The answer first
A Lowe's 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 you observe
- 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.
- The pump runs audibly and the water level does not drop — A pump working against a blockage downstream of it rather than a pump that has failed.
- NEAR MISS — water on the floor rather than in the base — That is a leak, and the leak page ranks those causes properly.
Causes in likelihood order
- 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. First on this brand: the filter on this machine has almost certainly never been lifted out, and the sump under it is where every blockage starts. Lowe's is the retailer rather than the builder: the plate inside the door names the manufacturer that actually made the unit, and that name — not the shop it came from — is what parts and procedures follow.
- The drain pump is jammed or has failed — A piece of glass or a fruit stone in the impeller stops the pump dead; a failed pump hums or is silent. Either way the water stays where it is, and on most machines the pump is reached from inside the tub once the filter is out. Second here: it is the next thing behind the filter and it is reached the same way.
- 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. After those two: it is quick to check once the filter is clear.
- 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. Next after those: it contributes rather than causes, but it decides how often the fault comes back.
Check in this order, and why
- 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.
- Listen at the start of the drain step with the door ajar and the cycle running — A pump that hums without moving water is jammed; total silence at the drain step points at the pump or its supply rather than at a blockage.
- 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.
What you can do yourself
- Bail the water out, then remove and clean the filter and the sump — A cup and a sponge empty the base. Clear the outlet by hand — do not push debris further in — and lock the filter back in place.
Tools: cup, sponge, soft brushAbout 30 min
- 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
- 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.
Before anything comes apart
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 to call a technician
Call when the sump is clean, the hose is straight, the sink drains freely and the water still stands — at that point the pump or its control is the fault. Call sooner if the machine trips the breaker, or if water is escaping onto the floor as well.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
Generalized information. Written for Lowe's dishwashers as a class rather than one family or model line; a family-specific page, where one exists, is the more precise answer and is linked above. Not covered here: pump part numbers, hose routing and figures that vary between families.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
