In short
A Loch that will not drain is almost always holding something it cannot pass — debris in the sump, a kinked hose, or a waste connection that was never opened. The ranking below is ordered for this brand and the top checks are all owner checks.
What the fault looks like
- Water standing above the filter at the end of the cycle — The clear version of the fault, as opposed to the small amount that normally sits in the sump.
- Debris left on the dishes as well as water in the base — The machine is recirculating what it should be sending away, which points at the filter and the sump.
- A gurgle from the sink when the machine drains — The waste connection is restricted, which makes this a plumbing fault rather than an appliance fault.
- NEAR MISS — water on the floor rather than in the base — That is a leak, and the leak page ranks those causes properly.
What goes wrong here, in order
- The drain hose and the waste connection — A hose kinked behind the machine, a high loop that has dropped, a sink trap that is itself blocked, or a waste disposer whose inlet plug was never knocked out at installation will all stop the water leaving. The last of those is a classic on a newly installed machine. Top of the list on this one: the drain connection on this machine is the part that was most recently disturbed, and that is where restrictions live. Loch sells countertop and portable dishwashers that connect to a kitchen tap, so the inlet adapter and the drain hose are part of the machine as far as faults are concerned.
- What goes into the machine — Plates scraped badly, labels left on jars, and detergent used in quantities meant for a bigger machine all put material into the sump that the filter was never designed to pass. Foam does the same thing to the pump that suds do in a washing machine. It follows immediately: it is free to correct and it stops the same blockage returning next month.
- The filter and the sump are blocked — Labels, seeds, glass chips and grease collect in the sump under the filter and in the small outlet leading out of it. Once that outlet is restricted the machine cannot clear itself, and the water stands where the debris is. After those two: it remains the commonest single cause even where something else ranks above it here.
- The machine is not reaching the drain step — A cycle interrupted, a door opened near the end, or a control that has hung will leave water in the base without anything being blocked at all. The water is there because the drain step never ran. Fourth: it is a diagnosis by elimination and belongs after the physical checks.
What to check first, second, third
- Check the sink drains freely and trace the hose behind the machine — A sink that is slow on its own, or a gurgle when the dishwasher drains, makes this the plumbing's problem rather than the machine's.
- Look at what is actually in the sump — Labels, seeds and grease tell you the loading habit that produced the blockage, which matters because otherwise it returns.
- Lift out the filter and look into the sump beneath it — Standing debris, or a label wrapped over the outlet, identifies the fault without any tools.
Steps you can take safely
- Straighten the drain hose and test the sink and trap separately — Run the sink with the dishwasher off. If it drains slowly, clear the trap before touching the machine again.
Tools: bucketAbout 25 min
- Scrape plates properly and cut the detergent dose to what the machine asks for — Remove labels from jars before loading them. Most machines need considerably less detergent than people use.
About 10 min
- STOP before removing the lower panel or the pump cover — Live terminals sit next to standing water behind that panel. Naming the fault is the useful end of an owner check.
The part that is not optional
Safety
Unplug the machine or switch off its breaker before removing a panel, and shut the water off at the valve under the sink before disturbing a connection. Let the machine cool before reaching into the tub — the element in the base holds heat well after the door is opened.
When this becomes a service call
The owner's part ends at the filter and the visible hose. A pump change, a hose inside the cabinet, or anything under the machine is a service call — and the machine should be switched off at its breaker until then.
Nearby pages
The scope of this page
Generalized information. This page addresses the appliance class; where a more specific Loch page exists beneath it, that is the page for your machine. Deliberately not here: service-manual disassembly, component locations and specifications that change family to family.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
