The short answer
On Freeswan water escaping the machine is most often a cabinet tilted forward, not a cracked tub. Ranked that way because the pump and the hose run are both short, so a restriction anywhere in that path stops the machine rather than slowing it.
What you observe
- Clean water behind the kickplate with no cycle running — Plumbing. Shut the supply valve and look underneath.
- A leak that only appears with certain loads — Something in the load is aiming water at the door vent.
- NEAR MISS: the water is inside the tub rather than on the floor — Standing water in the bottom is a drainage fault, and it has its own page.
Causes, most likely first on Freeswan
- The machine is out of level, or the door is not square — First on a machine this size, where the owner is close to every part of it. A machine sitting low at one front corner sends its wash water to that corner and out past the gasket. It is common after a new floor, or after the machine has been pulled out and pushed back without resetting the feet.
- A spray arm or a tall item is aiming water at the door vent — Second: on a small machine this is quick to confirm and quick to rule out. A tall tray leaning against the door, or a spray arm that has come off its clip, can point a jet straight at the vent in the door. The result is a leak that appears only with certain loads, which makes it maddening to find.
- The door gasket is tired, dirty or displaced — Third. Water escapes from the bottom corners of the door first, because that is where it collects.
- The tub, the sump seal or the pump seal has failed — Last, and it is the reason the order above matters. Water appears under the centre of the machine with clean hoses, a good gasket and no foam, and it returns on every cycle.
Check in this order, and why
- Put a level across the top of the opened door, side to side — It explains a leak at one corner only, with a gasket that looks perfectly good.
- Note whether the leak happens with every load or only some of them — A leak that depends on the load is being aimed, not sprung.
- Run a finger round the door gasket looking for grit, splits and flat spots — Water at the bottom corners of the door is the door, and this check finds it in a minute.
What an owner can safely check
- Adjust the front feet until the machine sits level and the door closes square — Check the door latches without having to be pushed, once it is level.
Tools: spirit level, adjustable spannerAbout 25 min
- Reload with nothing leaning against the door, and check each spray arm is clipped in — Run the same programme again with a normal load and see whether the leak returns.
About 15 min
- Clean the gasket and the door frame, and press the gasket back into its channel — Warm soapy water restores a gasket that has gone tacky; a split one needs replacing.
Tools: cloth, warm soapy waterAbout 15 min
- STOP HERE if the next step needs a meter on live terminals — That is where an owner check ends and a service call begins.
Before you open anything
Safety
Switch the machine off at its breaker before mopping under or behind it, and shut the water supply valve before touching any fitting. Water reaches the outlet behind the machine and the junction box under it long before it reaches you. Never run a cycle with the door propped open to watch where the water goes.
When to call a technician
Call when the gasket is good, the foam is ruled out, the hoses are dry and water still appears under the centre of the machine, because that puts the fault in the tub or a pump seal. Call immediately if water is reaching the electrical connection or a neighbouring cabinet, and leave the breaker off until someone has looked.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page covers the brand and the dishwasher class, not one family or model line. Where a family-specific or model-specific page exists for your unit, that page is the more specific answer and it takes precedence over this one. Not here: part numbers, wiring colours and component locations, 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.
