The short answer
Standing water at the end of a cycle is usually a blockage rather than a pump failure, and the blockage is almost always in one of three places you can reach without tools.
What you observe
- Water standing over the filter at the end of a cycle
- A cycle that runs its full time and leaves the tub full
- Water that drains slowly and leaves a film
- A gurgling sink while the dishwasher drains
- Dirty water backing up into the tub from the sink side
- A drain pump audible but no water leaving
- The cycle stops early with water still in the tub — Means: a cycle or control fault rather than a drain blockage
- Water on the floor instead of in the tub — Means: a leak
- Clean-looking water that never heats — Means: a heating problem
Ranked causes
- Control not commanding the drain — Position: first — Rank reason: the board on this platform stores and displays fault information, so it is read first — not because it fails first — Owner fixable: false
- Filter assembly clogged — Position: second — Rank reason: a connected platform has settings and modes that produce symptoms indistinguishable from hardware faults — Owner fixable: true
- The disposer full of waste — Position: third — Rank reason: a connected platform has settings and modes that produce symptoms indistinguishable from hardware faults — Owner fixable: true
- Debris in the sump or against the drain impeller — Position: fourth — Rank reason: the moving hardware is well built and fails after the sensed components do — Owner fixable: true
- Drain pump failing — Position: fifth — Rank reason: the moving hardware is well built and fails after the sensed components do — Owner fixable: false
- Air gap or high loop blocked — Position: sixth — Rank reason: these are installed to spec far more often than they are not — Owner fixable: true
- Basis: Ranked for the whole line, generalized across families.
Check in this order
- Establish whether your machine is front-control or top-control — Position: first
- Scoop the standing water out and pull the filter — Position: second
- Check the sink side — disposer, air gap, knockout plug — Position: third
- Check the drain hose behind the machine — Position: fourth
- Only then judge the pump — Position: fifth
Owner checks
- Scoop the standing water into a bowl with a cup, then sponge the last of it out so you can see the sump. — Position: first — Tools: a cup, a bowl, a sponge — Time: a short job
- Open the door and look at the top edge for the control panel, then check whether the outer door carries a cabinet panel rather than a factory one. — Position: second — Tools: no tools needed — Time: a few minutes
- Twist out the filter assembly, rinse it under a hot tap with a soft brush, and clear anything sitting in the sump underneath. — Position: third — Tools: a soft brush, washing-up liquid — Time: a short job
- Run the disposer with the tap on until it is clear. — Position: fourth — Tools: none — Time: a few minutes
- If the dishwasher or the disposer is new, confirm the disposer knockout plug was removed. — Position: fifth — Tools: a flashlight — Time: a few minutes
- Pull the toe panel and check the drain hose behind the machine for a kink or a crush point, and confirm it rises into a high loop. — Position: sixth — Tools: a screwdriver, a flashlight — Time: a short job
- Run a short cycle and listen at the point the machine should drain. — Position: seventh — Tools: none — Time: a short job
- Note: Times are given as qualitative bands, not measured values.
Safety
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off.
When to call a technician
Call when the filter, the sump, the air gap, the disposer and the hose are all clear and the tub still holds water — or when the drain pump does not run at all.
Sources — This page carries no warehouse-derived figures; the only numbers in it are published safety constants, cited here.
General guidance- The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), 29 CFR 1910.147 — OSHA, fetched 2026-09-06
The nearest same-class pages
Generalized information
Links down: - [Café Dishwasher: Will Not Drain — Built-In Top-Control Family](/blog/caf-dishwasher-drainage-failure)
Model-specific wiring, component locations, part numbers and code lists for individual Café models.
Related pages
- Common Café Dishwasher Problems — All Families
- Café Dishwasher: Abnormal Noise or Vibration — All Families
- Café Dishwasher: Does Not Clean or Dry — All Families
- Café Dishwasher: Controls, Display or Error Code — All Families
- Café Dishwasher: Cycle Will Not Run or Complete — All Families
- Café Dishwasher: Door, Latch or Seal Fault — All Families
SC
Sarah Chen
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
EPA 608 UniversalNASTeC Certified
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
