Standing water over the filter
There is enough water in the tub to cover the filter screen or float food scraps around.
Start here: Start with the filter, sump, and manual water removal so you can inspect the drain opening.
Dishwasher Drain Problem
Frigidaire Dishwasher Not Draining
Direct answer: A Frigidaire dishwasher that will not drain is usually dealing with a blockage in the filter, sump, drain hose, or sink-side drain path. A failed drain pump is possible, but it is not the first thing I would bet on.
Most likely: Start with any standing water in the tub, then check the dishwasher filter area, the sump for debris, the drain hose for a kink or clog, and the sink air gap or disposal inlet if your setup has one.
When a dishwasher leaves a shallow puddle after a cycle, that can be normal. When there is enough water to cover the filter, smell bad, or slosh onto the floor when you open the door, you have a real drain problem. Reality check: most of these calls end with gunk, glass, or a sink-side blockage, not an electrical failure. Common wrong move: running cycle after cycle with dirty water still in the tub just packs debris tighter into the drain path.
Don’t start with: Do not start by ordering a dishwasher drain pump just because there is water in the bottom. On this complaint, a clog is more common than a bad pump.
If you hear the pump hum but water stays put,look for a clog before you suspect a motor failure.
If the dishwasher drains into a sink setup,check the air gap or disposal connection early.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-17
What the drain failure looks like
A little water only in the lowest well
You see a thin ring or shallow puddle down in the very bottom after the cycle ends.
Start here: Confirm it is more than the normal low spot before taking anything apart.
Humming or buzzing during drain
The dishwasher sounds like it is trying to drain, but the water level barely changes.
Start here: Check for debris in the sump or a blocked drain hose before blaming the dishwasher drain pump.
Water backs up after using the sink
The tub looks emptier after the cycle, then dirty water shows up later.
Start here: Go straight to the sink-side drain path, air gap, or disposal inlet connection.
Most likely causes
1. Clogged dishwasher filter or sump
This is the most common cause when the tub holds dirty water and the machine still sounds mostly normal.
Quick check: Remove the lower rack and filter pieces, then look for sludge, labels, glass, bones, or broken plastic in the sump opening.
2. Kinked or blocked dishwasher drain hose
A hose can sag, clog with grease, or get pinched when the dishwasher or sink base items shift.
Quick check: Follow the dishwasher drain hose from the unit to the sink drain or air gap and look for sharp bends, low loops that fell down, or packed debris.
3. Sink air gap or garbage disposal inlet blockage
If the dishwasher shares the sink drain, the restriction is often outside the dishwasher itself.
Quick check: If you have an air gap, pop the cap and check for buildup. If the hose goes to a disposal, make sure that inlet is not clogged.
4. Dishwasher drain pump jammed or weak
This moves up the list when the drain path is clear but the machine only hums, drains very slowly, or stops with water still in the tub.
Quick check: After clearing the filter and hose path, run a drain cycle and listen for a strong pump-out versus a weak hum or intermittent grinding.
Step-by-step fix
Step 1: Confirm you have a real drain problem
A small amount of clean water in the lowest sump area can be normal. You want to separate that from a true no-drain complaint before pulling parts.
- Open the door at the end of a completed cycle and look at the water level before running anything else.
- If water is only sitting in the very lowest recessed area and does not cover the filter, wipe it out and monitor the next cycle.
- If water is above the filter or there is food debris floating, treat it as a real drain failure.
- Cancel or drain the cycle once and listen to the sound: strong rushing water, weak hum, or no drain sound at all.
Next move: If the next full cycle leaves only a small clean puddle in the low spot, the dishwasher may be draining normally. If water stays above the filter or returns after the cycle, keep going with the drain-path checks.
What to conclude: This tells you whether you are chasing a normal leftover sump pocket, a true blockage, or a pump that is not moving water.
Stop if:
- Water spills onto the floor when you open the door.
- You smell burning insulation or see smoke.
- The dishwasher trips the breaker or loses power during drain.
Step 2: Clear the dishwasher filter and sump first
This is the highest-payoff check on a dishwasher that will not drain. Food paste, broken glass, labels, and hard debris collect here and choke off flow.
- Shut off power to the dishwasher at the breaker or unplug it if the plug is accessible.
- Scoop or wet-vac out enough water to reach the filter area safely.
- Remove the lower rack and take out the dishwasher filter pieces.
- Wash the filter with warm water and mild dish soap. Use a soft brush only if needed.
- Look down into the sump and drain opening for glass, seeds, bone fragments, twist ties, or paper labels. Remove debris carefully.
- Reinstall the dishwasher filter correctly so it seats and locks the way it should.
Next move: If the dishwasher now drains with a strong rush of water, the blockage was in the filter or sump. If the filter area is clean and the tub still will not empty, move to the hose and sink-side checks.
What to conclude: A dirty filter or blocked sump is the most likely cause. If cleaning changes the sound but not the result, there may still be a restriction farther downstream.
Step 3: Check the dishwasher drain hose and sink-side connection
Once the sump is clear, the next most common restriction is in the dishwasher drain hose, the air gap, or the connection at the sink drain or disposal.
- Pull the dishwasher forward only if you can do it without straining the water line or power cord.
- Trace the dishwasher drain hose from the unit to the sink cabinet.
- Look for a hard kink, crushed section, or a low loop that dropped and now traps debris.
- If your sink has an air gap, remove the cap and clean out sludge from the air gap body and attached hose.
- If the dishwasher drains into a disposal or sink tailpiece, disconnect the dishwasher drain hose at the sink-side end and check for packed grease or food paste.
- Flush the removed hose section with water into a bucket until it runs clear, then reconnect it securely.
Next move: If the dishwasher drains normally after clearing the hose or air gap, you found the restriction. If the hose path is clear and the sink-side connection is open, the problem is likely inside the dishwasher drain system or at the pump.
Step 4: Listen to the drain pump and watch how the water behaves
Now that the easy blockages are handled, the sound and speed of the drain cycle tell you whether the dishwasher drain pump is jammed, weak, or probably okay.
- Restore power and run a cancel-drain or short cycle that reaches drain.
- Listen near the lower front of the dishwasher for a strong steady pump sound versus a weak hum, clicking, or grinding.
- Watch the tub water level for one to two minutes.
- If the pump hums but the level barely drops, shut power back off and recheck the sump for something still jamming the impeller area.
- If the pump is silent during the drain portion and the machine otherwise has power, note that for service or deeper diagnosis.
Next move: If the water level drops quickly and finishes empty, the blockage was likely cleared in the earlier steps. If the pump only hums, grinds, or moves water very weakly with a clear drain path, the dishwasher drain pump becomes the leading suspect.
Step 5: Finish with the right repair path
At this point you should know whether you fixed a clog, need a hose replacement, or are looking at a likely pump failure.
- If the dishwasher now drains, run a full wash cycle with the filter installed and recheck for standing water at the end.
- If the dishwasher drain hose is split, permanently kinked, or still restricted after cleaning, replace the dishwasher drain hose.
- If the filter is damaged, warped, or will not lock in place after cleaning, replace the dishwasher filter assembly.
- If the drain path is clear and the dishwasher still hums or drains weakly, plan on replacing the dishwasher drain pump or call for service if access is beyond your comfort level.
- If dirty water returns later after sink use, correct the sink-side drain issue or air gap problem before replacing dishwasher parts.
A good result: If the tub finishes empty and stays empty between cycles, the repair path was correct.
If not: If the dishwasher still leaves water after a clear hose, clean sump, and normal sink drain, professional diagnosis is the smart next move.
What to conclude: You have narrowed the problem to a confirmed clog, a failed hose, a damaged filter assembly, or a likely drain pump issue instead of guessing at parts.
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FAQ
Why is there still water in the bottom of my Frigidaire dishwasher after the cycle?
A little clean water in the lowest recessed sump area can be normal. If water sits above the filter, smells bad, or has food debris in it, the dishwasher is not draining correctly and you should check the filter, sump, hose, and sink-side connection.
Can a clogged sink or garbage disposal keep a dishwasher from draining?
Yes. If the dishwasher drain hose ties into the sink drain, air gap, or disposal, a blockage there can stop the dishwasher from emptying or let dirty water flow back into the tub later.
How do I know if the dishwasher drain pump is bad?
After the filter, sump, hose, and sink-side path are confirmed clear, a bad dishwasher drain pump usually shows up as a weak hum, intermittent grinding, or very slow pump-out with little water movement. A strong pump sound with poor draining usually still points to a restriction.
Should I pour drain cleaner into the dishwasher?
No. Drain cleaner can damage dishwasher parts and seals, and it does not solve most dishwasher drain clogs safely. Start with manual cleaning of the filter, sump, hose, and sink-side connection instead.
Why does my dishwasher drain, then fill back up later?
That usually points to dirty water backing in from the sink-side drain path, air gap, or disposal connection. The dishwasher itself may be fine, but the shared drain setup is letting water return to the tub.