The short answer
A Criterion MAV washer that will not drain is obstructed or badly plumbed far more often than it is broken. This machine carries a market and revision suffix in its designation, and machines like it are commonly fitted to whatever laundry connection already existed — so on this family the diagnosis starts at the standpipe and works back towards the pump, which is the reverse of the usual order.
What you observe
- Tub still full at the end of the cycle — Nothing left the machine, or everything that left came back.
- Water drains and then returns — Siphoning: the hose is too far down the standpipe.
- Drains slowly and washing comes out soaked — A partial blockage or a lift the pump is struggling with.
- Water backs up out of the standpipe — The house drain, not the washer.
- NEAR MISS — drains but will not spin — Balance or interlock; the cycle page covers that.
Causes, most likely first on this family
- Drain hose depth and standpipe fit — First on this machine specifically, ahead of where a generic list puts it, because a machine fitted to an existing connection is where the mismatch shows.
- Drain height beyond what the pump is specified for — Second, and the reason a machine that drained in one house does not drain in the next.
- Filter or trap blocked — Third, and the commonest true machine fault: it catches what would otherwise reach the pump.
- House drain restricted — Fourth, and identified by water appearing outside the machine rather than staying in it.
- Pump impeller jammed or motor failed — Last, after the connection and the filter are proven.
Check in this order, and why
- Look at how the hose enters the standpipe — Depth and air gap, and it is visible without tools.
- Check the drain height against the manual for this machine — The figure is in your own documentation; a lift beyond it defeats a healthy pump.
- Pour water down the standpipe with the hose out — Separates the house drain from the washer outright.
- Clear the filter and listen for the pump — Left until here on this family, though it is often the final answer.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the washer or switch off its breaker before removing any panel; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off, and the motor and its control restart on their own when power returns. Shut the hot and cold taps before opening anything behind the machine, never defeat the lid or door interlock to watch a cycle run, and get a second person before walking a loaded machine out.
Models in the MAV family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| MAV44C-A2808PS/01FM-US | criterion:washer:mav |
When to call a technician
Repositioning a hose, clearing a filter and testing a standpipe are owner work — expect water and have towels ready. Call a technician when the pump is silent or runs without moving water, and call a plumber when the standpipe overflows. Call before altering fixed plumbing to raise or lower a drain.
Nearest pages of this class
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
