Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher: Will Not Drain
The fault is in front of you, and the useful question is which cause is likeliest on this brand. On a Fisher & Paykel dishwasher that will not drain, the finding that comes up most often is not yet knowing whether the fault follows one drawer or both, followed by the drawer lid seal not closing against its rim. Water standing in the sump after a finished cycle almost always means the drain path is restricted rather than that the pump has died. That first step is yours to make and it costs nothing; the causes below it stop being owner work quickly.
What you are seeing
- a pool of water covering the sump filter when you open the door at the end of a cycle
- a gurgling or straining noise near the end of the cycle instead of the usual short drain burst
- Not this fault: If the tub is dry but the dishes are wet, this is a drying complaint, not a drainage one
- Body: What you are seeing: a pool of water covering the sump filter when you open the door at the end of a cycle; a gurgling or straining noise near the end of the cycle instead of the usual short drain burst. If the tub is dry but the dishes are wet, this is a drying complaint, not a drainage one.
Ranked causes on a Fisher & Paykel dishwasher
- Not yet knowing whether the fault follows one drawer or both — Tag: seal — Why: It leads here because this is two drawers that are two separate machines, each with its own motor, pump and lid seal, which no other badge presents. — Presentation:
- The drawer lid seal not closing against its rim — Tag: seal — Why: On a Fisher & Paykel specifically, this is the hardest-working seal in any dishwasher, closing against a moving rim on every cycle. — Presentation:
- A blocked or fouled sump filter — Tag: filter — Why: It sits at this position because the causes above it are more common, cheaper to check, or both. — Presentation: A grey mat of softened food, label paper and grease sitting on the mesh, sometimes with the coarse strainer sitting crooked in its seat.
- A kinked, sagging or blocked drain hose — Tag: drain — Why: It sits at this position because the causes above it are more common, cheaper to check, or both. — Presentation: A hose behind the machine bent hard against the cabinet, or a low loop holding water that never clears.
- Body: Ranked for a Fisher & Paykel dishwasher — the order is the point. First: not yet knowing whether the fault follows one drawer or both. It leads here because this is two drawers that are two separate machines, each with its own motor, pump and lid seal, which no other badge presents. Second: the drawer lid seal not closing against its rim. On a Fisher & Paykel specifically, this is the hardest-working seal in any dishwasher, closing against a moving rim on every cycle. Third: a blocked or fouled sump filter. It sits at this position because the causes above it are more common, cheaper to check, or both. Fourth: a kinked, sagging or blocked drain hose. It sits at this position because the causes above it are more common, cheaper to check, or both.
What to check, in order
- Not yet knowing whether the fault follows one drawer or both — Reason: It is first because it exists on this platform and not on the others, so nothing else you check can rule it out for you.
- The drawer lid seal not closing against its rim — Reason: It comes second because not yet knowing whether the fault follows one drawer or both either accounts for the fault or, once ruled out, leaves this as the next thing the evidence supports.
- A blocked or fouled sump filter — Reason: It comes third because the drawer lid seal not closing against its rim either accounts for the fault or, once ruled out, leaves this as the next thing the evidence supports.
- Body: The order below follows the ranking: cheapest and likeliest first. There is a standing rule on this platform: establish whether the fault follows one drawer or both — on Fisher & Paykel that single question splits the diagnosis in half. First, not yet knowing whether the fault follows one drawer or both. It is first because it exists on this platform and not on the others, so nothing else you check can rule it out for you. Second, the drawer lid seal not closing against its rim. It comes second because not yet knowing whether the fault follows one drawer or both either accounts for the fault or, once ruled out, leaves this as the next thing the evidence supports. Third, a blocked or fouled sump filter. It comes third because the drawer lid seal not closing against its rim either accounts for the fault or, once ruled out, leaves this as the next thing the evidence supports.
Checks you can make safely
- Run the same short program in each drawer in turn and note whether the fault appears in one only — that single answer halves everything that follows — Tools: nothing — Time: one short program in each drawer — Targets: Not yet knowing whether the fault follows one drawer or both
- Open the drawer fully and run a finger round the lid seal and the rim it lands on, clearing debris and feeling for flats — Tools: gloves and a torch — Time: a quarter of an hour — Targets: The drawer lid seal not closing against its rim
- Lift out the coarse strainer and the fine filter beneath it, rinse both under a hot tap until the mesh is visibly open when you hold it to the light, and wipe the seat they sit in — Tools: nothing but hot water and a soft brush — Time: a few minutes — Targets: A blocked or fouled sump filter
- Body: The checks a homeowner can safely make, in the order that eliminates most for least effort. Step one: Run the same short program in each drawer in turn and note whether the fault appears in one only — that single answer halves everything that follows. Tools: nothing. Allow one short program in each drawer. Step two: Open the drawer fully and run a finger round the lid seal and the rim it lands on, clearing debris and feeling for flats. Tools: gloves and a torch. Allow a quarter of an hour. Step three: Lift out the coarse strainer and the fine filter beneath it, rinse both under a hot tap until the mesh is visibly open when you hold it to the light, and wipe the seat they sit in. Tools: nothing but hot water and a soft brush. Allow a few minutes. Stop at the first step that would put a meter on live terminals or open a sealed system — that is where owner work ends.
Before you touch anything
Safety
A dishwasher sump holds broken glass and blade fragments you cannot see under grey water. Sponge the water out and work with gloves rather than reaching in blind, and take the power off at the breaker before any panel or the pump inlet is opened. One thing to keep in mind on this platform: each DishDrawer has its own motor, pump and lid seal, so one drawer can fail alone — that changes where your hands go. electrical water 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 stop and call
Call a technician if any of these is true: the drain path is provably clear and the pump still makes no noise at the drain step. Above that line the next measurement is on live terminals or inside a sealed system. the drain path is provably clear and the pump still makes no noise at the drain step
Where the figures come from — No warehouse measurement is quoted here; the only figures on this page are the published safety constants, verbatim: Unplug before service.
General guidance- Unplug before service — Manufacturer service manuals, universally; OSHA 1910.147 for the principle., fetched 2026-09-05
Nearest pages of the same kind — Nearest pages of the same kind: ge-dishwasher-control-fault; whirlpool-dishwasher-cleaning-performance; whirlpool-dishwasher-cleaning-performance-2.
What this page does not cover
Generalized information: this covers the Fisher & Paykel dishwasher as a platform, not one model. It carries no model-specific codes, service sequences or part numbers. Readings of this same fault written from a different starting point: fisher-paykel-dishwasher-drainage-failure-2, fisher-paykel-dishwasher-drainage-failure-3. Other faults on this same machine: fisher-paykel-dishwasher-control-fault, fisher-paykel-dishwasher-control-fault-2, fisher-paykel-dishwasher-control-fault-3. The same fault on other platforms, where it ranks differently: midea-dishwasher-drainage-failure, whirlpool-dishwasher-drainage-failure. Read the model number from the appliance tag before ordering any part — that is the axis this page does not resolve. FISHER & PAYKEL Dishwasher: Controls, Display or Error Code — Slug: fisher-paykel-dishwasher-control-fault Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher: Controls, Display or Error Code — Slug: fisher-paykel-dishwasher-control-fault-2 Fisher&Paykel Dishwasher: Controls, Display or Error Code — Slug: fisher-paykel-dishwasher-control-fault-3
Links across: - [Midea Dishwasher: Will Not Drain](/blog/midea-dishwasher-drainage-failure) - [WHIRLPOOL Dishwasher: Will Not Drain](/blog/whirlpool-dishwasher-drainage-failure)
Related pages — Where a reader on this page usually goes next — other faults on the same Fisher & Paykel dishwasher: fisher-paykel-dishwasher-control-fault; fisher-paykel-dishwasher-control-fault-2; fisher-paykel-dishwasher-control-fault-3, and the same fault on another platform: midea-dishwasher-drainage-failure; whirlpool-dishwasher-drainage-failure.
- FISHER & PAYKEL Dishwasher: Controls, Display or Error Code
- Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher: Controls, Display or Error Code
- Fisher&Paykel Dishwasher: Controls, Display or Error Code
- Midea Dishwasher: Will Not Drain
- WHIRLPOOL Dishwasher: Will Not Drain
- FISHER & PAYKEL Dishwasher: Controls, Display or Error Code
- Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher: Controls, Display or Error Code
- Fisher&Paykel Dishwasher: Controls, Display or Error Code
- Midea Dishwasher: Will Not Drain
- WHIRLPOOL Dishwasher: Will Not Drain
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
