The short version
Standing water at the end of a cycle means the machine could not push its water out, and nine times in ten the restriction is somewhere an owner can reach. The path runs filter, sump, hose, air gap, disposer, and it is worth walking it in that order. On an F&P dishwasher the place to start is the filter and the sump, because an integrated machine will not proceed until its own sensing says it may, so the control and sensing chain outranks the pump.
What the machine is doing
- The cycle stops part way and the display holds — Many machines will not advance past a drain step they cannot complete, so this is the same fault seen from the control side.
- Standing water in the sump at the end of a cycle — A small amount of water in the well is normal on many machines; several inches covering the filter is not.
- Water draining very slowly rather than not at all — A partial restriction, which is usually the filter or the hose rather than the pump.
- NEAR MISS: water on the floor rather than in the tub — That is a leak, not a drainage fault, and it has a different page and a different urgency.
The causes, ranked for this brand
- A blocked filter, sump or chopper area — The filter catches debris by design, and the sump beneath it catches what gets past. Ranked first on an F&P dishwasher: this platform sits behind a sensing layer that decides what the machine may do next, so what the sensors believe explains the symptom far more often than a failed part does.
- A kinked drain hose, or one without its high loop — The hose has to rise above the level of the tub before it falls to the waste, or the tub siphons back. Where it sits here: ranks higher on any machine that was recently installed or moved, and lower on one that has worked for years in place.
- A disposer knockout left in, or a blocked air gap — Where the drain hose joins a food disposer, there is a knockout plug that must be removed at install. Where it sits here: the classic cause on a machine that has never drained properly since the day it was fitted.
- A control fault or a sensor stopping the drain step — Some machines check a pressure switch or a flow sensor before running the drain and will not attempt it if the reading looks wrong. Where it sits here: last, because it is both the least common cause and the one that needs the machine put on a meter.
What to check first, and why that order
- Start at the filter and the sump — It is the cause that ranks first on this kind of machine, so it is the check that ends the diagnosis most often and the one that costs least to make.
- Bail the water out and look at the filter — Everything downstream is easier to judge once the tub is empty, and the filter itself is very often the answer.
- Listen at the start of a drain attempt — A hum with no water movement is a jammed pump.
The checks you can make yourself
- Straighten the drain hose and set its high loop — Pull the machine out, take the crush out of the hose and clip it so it rises above the tub before it falls to the waste.
Tools: flashlightAbout 30 min
- Clear the air gap or the disposer inlet — Lift the air gap cover and clean out the chamber, or disconnect the hose at the disposer and confirm the knockout was removed.
Tools: screwdriver, bucketAbout 25 min
- STOP HERE before opening the pump — The drain pump sits behind the sump on most machines and reaching it means disconnecting power, water and often the whole appliance.
Before you touch it
Safety
Switch the machine off at the wall or its breaker before reaching into the sump; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off, and broken glass in the sump is the most frequent injury on this job. Wear gloves and use a cup rather than your hand to bail. If the machine has heated and stopped mid-cycle, the water in it is hot enough to scald.
Where the owner job ends
Call when the filter, the hose and the air gap are all clear and the machine still holds water, or when the pump hums without moving anything. Call sooner if the sink backs up when the machine drains, because then the restriction is in the household plumbing and it will affect more than the dishwasher.
Related pages in this set
What is deliberately not here
This page covers F&P dishwashers as a class, not one family or model line. Deliberately not here: pump part numbers, hose kit references and the air gap fittings, all of which differ by family.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
