The short answer
On the Aviva ALWF models here the drain path is short: tub, pump, hose, standpipe. On a compact front-loader the weight is carried on a suspension and controlled by counterweights, so a fault here is felt as a change in the spin rather than seen. Four places, checkable in order, and the first two account for most of what gets reported.
What you observe on these models
- Water sits in the tub at the end of the cycle — The defining symptom.
- The pump runs but nothing leaves — A pump that is audible and ineffective has an obstruction or is moving foam instead of water.
- Clothes come out soaking rather than damp — The spin was refused or cut short because the water never left, which is the same fault seen from the other end.
- It drains slowly rather than not at all — Slow is a restriction: a partly blocked filter, a kinked hose, or a hose lifted too high.
- NEAR MISS — it drains fine but will not spin — That is a lid-switch or balance fault, which is a different page.
Causes, most likely first on ALWF
- The house drain the machine empties into — A restricted standpipe backs up and the machine appears to be at fault. The tell is water rising in the standpipe rather than staying in the tub. Ranked first on Aviva ALWF because this machine is normally installed permanently, which makes the supply, the drain and the standpipe part of the diagnosis rather than a footnote.
- The drain hose — kinked, too high or pushed too far down — A hose crushed behind the machine, lifted above its maximum height, or pushed so far into a standpipe that it siphons, all present as a machine that will not drain properly.
- The pump filter or a blockage at the pump — This is the first check and the most common cause. Debris arrives at the filter by design; the design assumes someone empties it.
- The pump itself — A pump that hums without moving water, or that is silent when it should run, has failed or has an obstructed impeller.
- Too much detergent — Suds defeat a drain pump: the pump moves foam instead of water and reports itself as working while the tub stays full. Last on this list, and the item that every cause above it can imitate exactly.
Check in this order, and why that order
- Start at the pump — Open the pump filter with a tray underneath before anything else — it is the cheapest check and it explains a large share of what is reported. Expect water; have towels ready.
- Straighten and re-route the drain hose — Look behind the machine for a crush, and check the height the hose discharges at. Too high and the pump cannot lift it; too far into the standpipe and it siphons.
- Listen for the pump at the drain step — Silence means no supply or a failed pump; a hum with no movement means an obstructed impeller.
- Ask about detergent quantity — Excess foam defeats a pump completely and leaves it apparently running. It is free to test — one cycle with half the usual dose.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the washer or switch off its breaker before removing any panel, and close the tap before touching a fill hose. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off, and the door lock stays engaged for a period after a cycle ends — wait it out rather than forcing the door. Have a shallow tray and towels ready before opening any filter: a full tub empties fast and a wet floor beside a machine you are about to move is how people get hurt.
Models this page covers — the ALWF family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| ALWF190WH | aviva:washer:alwf |
When to call a technician
Call when the filter is clear, the hose is properly routed at the correct height, the standpipe takes a bucket of water freely, and the pump either does not run or hums without result. Call sooner if you find water at the outlet or the machine has tripped protection. On Aviva ALWF the filter and the hose routing between them explain the clear majority of no-drain reports, so do those first whatever else you plan. Check the plate before acting on any of this. ALWF is a compact washer, and the ranking above is written for that construction rather than for the brand as a whole.
Other problems covered for the ALWF family
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
