The short answer
Water left in the tub on the Cafe CDT family usually means an obstruction, and the obstruction is usually reachable: the filter and sump first, then the pump impeller, then the hose. The matrix below spans seven model tags across more than one prefix group, so running changes are real here and the tag decides which revision of a part a model takes. A small amount of water in the sump well at the end of every cycle is normal and is not a fault.
What you can observe on these models
- Clean water rather than dirty water left behind — That is a fill-after-drain pattern: the machine drained and then took water on, which points at the inlet valve, not the pump.
- Draining works after the filter is cleaned and then stops again — Soil is reaching the pump because the filter is not retaining it, so the blockage rebuilds every few loads.
- A cycle that stops part way with water in the tub — The control aborted rather than finished, so treat it as a cycle fault with a drainage symptom.
- Glass or a fruit stone visible in the sump — The direct cause, and the reason a drain fault can appear overnight on a machine that was fine.
- NEAR MISS — water on the floor rather than in the tub — That is a leak, and the leak page covers it. A machine can leak and drain perfectly well at the same time.
Causes, most likely first on this family
- Filter, sump and the pump inlet — Ranked first here: it is the only cause you can both confirm and fix without moving the machine.
- Drain pump impeller obstructed by glass or a stone — Second: the hum at the drain step is diagnostic, and the object is almost always visible once the sump cover is off.
- Air gap or disposer connection blocked — Third because the evidence appears outside the appliance and is easy to miss from in front of it.
- Drain hose routing and the high loop — Fourth: a lost loop siphons the tub back full after a successful drain, which is why clean water sometimes appears instead of dirty.
- Control board, door latch signalling or pump motor — Last because everything above is cheaper, faster and far more common.
Check in this order, and why
- Run the disposer and fill the sink first — If the household drain is slow, the dishwasher never had a chance. This is the one check that is outside the appliance entirely.
- Check the air gap on the sink deck — Lift the cap and look for debris in the chamber. A blocked air gap backs water up in exactly this pattern.
- Scoop the tub and pull the filter — Clear the filter and sump by hand with the power off, and look for glass at the pump inlet while you are there.
- Look behind the machine at the hose — A kink or a lost high loop explains both a blocked drain and a tub that refills itself after a successful one.
Before you open anything
Safety
Kill power at the breaker before any disassembly — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. If the machine has to be pulled out, close the hot water shutoff under the sink first, support the door so it cannot drop, and watch for the drain hose catching on the cabinet as it moves.
Models in the CDT family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| CDT805**N*** | cafe:dishwasher:cdt |
| CDT828**V*** | cafe:dishwasher:cdt |
| CDT84***N*** | cafe:dishwasher:cdt |
| CDT858**V*** | cafe:dishwasher:cdt |
| CDT858**Z*** | cafe:dishwasher:cdt |
| CDT87***N*** | cafe:dishwasher:cdt |
| CDT888**V*** | cafe:dishwasher:cdt |
When to call a technician
On the Cafe CDT family everything up to and including the pump inlet is owner-reachable: the disposer, the air gap, the hose, the filter and the sump. Call when the drain step is silent, when the pump hums with a clear inlet, or when the fault returns within days of a full clean — those point at the pump, the check valve or the control. Call a plumber instead if the sink itself drains slowly.
Other faults covered for this family
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Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
