The short answer
On the Black Decker WQP dishwasher a leak is usually the door boundary rather than anything inside the cabinet. The WQP stems step through sizes on a common mechanism, so the approach below holds across every model in the table.
What you observe
- A line of water along the floor at the front of the door — The door boundary: seal, latch pressure or a door that is no longer sitting square in its frame.
- Water behind the machine and a dry front — A supply or waste connection, and the only one of these faults that can run whether or not the machine is in use.
- Foam coming out of the door — The wrong detergent or a spill in the base.
- NEAR MISS — water inside the tub rather than on the floor — That is a drainage fault, not a leak, and it is a different page.
Causes, most likely first on the WQP family
- Door seal, latch pressure and door alignment — First on this family — the WQP stems step through sizes on a common mechanism — and the door is the only part of the water boundary that moves: a seal that has hardened, a latch that no longer pulls the door tight, or a machine standing out of level all open a path the wash pressure finds immediately.
- Overfoaming from detergent or a spill — Second and often mistaken for a seal fault: hand-washing liquid, too much rinse aid or an oily load produces foam that walks straight out of a perfectly good door.
- Hose connections inside the cabinet — Third: a clip that has relaxed or a hose rubbed through against the frame leaks under the machine while the door stays dry, which is how you tell it apart from the causes above.
- Tub, sump or pump seal — Last. Real seal failure is rare on this class and always leaves water under the centre of the machine rather than at the door.
Check in this order, and why
- Dry everything, run a short cycle and watch the door — First: seeing where the first drop appears saves every later step, and the door is the top cause on this ranking.
- Close the door on a sheet of paper at several points — Second — slack at one corner tells you whether it is the seal or the latch, and they are different repairs.
- Look at what detergent is being used and how much — Third: one foaming load explains a leak that never repeats, and no part will.
- Check the cabinet is level and the door sits square — Last of the free checks, and the one that makes a new seal last rather than fail again in a month.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off, and water on the floor beside a live machine is the hazard that matters here. Shut the water supply before touching a fill hose or coupler. Wash water can scald, so let a cycle finish and cool.
Models in the WQP family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| WQP12-5901K-US | black-decker:dishwasher:wqp |
| WQP12-6502A | black-decker:dishwasher:wqp |
| WQP12-6503 | black-decker:dishwasher:wqp |
| WQP6-3603-US | black-decker:dishwasher:wqp |
| WQP8-P7606F-US | black-decker:dishwasher:wqp |
When to call a technician
Call when the door and every connection you can reach are clear and water is still appearing under the cabinet: that is a pump or tub seal and it needs the machine out and inverted. Call immediately if water is reaching an electrical part, a floor void or a neighbouring cabinet — the building damage outruns the appliance repair quickly.
Other faults covered for the WQP family
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
