One of the few things that could be frustrating to deal with among your kitchen appliances is the dishwasher. Maybe you are using a Kitchenaid dishwasher and you just finished a wash cycle, and now you are stuck with your Kitchenaid dishwasher not draining. It’s nothing to panic about.
You can’t compare a draining issue to a leaking dishwasher. But since you are here to figure out why your Kitchenaid dishwasher not draining there are a few things you ought to be aware of.
One of such is to recognize the most likely culprit of a dishwasher that ceases to drain and the simple steps you can take to resolve it.
If you are not aware of that, it’s okay. Requesting for a repairman can cost you $300 or more, but then understanding and figuring out how you can troubleshoot simple fixes can save you a ton of money
That said, let’s delve right into it
How to fix Kitchenaid Dishwasher not Draining
Once you are faced with this issue, the first thing you have to do is to first clear the water standing in the dishwasher, and remove the plates from the rack as you might need to move the dishwasher depending on what exactly is causing this.
Now, one of the obvious reasons behind your Kitchenaid dishwasher not draining is that one of the components in the draining systems is either clogged or damaged.
That said let’s delve into how you can resolve it.
1. Check the KitchenAid Dishwasher Door
This is another less significant issue that could stop the draining process from starting. When the door of your dishwasher is not properly latched, the safety switch will stop the dishwasher from working.
In some other scenarios, the door might not be properly shut when the machine starts. And maybe along the way the door became loose till the switch got engaged, which turns off.
This might be an issue you can write off, but then it is something you should check to ensure the door is properly closed before boring yourself out.
2. Check your Drain Hose
One of the common culprits of your Kitchenaid dishwasher not draining is the drain hose. In some scenarios, the drain hose could be clogged with dirt particles or debris such that there is literarily no space for water coming through the hose.
Cases like these are very common especially if the plates you place in the rack contain dirty sewages.
However, in some scenarios, the drain hose could be leaking at one ends, probably due to puncture, damage or maybe one end of the hose is loose.
If you are faced with anything similar to all these here is how you can self-diagnose it
- First, unblock the drain line.
- Clean out the filter and remove any food particles that may be clogging it.
- Inspect the drain hose for any obstruction.
- Avoid using a brush or any hard material so as not to destroy the mesh
- If you are sure that the drain hose is blocked, simply pour vinegar or use a blunt object to push out the obstruction.
3. Inspect the Drain Pump
A good pointer that signifies the drain pump as faulty is when the dishes in your rack come out dirt, or not soo clean. This however doesn’t affect the dishes alone.
A faulty drain pump could also lead to your Kitchenaid dishwasher not draining.
Maybe some food residue has stopped the rapper from rotating etc. But then other scenarios could lead to this such as obstruction in the hose or pipe, Faulty inlet filter or degreaser filter, Kinks or crimps in the drain hose, or loose Drain hose.
That said, what you should do is inspect the Drain pump by checking all these to ensure none of the components mentioned above is clogged, punctured or damaged.
If there are any, and they need a replacement, use your Kitchenaid manual to locate them and get a replacement for them.
if disassembling any of these parts seems complicated. You can snap the state of the dishwasher while disassembling it for reference purposes since it helps in assembling it back correctly.
4. Inspect the Main Drain connected to a septic Tank
In most apartments, there is a main drain that connects the house’s wastewater to the sewage system.
usually, the Drain pipe collects sewage waste from the dishwasher and transfers it to a septic tank, cesspit, or treatment plant.
While this might seem like a less significant issue, It is noteworthy that you don’t put anything down this drain that can clog it up.
If you are not comfortable checking the pipe connected to the sewage tank or ejector pump then you might need to request the services of a repairman
5. Check the Garbage Disposal
After checking the drain pump and septic tank, another component you have to inspect is the garbage disposal.
The majority of dishwashers that are built in are made in such a way that they drain out via the garbage disposal.
This is a useful feature since it forcefully clears out any leftover food inside making the passage free from the garbage disposal.
If you are facing these issues after installing a new garbage disposal, then you should inspect if you’ve disabled the knockout plug
After clearing out the garbage disposal, run a test wash to see if the Kitchenaid dishwasher is draining
6. Inspect the Air Gap
The airgap in your Kitchenaid sink has one job which is to prevent water from backing up into the dishwasher when it is turned on.
One of the reasons why it is quite easy for the Air gap to get clogged with specks of dirt and particle is because it is made of stainless steel coupled with the fact that it connects the dishwasher to the sink
In a scenario where this particular area is blocked, water won’t be able to flow out but instead, it reduces excess water leaking to the floor
If our garage disposal is also clogged here is how you can self-diagnose that.
- Clean an air gap, remove its cap and then twist it counterclockwise.
- Next, clean the dishwasher with water and a brush.
- Now, run a complete cycle. doing this should show you if water is coming from the air gap.
7. Check the Timer
Another less significant issue behind your KitchenAid dishwasher not draining is a faulty timer. If the timer is faulty, the drain function might not be initiated when the wash is done. This is not a common issue, but if you’ve gone through the steps listed above and there are no positive changes, the timer might be faulty
To inspect the timer, you have to disassemble the control panel to access the timer.
- Once you locate the timer, simply test for continuity using a multimeter
- If there is no continuity then you have to replace the timer
- How do I test my Kitchenaid dishwasher drain pump?
If you are unsure about your drain pump, probably it isn’t transferring the waste /sewage out of the dishwasher, here are the steps you should follow to test it out
- First and foremost you want to unplug your dishwasher from the power source and get a score driver and multimeter
- After powering it off, bend the dishwasher on its side
- Take out the base plate
- carefully locate the pump and screw out the kickplate
- Unplug the connector
- Now, take out the pump and test it for continuity using a multimeter.
- You should have zero continuity or anything close,
- If it is far off, then the pump is faulty and needs to be replaced
Older Kitchenaid dishwasher not draining
If you have an older Kitchenaid dishwasher there are a few things you can ignore when it comes to what exactly is behind your Kitchenaid dishwasher not draining however, there is also something you can’t write off as the dishwasher is old.
For most old Kitchenaid dishwashers here are the most common culprit behind your dishwasher not draining
- The drain hose
- The Drain pump
- The Garbage disposal
- the Kitchenaid door latch
- The Air Gap
- The Timer
Kitchenaid dishwasher standing water in the filter
If there is water standing in your KitchenAid dishwasher after completing a wash cycle, the first thing you have to do is to clean out the water to make it easier to figure out where the blockage is coming from.
The troubleshooting steps above will guide you on how you can deal with your Kitchenaid dishwasher not draining
Why is there water in the bottom of my Kitchenaid dishwasher?
Unless it is much, a small amount of water at the bottom of your Kitchenaid dishwasher appears to be normal since the water is there to keep the seals there from drying up
How do I reset my KitchenAid dishwasher?
If you are faced with a scenario whereby your dishwasher suddenly stops working or you are facing an issue with the wash cycle, resetting your Kitchenaid dishwasher helps in resolving the issue in this category.
You can check here for a quick guide on how you can do that
Conclusion
Since you’ve figured out the reason behind your KitchenAid dishwasher not draining, one thing you have to put in mind is to ensure to always take a snapshot for reference purposes if you have to disassemble a lot of components to access a component
However, if you still have a warranty, do not disassemble it, instead, contact KitchenAid customer support to take advantage of your warranty.