly damaged. (Appliance Parts Pros

Part: Drain pump and impeller

Control board fails to activate drain cycle

How to Identify: No power delivered to drain pump during drain cycle; other electronics anomalies. (Appliance Parts Pros

Part: Control board

DIY Solutions

Clean filters and drain area

Easy 10–20 minutes
Tools Needed: gloves, soft brush
  1. Turn off dishwasher power and open door.
  2. Remove bottom rack and locate filter assembly.
  3. Twist and lift out filters; rinse under running water.
  4. Clear debris from drain area and reassemble filters.
  5. Run rinse cycle to test drainage.
⚠️ Safety First: Ensure power is off to avoid motor activation

Straighten or clear drain hose

Moderate 20–45 minutes
Tools Needed: screwdriver, bucket, flashlight
  1. Turn off power and water supply.
  2. Pull dishwasher forward to expose drain hose under sink.
  3. Check hose for kinks/bends and reposition to eliminate sharp loops.
  4. Disconnect hose and flush with water to clear debris if necessary.
  5. Reconnect hose and test drain cycle.
⚠️ Safety First: Place bucket under hose to catch water

Clean air gap/garbage disposal connection

Moderate 15–30 minutes
Tools Needed: screwdriver, small brush
  1. Locate air gap on sink rim if installed.
  2. Remove cover cap and clear any debris.
  3. If connected to garbage disposal, check disposal inlet and remove knockout plug if recently installed.
  4. Reassemble and run a short cycle to test drainage.
⚠️ Safety First: Turn off disposal power during inspection

Professional Repairs

Replace drain pump assembly

Estimated Cost: $60–$200

Control board replacement

Estimated Cost: $150–$400

When to Call a Professional

Water remains after DIY drain and hose cleaning without improvement
Strange noises during drain cycle pointing to mechanical failure
Electrical control issues

Preventive Maintenance

  • Clean filters regularly: Clogs leading to drain failure
    Frequency: weekly or after heavy use
  • Check drain hose positioning: Kinks and backflow issues
    Frequency: every 3 months

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Samsung Dishwasher not draining?
Common causes include clogged filters, blocked drain hoses, or a faulty drain pump.
How do I fix Samsung Dishwasher not draining myself?
You can clean filters, straighten the drain hose, or clear the air gap.
How much does it cost to fix not draining?
Professional repairs can range from $60 to $400 depending on the issue.
When should I call a technician for not draining?
Call a technician if DIY solutions fail or if the issue seems complex.

References & Sources

Community Analytical Insights

Analysis based on real user discussions from appliance repair communities

Can I Fix This Myself?

33%
DIY Success Rate Difficulty: Professional

Common Issues Reported by Users

  • Faulty drain components (e.g., drain motor, filter, hose) (5 mentions)
  • Sensor issues (e.g., float sensor, water level sensor) (4 mentions)

User Suggested Solutions

  1. Remove the air filter from the drain hose and connect it directly to the garbage disposal.

    Success rate: 8.0%

  2. Check and possibly replace the flow meter to resolve overflow errors.

    Success rate: 8.0%

  3. Replace the level sensor or the dishwasher if necessary.

    Success rate: 8.0%
Analysis based on 11 community discussions
View Sources

Data compiled from real discussions on r/appliancerepair and r/Appliances:

  1. New Appliance(s) Needed — Go All in on Bosch with Rebate?
  2. Looking to buy a new dishwasher
  3. Samsung Dishwasher Not Draining
  4. Samsung Dishwasher keeps filling and draining despite being ...
  5. Samsung DW80F600UTS Dishwasher thinks it can't drain.
  6. Samsung Dishwasher Error
  7. Samsung Dishwasher Won't Drain (Model DW80R2031US)
  8. Help! Samsung Dishwasher escalated its self-harming.
  9. Samsung Dishwasher OE Error - Air Gust
  10. Samsung dishwasher won't drain
  11. Samsung Dishwasher won’t stop trying to drain. Cannot run a ...

Community Discussions

Dishwasher not draining properly, receiving oE error code

Possible bad flow meter causing overflow error

DIY View on Reddit →

not draining

Recommendations for Maytag, KitchenAid, and Bosch dishwashers.

Pro needed View on Reddit →

Dishwasher stops halfway through the cycle and flashes the 'delicate' light

Replacing the level sensor or the dishwasher is recommended.

Pro needed View on Reddit →

Dishwasher won't drain

Remove the air filter from the drain hose and connect it directly to the garbage disposal.

DIY View on Reddit →

Source: Reddit r/appliancerepair

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