How to repair a dishwasher, not draining cleaning - troubleshoot Whirlpool Kitchenaid 

Hello Adam, for the past couple of hours my daughter and I have been talking long distance concerning her Whirlpool dishwasher that wont drain . I thought it might be the pump and offered to buy a pump and send it to her. She didn't want to just replace parts hoping to get it working. I then offered to buy her a new dishwasher and that did not go over well. We logged onto this video and after checking just about everything, she checked the outlet to the pump directly across from the sensor. I suggested placing a small mirror next to the pump inlet and she found a large amount of detergent build up blocking the pump. She broke that loose and flushed out the particles of material. she put it back together and the machine works great. THANK YOU very much, you are our hero indeed. I am 80 years old and just talking through all that made me tired. Again Adam thanks so very much for all your help....Ken Marina CA retired Vietnam vet.

Never seen such a concise, clear, and friendly video tutorial ever in my life. You are absolutely amazing and gifted at this. Keep it up!

As a 70 year old woman who prefers to troubleshoot before calling a repair person, I thank you so much! I was able to fix my dishwasher problem on my own. Thanks, Adam.

Thanks for making this video. You saved me a service call. I had to remove the pump and then I found a small piece of glass blocking the impeller blades. Put it all back together and it works like a champ again. My deepest gratitude to all of you who take the time to make these videos to help others.

Thank you very much for posting this video - you showed me exactly what I was looking for (that its ok to disconnect that hose going into the pump, but only after emptying any water). Very helpful, you're doing a great service to humanity here :)

Still relevant in 2021. Thanks for this, it is a great help.

I love that videos like yours are available! So helpful to SO many people. Gives me courage to tackle things myself before calling in the pros.

This is probably the best, most helpful appliance video I've ever watched - and I've watched a lot. Someone on RU-vid can't know my problem, and the gentlemen in this video very clearly and simply explains how to troubleshoot. Well done and thank you!

This is the clearest, easiest to follow video on this subject that I could find. Thank you! I appreciate that you are clear, do good camera work, speak clearly, and edit. BTW, this dishwasher is identical to my Kitchenaid KDTE104DWHO. Thanks again!

Adam, I remembered I had a very long tweezers with bent end used for threading my serger sewing machine. I was able to use the tweezers to get two pieces of glass out. And also there was a large piece of glass in the impeller. Thanks soooo much for your video! I would never have attempted this myself without it.

Very helpful. I wish all the DIY videos on RU-vid were as clear, concise, and well shot as this one.

Thanks Adam! Fantastic work, saved us lots of time! We followed your video and piece by piece we checked our dishwasher to see why there was a clog. Eventually, we had to pull it out to it's side, remove the drain pipe entirely and run water through it to find bits of glass that were clogging it (which explains why we didn't see any clog in the pipe when we ran a light by it).

I totally agree with the comment below that This is the clearest, easiest to follow video on this subject that I could find. Thank you! I appreciate that you are clear, do good camera work, and speak clearly,

This helped me immensely. Clear cut and precise. Thank you!

WOW! a precise tutorial which didnt include 5minute part of talking about the channel, ads, or other nonsense. Straight to the point! Perfect and thank you!

I have to say you probably saved us a ton of money! A glass broke inside our dishwasher the other night, and that's when it stopped draining. Even though we had picked up what we thought was All the glass! Anyway, did all you said, it worked for about 30 seconds, then grinding noise, then a humming.....Took the motor pump apart, it just unclicks very easy and sure enough there was an inch square of glass stopping it from turning! These things always happen when you're just out of warranty or repair coverage! Thank you for your videos! Couldn't have done without you, your video is clear and very easy to understand! Subscribed!

Really appreciate the good camera work and clear instructions. Thanks!!

Thank God for RU-vid

Thank you! I dodged a dishwasher bullet due to your terrific video. A lime leaf was blocking the filter. After I cleared everything I used Dawn to clean the sides and ran an empty load with citric acid in the soap dish. Feeling very accomplished with your directions. You and the man who taught me how to light my furnace pilot light are my RU-vid Heroes!

Excellent video instruction! Thank you for a very comprehensive job. You make it so easy for a viewer to recognize right up front if their model matches the one you demonstrated and included links to the other model. Even a link for parts ordering! I solved my problem in five minutes without a plumber. I'd give you ten thumbs up if I could!

Thank you sir, just knowing what to look for helped me find a piece of plastic that was restricting drainage but not stopping altogether. 🤙🤙

This was very helpful! I found glass wedged in the flap in the outlet hose. The glass go through the pump and then the wedged into the check valve flap. Thank you for making this video!

Really appreciate this man. The property I work at just got a shipment of these old ones in to install in our “upgrades”. Right off rip had residents telling us they were having issues. This video resolved 7 work orders for me today. Thank you

I too, would like to add how clear, concise and easy this video was to follow. I was so very happy to find it! The best part was, it’s the exact dishwasher we have, so that made things even easier. Thank you very much for sharing! My daughter recently paid $220 for an appliance guy to fix her dishwasher, so this was quite the find! I would add for anyone who has a garbage disposal (and a shop vac) to disconnect the hose from the garbage disposal instead of underneath the bottom of the dishwasher. It was easier for us to get to, do we just extracted the water out of the hose with the shop vac. Easy pezzy! Now it is working perfectly! Thank you again for your video!

Thanks so much for this clear and detailed video. I ended up having a piece of glass stuck in my impeller and i was able to take it out easily and on my own! Cheers!

Another success story! I followed Adam's instructions and like so many others, found a piece of glass in the pump. It did not come out easily, but I finally managed! Thanks for saving us the cost of a service call, or even worse, a new dishwasher! Great video!

So great! Followed your instructions, and we also found a small piece of glass in the impeller blades. Working like a charm again. Can't thank you enough. Still not sure how things get past the other filters, but the results are amazing!

Like so many others I'm grateful for this video. Found a toothpick stuck in the impeller and we're back in business. Will be handy to know how the spray arms all come out since a few were clogged and I took care of that while I was at it. Works like new - thanks!!

Awesome video Adam, you saved my day. My Whirlpool wouldn't drain. Filters were clean so I followed your instructions and removed the hose on the bottom. Turned the impeller a couple times and found the culprit... a small piece of plastic. What it actually is and how it got past the filter... still a mystery to me! All I know is my dishwasher now drains and it didn't cost me a dime... thank you Adam!

Thank you so much Adam! Saved me mucho $$$! Perfect video, and you're a natural for this! Thanks again!

Excellent, clear, and friendly video tutorial. You are absolutely amazing and gifted at this. Keep it up! This was exactly what I was looking for!!

First attempt at fixing an appliance myself and first use of youtube as guidance and I was successful! Maybe it was just a clog but I took care of it myself... with your help. Thank you!

excellent instructions. Saved the day and some dollars! on my dishwasher the water was not draining. I followed the steps to remove the screen and filter. then used a glass/cup that fits into the hole for the screen to remove the collected water 1 cup at a time. Finally used a sponge to soak it all dry. Next I followed the instructions to check for clogs. Found nothing. I put my finger in the hole to reach for the little wheel in the pump and turned it a couple of times. Finally I turned on the dishwasher in the Drain/cancel mode. and the little wheel turned and I could see it spitting out debris. On closer inspection I found the culprit. it was the little twig like things that attach to grapes. It must be my wife!! she is careless about what goes into the dishwasher!

Good audio, good video and good info. Thanks!

Thank you for taking the time to make this. Your instructions are so clear and easy to follow. Thank you!

RU-vid videos like this have saved me so much money over the years!! Thank you sooooo much!!!

great detail and explanation! thanks!

Thanks. I'm sure I speak for many whirlpool owners.. This seems to be a common problem.

Appreciate the simpleness of this tutorial. I had posted in a FB group and people were saying buy a new one, etc. It was as simple as cleaning the filters as you show.

Thank you for doing a clear, easy to follow video! I fixed my machine myself.... didn’t have time to mess around we’re getting ready for hurricane Michael! I have subscribed... you are a natural teacher. 😎

Andy, this is one of the best DIY videos I have encountered. BUT, I wish it made clear how much water in the sump is normal so I can tell if I have a real problem at all. Is the amount shown normal? Maybe you could put that in the description?

Very complete information! Luckily I only had to clean the filters and the sensor with an old toothbrush and it did the work. Excellent video, camera work and information!

Thanks so much for this video! I had to go through each step, but you got me fixed. My clog was in the valve in the black elbow after the drain pump, which wasn't covered in your video, but I never would have found it without your video.

Thanks so much for the help! The tube coming from the pump went to an overflow valve on top of the sink and then down to the garbage disposal -- the tube from the overflow to the garbage disposal was what was clogged for me, but you got me looking in the right locations -- Big brownie points with the wife for fixing it and not having to call maintenance.

Thank you very much for this video, it saves us a lot of money :)

This was SO helpful, thank you. For anyone else doing this, after you’ve cleaned the filters, run the drain cycle to see if that fixed it. Mine wasn’t draining after I cleaned the filters so I thought I would have to call someone. Nope, run drain cycle.

I had a slow drain and figured it was the filter, but I had no clue how to check it. The very easy to follow instructions showed me how to remove and clean the filter and check for debris in the hoses. Thank you Adam!

Thank you for this video. No expensive charge from someone fixing an issue caused by lack of maintenance! Now I know what I need to do every few weeks.

Good video. Would really have been more helpful if you would have gone thru the impeller trouble shooting portion in more live detail; i.e. physically showing us how to check it, unclog it, perhaps even going so far as how to change it out. Thanks!

I am curious how much drain water should be left in the "cup" where the filter and sensor are? I always have water in it and now it is starting to get a bit higher and wondering if I am having a pump problem.

I'm dogsitting this week in a house with a dishwasher like this. The amount of slime in the filter is incredible. The slime flaps had slime flaps. I popped the bottom arm off like you instructed, and that's equally grody. A trip to the store tomorrow to get some cleaning supplies to get it un-grodified. Great video!

Great video. Just bought a new house over the summer and every day I’m finding something new to tinker with. Dishwasher will be the next project.

I came here because I noticed there was standing water inside the filtration system reservoir. I wondered if it was clogged, but I can see that it is normal. Thank you.

This is wonderful, thank you! The standing water under the filter shown in the video - is that normal? Mine is full to the top, it seems like that is too much?

Thank you Adam. Very clear video and did not waste any time with filler type verbiage. Straight to the "how to" steps. Just what i needed.

Thank you you saved me this was so simple of a fix and much easier to understand then any of the other videos that recommended taking the whole dishwasher apart. There was debris down underneath the filter just like you showed and when I removed it the crackling noises went away.

Like everyone else commenting on this video, I'm thankful for this video. I learned how to check the filters and didn't find any blockage. Then I learned how to unclog the drain pump by pinching the metal clips. There was a piece of glass stuck there. Thank you for saving me a service call. You rock!

THANKS! Not just for the video as a whole, but also for getting straight to the meat of the issue!

Thanks for this great video! We had one small fish bone that got caught up in the area where the impeller is. It looks like a white piece of plastic, but it's not. It is amazing how it managed to get through the filters. Also pulled a couple of these out of the top of the air gap. The washer drained fine most of the time, but at times, we had a little more water than usual in the area that the circular filter sets and there were small amounts of residue on the interior walls of the dishwasher. The dishes were usually pretty clean, but it seemed like it wasn't working as well. My guess is that the impeller was slowed, but not stopped. This dishwasher may be more energy efficient, but I miss our old one which had a built in disposal. Shorter cycles and less maintenance. Bottom line: be very careful to scrape all fish bones from plates when you are having fish before loading dishwasher with this newer energy efficient design.

Adam, I don't believe I have ever left a comment on a RU-vid video. I go to YT all the time for diy videos. i just got done watching both of the dishwasher draining videos and they are THE BEST YT diy videos I have seen. Your production and editing is television worthy. I know just where I will be checking first for my diy help videos from now on. In fact I am going to promote you on my FB page. Now... let's go see if I can get my dishwasher drain working.

Who could possibly dislike this video. So informative, thx.

Great video, thanks for taking the time to show the average home owner how to make a repair.

I followed these instructions for my Kenmore Elite b/c they had the same interior. I had to un-attach both ends of the drain hose. The disposal end was clogged with gross mildewed chunks, and the end going to the washer drain was clogged with a clear plastic label from new glasswear AND there was a toothpick in the impellor. All back together and it works like a champ! Great video. Saved me a repairman call! I only have one small white o-ring left that must have come from the drain hose. Next time....

Thank you so much for this video., you saved me at least $100. In my case the sediments deposited on the drain hose coiled on the left hand side (I wish I can add a photo) of the dishwasher was the problem. Drain snake wasn't thin enough to reach sediment deposit, I just cut open a metal hanger and with that cleared the sediment deposit, now the dishwasher works like new.

Just wanted to say, thank you. This video helped me immensely. Take care.

This is the most helpful DIY video I’ve ever watched. Thank you man!

Thanks. You video saved a repair bill. Piece of glass was stuck in pump and not letting the impellers spin. With my finger (just like your video stated) I freed the impellers and sucked the glass out with a shop vac! Works perfect! Thanks a ton AdamDIY!

Thank you!!! This video is 100% amazing. I thought for sure that there was no way there would be something in my pump and that it would be a blog but I was wrong. There was a sliver of a plate in there. Unreal. Also, for emptying, I stuck a heavy duty garbage bag around the hose once unhooked with towels behind and underneath. Worked really well.

Thank you so much for this! We were ready to buy a new dishwasher but after opening up the filters I realized I could clean the gunk out and it works again!!!

I really appreciate your video . I have a Whirlpool very much looking like the one in your post. It failed to pump the water out.The filters were clean. I disconnected the hose and I felt a piece of glass around the discharge part of the pump. Now the dishwasher works great. Thanks again for taking the time to post.

omg....you are a genius!!! Thank you Thank you Thank you!!! I knew there was a filter there because the deliveryman told me where it was, but I couldn't even see well enough to know how to turn the filter and get it out. Pushing it down and turning it worked. I cleaned out all the spots you mention. YOU ROCK!!! SO HELPFUL. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!!!

Thanks so much for posting! I have an lg model. I had tried everything then I took off the black hose under the dishwasher and there was a tiny piece of plastic in the hose. So happy!!!

Well done Adam. Just followed all your directions with no luck until Igot to your last one. I took off the hose by the drain pump and put my finger in and loosened a piece of glass.Machine is working again.Thank You.

THIS VIDEO SEEMS SO COMPLETE AND WELL DONE THAT IT ACTUALLY PUT MY PROGRESS BACK BY MONTHS BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE VIDEO HAS COVERED ALL THE SIMPLE POSSIBILITIES. AND NOBODY MENTIONED IT IN THE COMMENTS!! THE AIR GAP CAN BE CLOGGED! SO BEFORE GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY, LOOK UP A VIDEO ON THE AIR GAP AND GIVE THAT A TRY. I CANT BELIEVE HOW MANY HOURS I HAD WASTED IN MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE. IT WAS LITERALLY A 2 MINUTE FIX!

You’re the man! I really appreciate your video. It saved me at least $250. I was able to blow air through the drain hose back into the dishwasher which made me a little confused. So I removed the hose from the exhaust pump and push the fan a bit. It was just stuck a little bit. This was a result of broken glass. Thanks

This helped us a lot! Your directions were so easy to follow. Thank you!

Thank you so much. I had a good idea how to check the drain filter but I was really hesitant to twist it. It was reassuring to see you do it. I was able to give it a little more muscle afterwards to get it off.

Your instruction was great and I found lots of gunk buildup as I took the dish washer apart. I might suggest that they check the sprayers for gunk and take those apart to clean them out too (pretty easy to do). Thanks so much for your guidance. You really helped me to feel more comfortable with the process.

Thank you for your easy to follow instructions. After following them step by step, I eventually found a piece of broken glass impeding the impeller in the drain pump. After removing it and starting another short cycle, the dishwasher again shut down at beginning of the drain cycle. Removed the hose one more time to find another piece of glass. Alas, the problem is fixed and the drain cycle is working. Your video is greatly appreciated!

This was a great, clear video! It made me brave to tackle the icky pipes! We are now listening to a humming dishwasher that has afresh & drains properly! We should have a before & after!

The explanation was very good. The extra time showing disassembly is really helpful. Thanks. I feel like I do not need to do any more looking. I can do so much maintenance just from this.

Adam, You did an awesome video! You are a great teacher.

One happy mama!!! Thank you!!!!! I actually fixed my dishwasher. I've been trying to get someone to help me look at it for quite awhile now. Always seemed to fall on deaf ears. Googled a solution and your video popped up! Instantly my problem was solved, I did have to unclog the hose in the bottom but, it worked! Yay!

Thank you Adam for this video. The parts in the whirlpool were exactly the same as my Kenmore. Your video saved me a ton of money.

Even just showing how to remove those extra parts was so helpful! Thanks for the extra effort!

ADAM you ROCK! 3 dishwashers that I recently repaired had debris not in the drain hose but invisible just inside the sink drain fitting connection. Pistachios shell, plastic and paper. A poke with the phillips screwdriver fixed it! Thanks from BC Canada!

Thanks for posting. Saved me a service call from a plumber. A piece of glass was lodged in the pump. Keep them coming.

Great video…you just helped me fix my dish washer! You even added 2 pieces of info that were of extreme help to my situation. 1. Impeller might be blocked with broken glass.(my wife told me a glass broke during a wash recently and broken glass was indeed jamming the impeller). 2. If you remove the tube connected to the impeller get some towels. There was probably a half gallon of water in my dishwasher so I scooped it out and put down towels. Probably saved my floor boards from rotting and having to move my dishwasher out to clean. I happened to have a silicon cup which was great at helping to get water out of the dishwasher. Thank you very much for posting this video!!

Thank you! I’ll be the first to admit that I am about the least handiest person when it comes to fixing things around the house...I followed these steps and fixed my dishwasher in under 15 minutes!

Thank you so much for this video. I needed to get to the drain pump to clear it out and this was the only video I found for my washer. I would have never thought to unplug that hose. Thanks a bunch!

Thank you so much, you really helped me! My problem was a grimy sensor, I did not know to check that until you said the sensor should be clean in this video. No one else mentioned that out of five other videos. Have a great day, you made mine so much better!

Excellent 'how to" presentation: voice tone, modulation, pace and great camera work. I was lucky that the dishwasher in the video is the same as mine. Regularly (weekly) cleaning the filters in the bottom as he demonstrated will prevent almost al of the draining problems. Once a month do a one hour cycle with a six cup bowl of vinegar on the top rack.The regular maintenance will add years to the machine and you'll get cleaner dishes. With the newer improve soaps dishes are amazingly clean and shiny compared to machines twenty years ago. I live where the water is soft, so I do not need water treated. There's lots of dishwasher models with excellent reviews.

Thanks Andy! You saved us a repair call and the cost of a new pump! We found broken glass blocking the impeller.

You saved me at least an hour. So clear with the description and pictures Thank you.

Your video was so greatly appreciated and super helpful! We were able to fix the dishwasher without costly repairs!!!!!

Thank you. I have removed the filter basket before and cleaned it. You just taught me that the other filter, the half round, pops out. I did not know that and that is what badly needs cleaned. So, A+ on your helpful video. Thank you! 🤓

Excellent video! I have the same dishwasher, and a small piece of glass was stuck in the impleller. I disconnected the hose at the bottom after draining as much water as I could, then fished out the glass with pliers and tweezers. I found it helpful to pour a bit of water into the dishwasher and run the drain cycle quickly to see the impeller moving, which helped me see the glass. Eventually the glass moved its way out of the impeller itself so I could grab it with pliers. No more cheap wine glasses.

Thanks for this video! We ended up finding a piece of glass in the hose. Simple fix & now I don't have to wash the dishes by hand anymore! Thank you!

Hey I just wanted to say thank you!! My dishwasher always made a rattling noise starting about 1 month after I got it. Then a year later (now) it stopped draining. I watched this video and opened up the drain pump thing and found a piece of ceramic wedged in the auger. I removed the piece of ceramic and it started draining again and the rattling is gone! Thank you so much!

You are incredible thanks. You made it seem soo easy I almost broke my dish was until I found this video. Keep up the great work