The short answer
On an AEG dryer, condensate not draining most often comes back to a tank that is full or not seated, with a blocked heat exchanger close behind. The maintenance items these machines actually have — the pump filter, the drain path, the sensors and the condenser on a heat-pump dryer — outrank component failure on a machine of this generation. That puts the first move in your hands rather than a technician’s: work the checks below in order and stop at the first one that explains what you are seeing.
What you are seeing
- What this fault looks like, and which observations point somewhere else.
- water pooling in the base of the machine or under it
- a drain hose that has been fitted but delivers nothing
- the machine drying badly at the same time as the tank stays empty
- the condensate tank fills every cycle, or never fills at all
- Not this fault: if the load is damp and the tank is normal, read the drying page
- Not this fault: if water is outside the machine, read the leak page
Ranked causes on this platform
- Ranked for an AEG dryer, which runs a sensor-driven controller that reports a fault code on the display. No measured frequency exists for this address, so the order is platform judgement rather than a share.
- A tank that is full or not seated — Why: A tank not pushed fully home reads as full, and the machine stops exactly as if it were.
- A blocked heat exchanger — Why: If air cannot pass the exchanger there is no condensation to collect, so a dry tank with wet clothes points straight here.
- A blocked condensate pump or its filter — Why: The pump lifts condensate to the tank, so a blocked one leaves the tank empty and water in the base.
- A float or level switch stuck — Why: A stuck float reports a full tank permanently, and the machine refuses to run with nothing wrong.
- A direct drain hose run too high or kinked — Why: A machine plumbed to a waste connection cannot lift beyond its designed height, and the condensate backs up.
What to check, in order
- The order follows the ranking above: most likely and cheapest first, nothing needing a meter until everything else is eliminated.
- A tank that is full or not seated — Because: a tank not pushed fully home reads as full, and the machine stops exactly as if it were.
- A blocked heat exchanger — Because: if air cannot pass the exchanger there is no condensation to collect, so a dry tank with wet clothes points straight here.
- A blocked condensate pump or its filter — Because: the pump lifts condensate to the tank, so a blocked one leaves the tank empty and water in the base.
Checks you can safely do yourself
- Isolate the appliance before any panel comes off, and stop at the first step that explains the fault.
- Empty the tank and reseat it firmly, then restart. — Tools: nothing — Time estimate: a few minutes
- Withdraw the condenser and rinse it until the water runs clear. — Tools: a tap and gloves — Time estimate: allow half an hour
- Open the lower access and check the pump chamber and filter. — Tools: towels and a torch — Time estimate: allow half an hour
- Empty the tank, move the float by hand if it is accessible and retry. — Tools: a torch — Time estimate: a quarter of an hour
- Stop condition: Stop there: the next step means metering live terminals or opening a sealed system.
Safety first
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel, because a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Clear lint from the filter, the housing and the duct: accumulated lint around a heat source is the recognised hazard of this appliance class. Never run the machine with a panel off or the door interlock defeated, and never vent it into the room.
When to call a technician
Call a technician when the exchanger and the pump are clear and condensate still is not being collected, when the pump has to be replaced, or when water is standing in the base of the machine. Water in a cabinet with a heater in it is a reason to stop using the machine.
The fact bundle for this address was empty, so no warehouse figure appears. Every number on the page is a program safety constant, cited to its publisher. — Sources
General guidance- 1910.147 — The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) — Occupational Safety and Health Administration, fetched 2026-09-06
Other faults documented for this brand and appliance. — Nearest pages of the same kind
What this page does not cover
This page is generalized across every AEG dryer family and model number: no family fault list, no model parts list, and no measured figure from the program warehouse. Where a family- or model-specific page exists it goes deeper, and it should be preferred over this one.
Links: - [Common AEG Dryer Problems](/blog/aeg-dryer-problems) - [AEG Dryer: Abnormal Noise or Vibration](/blog/aeg-dryer-abnormal-noise) - [AEG Dryer: Does Not Clean or Dry](/blog/aeg-dryer-cleaning-performance)
Adjacent pages for what this one rules out. — Where to go next
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
