The short answer
A Kenmore dishwasher that will not drain is blocked far more often than it is broken, and the blockage is usually in one of three places: the filter and sump, a disposer knockout plug that was never removed, or a crushed drain hose. All three are owner-checkable, and the pump comes last rather than first.
Causes, ranked for this Kenmore dishwasher
- Filter and sump blocked — Why: The filter traps everything the wash removes and, on a machine where it has never been cleaned, it eventually blocks the drain path completely rather than partially.
- Disposer knockout plug never removed — Why: A newly connected disposer whose sealed inlet disc is still in place blocks the drain absolutely, and it is the classic fault immediately after plumbing work.
- Drain hose crushed, kinked or without a high loop — Why: A hose pinched when the machine was pushed into its housing blocks the drain entirely, while a missing high loop lets sink water siphon back in.
- Foreign object jamming the impeller — Why: Glass fragments and fruit stones pass the filter seat and lock the impeller, which gives either a hum with no flow or complete silence.
- Drain pump failed — Why: Last, because a silent pump is far more often jammed than dead, and every cause above is owner-correctable while this one is not.
What to check, in order
- listen at the drain step for whether the pump runs at all. — Because: a running pump with no flow is a blockage; silence is a jam or a failure.
- bail the standing water and remove the filter assembly. — Because: nothing can be checked with a full tub, and the filter is the top cause.
- if a disposer was fitted recently, confirm the knockout plug was removed. — Because: it blocks the drain completely and is the classic post-plumbing fault.
- check the drain hose for a crush, a kink and a high loop. — Because: all three are free to correct and each produces a distinct version of the complaint.
Checks you can safely do yourself
- Switch the machine off at the breaker and let the standing water cool before reaching into the tub. — Tools: none — Time: several minutes
- Bail the water out with a jug and a sponge until the sump and filter are visible. — Tools: a jug and a sponge — Time: several minutes
- Remove the filter assembly, wash it under running water, and clear the sump beneath it carefully with gloves on. — Tools: gloves, a brush and a torch — Time: several minutes
- Open the sink cabinet, check any recent disposer connection for its knockout plug, and confirm the hose rises to a high loop and is not crushed. — Tools: a torch and a cable tie — Time: several minutes
- Refit the filter fully home and run a short programme to confirm. Stop here: the pump is reached from underneath the machine. — Tools: none — Time: the better part of an hour, mostly waiting
Before you open anything
Safety
unplug-before-service
Wear gloves when clearing a dishwasher sump, since broken glass is the commonest thing found there and it is not always visible. Kill power at the breaker rather than relying on the door, and do not bail hot water by hand — let the machine stand until it has cooled.
Where the owner fix ends
Bailing the tub, cleaning the filter and sump, and correcting the hose or knockout are owner work. Call a technician when the filter is clean, the hose is clear and the machine still will not drain, because the pump must then be reached from underneath; and call a plumber when the sink drain itself is blocked.
Nearest pages of the same kind
Generalized information — what this page does not cover
family model
This page is generalized information about Kenmore dishwashers and covers built-in, integrated and portable formats together, whose filter designs, sumps and drain arrangements differ. No family-level or model-level page exists in this reference yet; when one is published it will be linked here.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
