Standing water over the filter area
There is enough water in the bottom to cover the sump area or float food bits around after the cycle ends.
Start here: Start with the filter and sump cleanup, then move to the drain hose and sink connection.
Dishwasher Drain Problem
Miele Dishwasher Not Draining
Direct answer: If your Miele dishwasher is not draining, the most common cause is a blockage in the filter, sump, drain hose, or sink-side drain connection rather than a bad internal part.
Most likely: Start with any standing water in the tub, then check the dishwasher filter, the sump opening under it, the drain hose for a kink or clog, and the sink air gap or disposal inlet if the dishwasher drains through one.
When a dishwasher leaves a shallow puddle after a cycle, that can be normal. When there’s enough water to cover the filter area or slosh when you pull the lower rack, it is not. Reality check: most no-drain calls end with debris cleanup, not a major part. Common wrong move: running cycle after cycle with dirty water still in the tub and hoping it clears itself.
Don’t start with: Don’t start by ordering a dishwasher drain pump. On this symptom, a packed filter or blocked drain path is more common and a lot cheaper to fix.
If you hear the drain motor hum but water barely moves,look for a clog before you suspect a failed pump.
If the dishwasher drains into the sink plumbing,check the air gap or disposal connection early so you don’t miss a sink-side blockage.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-17
What this no-drain problem looks like
A little water remains but not much
You see a thin ring or shallow puddle near the filter, but dishes are otherwise clean and the tub is not filling up.
Start here: Confirm whether it is truly excessive first. A small amount can be normal, but food debris around the filter still needs attention.
Humming or buzzing during drain
The machine sounds like it is trying to pump out, but the water level barely changes.
Start here: Check for a jam in the sump or a blockage in the dishwasher drain hose before assuming the dishwasher drain pump is bad.
Water backs up after using the sink
The dishwasher may seem empty at first, then dirty water appears later, especially after the sink drains.
Start here: Go straight to the sink-side drain path, air gap, disposal inlet, or shared drain blockage.
Most likely causes
1. Clogged dishwasher filter or debris packed in the sump
This is the most common cause when water stays in the tub and the machine otherwise powers up and runs.
Quick check: Remove the lower rack and filter pieces, then look for grease, labels, glass chips, seeds, or sludge around the sump opening.
2. Kinked or restricted dishwasher drain hose
A hose can pinch behind the unit or collect grease and debris, especially if draining has been getting slower over time.
Quick check: Inspect the visible hose path under the sink for a hard bend, sag full of water, or a clog near the sink connection.
3. Blocked sink air gap or disposal inlet
If the dishwasher shares the sink drain, a blockage outside the dishwasher can stop draining or let dirty water run back in.
Quick check: If there is an air gap on the sink, pop the cap and check for buildup. If connected to a disposal, make sure the dishwasher inlet is clear.
4. Dishwasher drain pump jammed or failed
This moves up the list when the filter and hose path are clear but the unit only hums, clicks, or never pushes water out.
Quick check: After clearing the easy blockages, listen during drain. A loud hum with no flow or total silence from the pump points here.
Step-by-step fix
Step 1: Remove the standing water and confirm it is really a drain problem
You need a clear view of the filter area before you can tell whether the dishwasher is blocked, backing up from the sink, or just holding a normal small puddle.
- Turn the dishwasher off and cancel the cycle if it is still running.
- Scoop or soak out most of the standing water with a cup and towels so you can reach the filter area safely.
- Pull the lower rack out and look at the bottom of the tub.
- Note whether the water is clean or dirty and whether food debris is floating in it.
- If water returns later after the dishwasher sits idle, pay attention to whether it happens after sink use.
Next move: If you find only a very shallow clean puddle near the filter and the dishwasher otherwise finishes normally, you may not have a true no-drain failure. If there is clearly too much water, or dirty water keeps returning, keep going with the drain-path checks.
What to conclude: Clean standing water usually points to a dishwasher-side drain restriction. Dirty water that reappears later often points to a sink-side blockage or backflow issue.
Stop if:
- Water is hot enough to burn you.
- You find broken glass or sharp metal and cannot clear it safely.
- Water is spilling onto the floor or into cabinets.
Step 2: Clean the dishwasher filter and inspect the sump opening
This is the highest-payoff check on a dishwasher that will not drain. Food paste, labels, bone fragments, and glass chips collect here and choke off flow.
- Remove the dishwasher filter assembly and any coarse screen pieces you can access without forcing them.
- Wash the filter parts with warm water and mild dish soap.
- Wipe sludge and debris from the filter well and around the sump opening.
- Look carefully for small hard items like glass chips, fruit pits, twist ties, or paper labels lodged near the impeller area.
- Reinstall the filter pieces securely so they sit flat and lock in place.
Next move: If the dishwasher drains normally on the next cancel-drain or short rinse cycle, the blockage was at the filter or sump. If water still sits in the tub, move to the hose and sink-side checks.
What to conclude: A dirty filter or jammed sump is the most likely cause when draining improves immediately after cleanup.
Step 3: Check the dishwasher drain hose and the sink-side connection
Once the filter area is clear, the next most common restriction is in the dishwasher drain hose or where it ties into the sink plumbing.
- Look under the sink for the dishwasher drain hose and follow its path as far as you can.
- Straighten any sharp kink or crushed section.
- If your sink has an air gap, remove the cap and clean out debris inside it.
- If the hose connects to a disposal or sink tailpiece, disconnect the hose at that end with towels ready and check for grease or food blockage at the inlet.
- Flush the removed hose section with water into a bucket or sink to confirm it is open, then reconnect it securely with the high loop restored if it had one.
Next move: If a clog clears and the dishwasher now pumps out strongly, the problem was in the hose or sink-side connection. If the hose path is open and the sink connection is clear, the remaining likely causes are a deeper internal blockage or a drain pump problem.
Step 4: Listen to the drain cycle and separate a clog from a pump failure
Sound tells you a lot here. A humming pump with no water movement usually means a jam or blockage. No pump sound at all after the drain command can mean the pump is not running.
- Restore power and run a cancel-drain or drain portion of a short cycle.
- Listen at the lower front of the dishwasher during the drain period.
- If you hear a steady hum or buzz but little or no water exits the hose, suspect a jammed pump or remaining blockage.
- If you hear normal strong water flow into the sink drain, watch whether water later runs back into the tub.
- If there is no drain sound and the tub still holds water after the earlier checks, the dishwasher drain pump moves higher on the list.
Next move: If you now hear strong discharge and the tub empties, recheck for a loose filter, partial hose clog, or sink-side backflow if the problem returns. If the pump only hums or stays silent with the drain path already cleared, plan on pump-level diagnosis or service.
Step 5: Finish with the right repair path
By this point you should know whether you fixed a blockage, need a hose-related repair, or have strong evidence of a failed pump.
- If cleaning the filter, sump, air gap, or hose fixed it, run a full rinse cycle and then a normal load to confirm the tub ends nearly dry except for a small normal puddle if your model leaves one.
- If the dishwasher drain hose is split, permanently kinked, or still restricted after cleaning, replace the dishwasher drain hose.
- If the filter assembly is damaged and will not seat correctly, replace the dishwasher filter assembly so debris cannot keep reaching the sump.
- If the drain path is clear and the machine still only hums, clicks, or never pumps water out, schedule a dishwasher drain pump replacement or service.
- If dirty water keeps coming back after the dishwasher drains, clear the sink-side drain issue before replacing any dishwasher parts.
A good result: If the tub drains fully and stays empty between cycles, the repair path was correct.
If not: If the dishwasher still will not drain after the filter, hose, and sink-side checks, the safest next move is pump-level service rather than guess-buying more parts.
What to conclude: You have narrowed the problem to either a resolved blockage, a confirmed hose or filter hardware issue, or a likely drain pump failure.
Replacement Parts
Repair Riot may earn a commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
FAQ
Why is there water left in the bottom of my Miele dishwasher?
Most of the time it is a clogged dishwasher filter, debris in the sump, a restricted dishwasher drain hose, or a sink-side blockage at the air gap or disposal connection. A failed dishwasher drain pump is possible, but it is usually not the first cause.
Is a little water in the dishwasher bottom normal?
Sometimes, yes. A very shallow clean puddle near the filter area can be normal on some dishwashers. If water is covering the filter area, smells bad, or sloshes around after the cycle, that is not normal.
Can a garbage disposal cause my dishwasher not to drain?
Yes. If the dishwasher drains through the disposal, a clogged disposal inlet or sink-side blockage can stop draining or let dirty water run back into the dishwasher. Check that connection before replacing dishwasher parts.
How do I know if the dishwasher drain pump is bad?
The pump moves higher on the list after you have cleaned the filter and sump and confirmed the dishwasher drain hose and sink connection are clear. A pump that only hums with no water flow, or stays silent during the drain command, is a stronger pump-failure clue.
Should I use drain cleaner in a dishwasher that will not drain?
No. Chemical drain cleaners can damage dishwasher parts, seals, and hoses, and they make the cleanup more hazardous. Stick with manual cleaning of the filter, sump, hose, and sink-side connection.