Guide
Dishwasher Not Draining: Safe Checks Before Calling an Engineer
How to distinguish a dishwasher drainage symptom from a displayed pump or leak warning, with checks limited to user maintenance.
Record the full code first. Check only the filter and visible drain route permitted by the model manual; stop for a leak, electrical concern or persistent problem.
Last updated: 22 September 2026
Water left after a programme can indicate a drainage problem, but it does not prove that a pump has failed. Bosch identifies filter or pump-area obstructions as possible causes. Use the model manual to distinguish normal residual water from water that should have drained.
Record the symptom before choosing a remedy
- Note when the programme stopped, whether water is above the usual sump level, and the complete code including punctuation or suffixes.
- A humming or grinding sound is an observation to report, not proof of a particular failed component.
- Bosch E24 is described as a not-draining/blockage condition in Bosch UK support. Its US table also covers E25 pump-cover or drainage issues; check the exact model before applying those instructions.
- Bosch E23 is a drain-pump fault in the cited US guidance, which directs readers to customer support. Do not treat every pump warning as permission to clear a blockage or run another cycle.
- A code on another brand needs that brand’s own instructions. Samsung 5C is a drainage example from US dishwasher guidance, not a universal code.
Checks limited to the model’s user-maintenance instructions
- Switch off and isolate as the manual directs, only if you can do so safely. Keep clear of wet electrical connections and allow hot water and internal surfaces to cool.
- Clean and refit the user-removable filter only as the manual describes. Do not operate the dishwasher with the filter or a permitted access cover missing or loose.
- Look for visible debris without reaching blindly into the sump: broken glass can collect there. Bosch advises protective gloves for pump-area access; a model-specific user-access cover is different from dismantling the pump.
- Inspect the drain hose only where visible for kinks or crushing. Do not pull out a heavy or integrated machine or disconnect plumbing to investigate.
- If the connected sink is also draining poorly, report that to the repairer or plumber. Use only cleaning products and maintenance methods permitted by the dishwasher manufacturer.
A manufacturer-approved drain or test sequence is appropriate only after permitted maintenance, secure refitting and the absence of a leak or electrical warning. There is no universal rinse-test instruction for every fault code. If the manual calls for service, follow that instead.
Stop and arrange professional help
- Water remains above the normal residual level, the code returns, or the permitted checks do not resolve the symptom.
- There is a leak, burning smell, unusual heat, repeated electrical tripping or a damaged cable.
- The next step would require internal electrical testing, cabinet removal or pump dismantling.
- The manual identifies the displayed code as a service fault. Record the model and full code for the repairer.
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Dishwasher drainage fault codes
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Blocked-filter warning on pressure-sensor service platforms
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Drainage problem involving the filter, pump cover or drain path
Bosch Dishwasher E23
Drain-pump blockage or fault
Bosch Dishwasher E24
Drainage problem
Bosch Dishwasher E25
Drainage problem involving the pump, pump cover or drain path
Samsung Dishwasher 5C
Drainage error
Dishwasher leak and overflow warnings to compare
Beko Dishwasher E01
Water in the chassis warning on Beko BDIN38540
Bosch Dishwasher E15
Leak protection activated by water in the base
Bosch Dishwasher E30
Water protection activated when the full code is E:30-00
Samsung Dishwasher LC
Leak sensor has detected moisture
Samsung Dishwasher OC
Over-level water error
Frequently asked questions
Does water in the bottom always mean the drain pump has failed?+
No. Filter or drain-route restrictions can cause retained water, and some water may be normal in the sump. Compare the level and symptoms with the exact manual; a symptom alone does not identify a replacement part.
Can I run the dishwasher again if it has not drained?+
Do not keep starting wash cycles. Follow only the maintenance and test sequence allowed for your model and code, with no leak or electrical concern. Stop and seek service if the problem remains.
Can I remove the pump cover?+
Only a user-access cover specifically described in the exact model manual, following its isolation and sharp-debris precautions. This is not permission to dismantle the pump or open the appliance cabinet.
Sources and editorial limits
Sources support the explanations and checks on this page. Follow the instructions for your exact model; these sources do not confirm the cause or condition of an individual appliance.
Read our editorial policy and source methodology.
- Bosch UK: dishwasher not drainingSupports filter/pump-area obstruction, the sharp-glass precaution and secure refitting. Access-cover methods differ by model; this guide does not reproduce a universal pump-opening procedure.Checked 22 September 2026
- Bosch UK: E24Defines E24 as a not-draining/blockage condition. The page’s inlet-hose wording is not used as a drain-hose procedure; follow the matching manual.Checked 22 September 2026
- Bosch US: dishwasher codesProvides regional E23/E24/E25 examples. E23 is a pump issue referred to support; the table is not proof of the same instructions for every UK model.Checked 22 September 2026
- Samsung US dishwasher information codesDrainage error. This definition comes from the manufacturer’s US guidance. Confirm applicability in the exact UK model manual before using it; regional equipment and code systems can differ.Checked 21 September 2026
- Bosch UK: water remaining in the tubExplains that some residual water is normal and a blocked filter can hinder draining. No universal residual-volume threshold is imposed on other models.Checked 22 September 2026
- Samsung UK: dishwasher cleaningDistinguishes removable-filter variants from models without one and requires correct reassembly. The exact manual determines permitted access and products.Checked 22 September 2026