How to Fix a GE Dishwasher That Isn't Draining

Removing Blockages from the Filter

Take out the bottom rack. Grigorian explains that basically all dishwasher filters are the same, but you must take out the rack at the bottom of the machine to access them. If your dishwasher is full, empty it first. What are the signs I might have a blockage? If your dishwasher has been working just fine the past few months and it has been a while since you’ve cleaned your filter out, the filter is very likely to be clogged.

Determine if you have a model with an ultra-fine filter. The process for diagnosing and fixing a blocked GE filter differs depending on whether you have one of their “ultra-fine filter” models. The ultra-fine filter is a round, cylindrical piece that sticks out from the bottom (it looks like this, for reference). If you do not have an ultra-fine filter: The mesh screen (called the “fine filter”) surrounding the drain may be blocked, but it is normal for there to be 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) of water standing at the bottom of the machine. This does not indicate a blockage.

Remove the ultra-fine filter and clean it with soap and water. Grab the top of the filter by hand and twist it counterclockwise to remove it. Pull it out of the machine and dump any food scraps or debris in the trash. Then, squirt some dish soap on the filter and scrub it with a sponge under running water. Set it aside to let it air dry. Grigorian says to watch out for glass! “We find a lot of glass, seeds, food particles, and even plastic wrappers in the filter. All those things can obstruct the flow of the water draining out of the dishwasher to your sink.”

Slide the mesh filter (“fine filter”) out and clean it with soap and water. GE’s “fine filter” refers to the mesh screen that surrounds the drain. Dig a finger underneath the edge of the mesh screen and pull it out of the machine. Rinse the screen under water and scrub it with soap and a sponge. Set it aside and let it air dry. If the mesh cover can’t come out because the propeller is in the way: remove the propeller. Push the small button on the side of the propeller housing and pull the propeller out by hand.

Remove any food scraps trapped in the drain. With the filter(s) removed, inspect the opening at the base of your dishwasher. This is the drain. Reach inside and pull out any gunk or food that’s trapped in the drain. This might be kind of gross depending on how long the filter was clogged, so wear rubber gloves if you’re squeamish about wet food scraps.

Reassemble the filter and mesh screen and confirm the problem is fixed. Put the mesh screen back in place. Then, if you have an ultra-fine filter, insert it into the slot you removed it from and twist it clockwise until it locks in place. If you have a model where you had to remove the propeller, slide it back over the center of the dishwasher and push it into place until it clicks. Test the dishwasher by running an empty cycle to confirm it drains. If it doesn’t drain and your symptoms haven’t changed, you likely have a problem with the drain hose. GE’s ultra-fine filters have little arrows on them that are supposed to line up with a tiny indicator on the washing machine to let you know they’re aligned correctly.

Fixing the Drain Hose

Find the drain hose underneath your sink. Open the doors of the cabinet underneath your sink and look for a white, translucent hose running from your dishwasher to the garbage disposal or sink. This is your drain hose. If there’s a blockage in this hose, water won’t be able to drain. Unfortunately, many GE dishwashers have filters that aren’t all that great at keeping scraps out of the drain hose. You didn’t do anything wrong if your hose is clogged. What are the signs I might have a clogged drain? If your dishwasher was working fine for months and you cleaned the filter but your dishwasher is still having trouble draining, it’s worth inspecting the drain hose.

Confirm the hose is installed with a high loop. The highest point of the drain hose must be installed above the point where the drain enters the garbage disposal or waste pipe. If it‘s not, lift it up and use zip ties to attach the hose to a pipe, hook, or cabinet fixture higher up. Why does the height of the hose matter? If there isn’t a bit of air at the top of the hose and if it isn’t assembled with a high loop, water will struggle to drain. This will cause some of the dishwasher water to empty back into the drain, which could be the source of your problem. Grigorian also says it’s key to confirm the air gap is open: “Check the little pipe sticking out of the hose connection. If that air gap has debris in there, that’s why your machine isn’t draining.”

Fix any kinks in the hose. If the drain hose is kinked or knotted up, smooth it out by hand so that the hose runs in a single, smooth line. Kinks can interrupt the flow of water and cause some of it to flow back into the machine after draining, so ensure the hose isn’t wrapped up like a pretzel.

Remove any blockages you find by taking the hose out and clearing it. Run a bright flashlight along the hose to look for blockages (they should be visible in the translucent hose). If you see any clumps inside the hose, pull the hose out of the drain and use something long and stiff to break the blockage up. Reattach the hose once the blockage is sufficiently split up. Anything that fits inside of the hose should help break it up, but an unraveled metal hanger is probably the easiest item to use. Don’t remove the hose from the machine, if you can. You’ll need to pull the machine out from its slot to access the point where it’s connected to the machine, which can kind of be a pain. Test the machine when you’re done to confirm you fixed any drain hose issues.

Fixing Detergent Issues

Run an empty cycle with no soap to confirm detergent issues. If your dishwasher is full of suds that haven’t drained, wait 30-45 minutes. Then, run an empty cycle without soap. This will rinse out the drain hose and filter to remove any soap scum that might be messing with your dishwasher’s ability to drain. What are the signs I might have water due to detergent issues? If you’ve confirmed there are no blockages in the drain hose or filters but the machine is still not draining and the water appears “sudsy,” you’ve probably used too much detergent. GE dishwashers struggle to empty all the way when there’s too much soap.

Use less detergent in the future. GE dishwashers really don’t need a lot of detergent to get your dishes clean. If you’ve been using too much soap, all it’s going to do is make it harder for your dishwasher to drain. Never exceed the fill line on your soap dispenser in the future. Do you have hard water in your home? If so, you can fill the soap dispenser all the way. If you don’t have hard water, only fill the dispenser ⅓ of the way. Your dishes will get sparkly clean with only a third of the normal soap requirement.

What if my dishwasher still won’t drain properly?

If you’ve checked everything else, your drain pump is probably bad. If you’ve ruled everything else out and the water just isn’t draining no matter what you do, your machine’s drain pump motor has likely died. Contact an appliance repair person to have them inspect and fix your machine. This isn’t a DIY job since the pump motor involves wiring an electrical component around water. Leave this one to the pros.