· Michael Blair
A washing machine that finishes full of water has a small number of possible causes, and the most common is a filter that has never been cleaned.
The drain pump filter
Most front-loaders have an accessible filter behind a small panel at the bottom front. It catches coins, buttons, hair grips and lint, and many machines run for years without it being opened.
Have a shallow tray and towels ready, because the drum water comes out through it.
The drain hose
Check for kinks behind the machine, which is common after it has been pushed back. Then check the hose is not pushed too far down the standpipe, which siphons.
A blockage in the hose itself is less common and clears with a flush.
- Clean the drain pump filter first, with towels ready
- Check the drain hose for kinks behind the machine
- Confirm the standpipe itself is not blocked
- Listen for the pump running — silence suggests the pump or its control
- A lid or door switch fault can stop the drain cycle
The standpipe
If water backs up out of the standpipe when the machine drains, the household drain is blocked rather than the machine. A washing machine discharges quickly and finds a marginal drain.
That is a plumbing job rather than an appliance one, and it is often the first sign of a wider drain problem.
When it is the pump
If the filter is clear and you hear nothing at all during the drain portion of the cycle, the pump or its control has failed. If you hear it running but nothing moves, it is blocked or the impeller has broken.
Pumps are among the less expensive parts and this is usually a worthwhile repair.