The short answer
A glassware dishwasher that leaves water in the base usually comes down to one thing: something is jammed in the drain pump. Next on the list: the filter and sump are blocked. The first check needs a sponge and a cup and nothing else, and it resolves most of these.
What you observe
- Water standing in the base at the end of the cycle — The cycle ran; the water never left.
- A buzz or hum from the base and the water stays put — Something is stopping a pump that is being asked to run.
- Water standing in the base at the end of the cycle — The cycle ran; the water never left.
- Dirty water appears in the base between cycles — That is water coming back, not water failing to leave.
- NEAR MISS — a little clean water in the sump between cycles — A small amount there is normal and keeps the seals from drying out.
Causes, most likely first on this machine
- Something is jammed in the drain pump — First where the machine hums at drain time and no water moves. Glass chips, olive stones and fruit pips get past a filter that is not seated properly, and a small hard object against the impeller stops the pump dead without damaging it.
- The filter and sump are blocked — Ranked here because it is the commonest drainage fault on any dishwasher and the only one an owner can fully clear.
- The drain hose is kinked or has lost its high loop — Ranked here because it is free to check and it dates from the last time the machine or the cabinet was disturbed.
- The drain pump has failed — Last, and deliberately — it is the only cause here that needs a part, and the causes above account for most calls.
Check in this order, and why
- Listen for a hum at drain time with no water moving — A hum means the pump is trying; silence means it is not.
- Lift out the filter stack and clear the sump beneath it — Everything the dishes carry ends up here.
- Follow the drain hose and check it rises before it falls — Without a high loop the machine siphons or backfills.
- Listen at the base at the moment it should drain — Silence points at the pump; a hum points at a blockage.
What an owner can safely check
- Switch the machine off and bail the base out — A sponge and a cup will empty a sump in a few minutes and let you see it.
Tools: sponge, cupAbout 20 min
- Bail the base dry and check the sump for glass or stones — Wear gloves — glass chips are what usually get through.
Tools: gloves, sponge, torchAbout 30 min
- Remove the filter, bail the sump and clear any debris — A sponge and a cup get the last of it out.
Tools: sponge, cupAbout 25 min
- STOP HERE before removing the pump or its housing — That means the machine out of its cabinet with the power and water off.
Before you open anything
Safety
Switch the machine off at its spur or breaker before removing any panel, and close the isolating valve before touching a hose. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. A glassware machine collects glass chips in its sump more often than any other. Always use gloves, always look before you reach, and empty the sump with a cup rather than a hand.
When to call a technician
Call once the filter and the sump are clear, the hose has its high loop, any air gap or disposer connection is open, and the water still will not leave. At that point the pump comes out. Call immediately if you smell burning from the base — a jammed pump motor can cook itself trying.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page is written for the brand and the machine class, not for one family or model line. Where a family- or model-specific page exists for your machine, that page is the more specific answer. Deliberately absent: cycle times, rack configurations, part identifiers and water-treatment specifications, which differ between the under-counter bar and pantry families.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
