Kenmore dishwasher not draining: clean the filter assembly first. Check the drain hose under the sink for kinks. The air gap (if installed) on the countertop can clog - remove the cap and clean.
Standing water at the bottom of your Kenmore usually means the drain path is physically blocked or the pump's lost its prime. If you hear a humming sound but see no water moving, a stray peach pit or broken glass is probably jamming the impeller. If the machine's totally silent during the drain cycle, you're usually looking at a failed motor or a control board relay issue.
Kenmore dishwashers are unique because they're manufactured by different companies, either Whirlpool or LG. You can spot the difference by the model number prefix. A 665 prefix means it's a Whirlpool build, where I often find the check valve stuck shut. If it starts with 796, it's an LG build, and the drain pump motor itself is the most frequent point of failure on those.
Most Likely Causes
Based on aggregated repair data, here is the probability breakdown for this error code:
Drain pump filter clogged with coins, hair ties, or fabric40%
Drain hose kinked or positioned too low24%
Drain pump impeller jammed by a foreign object14%
Standpipe or disposal drain connection blocked12%
Drain pump motor winding burned out10%
Symptoms You May Notice
There's an inch or two of standing water sitting in the bottom after the full cycle completes, sometimes with suds still floating in it.
Dishes on the bottom rack are wet and feel grimy, like the wash water never fully left the tub.
You hear the pump humming or buzzing for about 90 seconds at the end of the cycle, but no water is actually moving through the drain hose.
The machine drains fine sometimes but not others, which usually points to a partial clog in the filter or a check valve that's sticking intermittently.
Error light or drain indicator stays on and the machine won't start a new cycle until you manually bail out the water first.
Can you reset a Kenmore dishwasher to clear the NOT-DRAINING code?
A reset won't clear a physical clog but it can unstick a glitched control board that got confused mid-cycle. Flip the circuit breaker off and leave it for five full minutes, not just 30 seconds. When you flip it back on, the unit should kick off a brief drain attempt. On 665 series models you can also try pressing Cancel/Drain and holding it for three seconds. Watch and listen for the pump to run. If nothing happens after that, the problem's mechanical, not electronic.
Tools Required for Diagnosis
Phillips #2 screwdriverFlathead screwdriverShop-vac or wet/dry vacuumMultimeter with ohms settingFlashlight or headlampThick rubber glovesZip ties for securing drain hose high loopNeedle-nose pliers
Diagnostic Checklist
Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.
ComponentComponent Under Test
Expected Range5–15 ohms
ConditionIf Open (OL) or infinite, replace component.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to fix a Kenmore dishwasher that won't drain?
A professional repair usually runs $150 to $350 depending on what's actually wrong. If it's just a clog, you're mostly paying the service call fee, which is usually $75 to $100 by itself. The drain pump part is $60 to $120 depending on whether it's a Whirlpool or LG build. Labor to swap it adds another $80 to $150 on top of that. For an older unit, I tell customers this: if the repair cost is more than half what a new machine costs, go shopping instead.
Can I fix a Kenmore dishwasher not draining myself?
Yeah, honestly most of this is DIY-friendly. Cleaning the filter, checking the hose, clearing the air gap, none of that requires any special skill. You need a screwdriver and a shop-vac and maybe 45 minutes. If you're getting into swapping the drain pump motor, that's a little more involved but still very doable. The LG-built 796 models are slightly trickier to work on because the pump access is a bit different, but there are solid videos out there and the parts are orderable online.
Is it worth repairing an older Kenmore dishwasher that won't drain?
If it's under 8 years old, almost always yes. The 665 series Whirlpool-built Kenmores are incredibly reliable and parts are cheap and available everywhere. Stainless tub, racks still intact, no rust on the door? Don't throw it away over an $80 pump. Now if it's 12 years old and the door latch is also busted and the racks are rusting through, that's a different conversation and probably time to replace.
Why is there water sitting in the bottom of my Kenmore dishwasher after the cycle?
About half the time it's the filter. People don't clean that thing nearly often enough and it just gets packed solid with debris. The other big one is a kinked drain hose or a garbage disposal that's either clogged or still has the factory knockout plug in it. If you hear the pump running but see no water movement, something physical is blocking the line. If the pump's completely silent during the drain cycle, you're looking at a motor or a control board relay. Start with the filter. Seriously, always check that first.
How often should I clean my Kenmore dishwasher filter to prevent this?
Once a month if you run it daily. Once every two months for lighter use. It's a two minute job, you just twist it out and rinse it under the sink. I get calls constantly from people who've owned their Kenmore for three years and had no idea there was even a filter in there. The manual mentions it but nobody reads those. Do it monthly and you'll probably never call a tech for a drain issue.
What's the difference between a Kenmore 665 and 796 for repairs?
665 prefix means Whirlpool built it. Parts are everywhere, it's basically a Whirlpool DU or WDF series under the Kenmore skin. Super easy to work on, cheap parts. 796 prefix means LG built it. Those drain pump motors fail more often in my experience. I replaced three of the LG pump motors in the last two months alone. Parts are harder to find locally but you can get them online. Just know which platform you have before you order anything or you'll end up with the wrong part.
Same Fix Works on These Brands
Kenmore shares the same hardware platform with these brands. The diagnosis and repair steps are identical.