Maytag Washer Sounds Like It Is Draining

Quick Answer

A Maytag washer that constantly sounds like it is draining usually has a faulty water level pressure switch or a stuck drain pump relay on the control board. If the pump runs even when the tub is empty, the machine likely thinks it is overfilling and has entered a safety drain mode to prevent a flood.

Most of the time when I get this call, the homeowner thinks the pump's dying. It's usually not. Nine times out of ten it's an $8 air tube or a pressure switch that's lying to the control board. Ignore it long enough and you'll actually burn out that pump for real, which is a way more expensive fix. Worth chasing down sooner rather than later.

MaytagWasherSeverity: moderateDifficulty: intermediate88% DIY Success

Time to Fix

15–60 min

Difficulty

intermediate

Parts Cost

$0 (no parts needed)

Tools Needed

Phillips #2 screwdriver, Flat-head screwdriver (medium)

Maytag Washer Sounds Like It Is Draining

OK so here's what's actually happening. Your washer's brain thinks it's sitting in a flood. A sensor, a tube, or the control board is feeding it bad info, so it keeps the drain pump running as a safety move. I fixed four of these last month alone. Costs ranged from zero on a hard reset to about $180 for a new board. Most people can handle this themselves once they know where to look.

Most Likely Causes

Based on aggregated repair data, here is the probability breakdown for this error code:

Pressure Switch or Sensor Failure45%

Drain Pump Obstruction or Debris30%

Main Control Board Relay Failure15%

Siphoning from Improper Drain Hose Height10%

Symptoms You May Notice

The drain pump kicks on and stays on even during the fill or wash phase when there should be zero draining happening at all.
There's a constant loud humming, gurgling, or grinding noise coming from the bottom of the machine, even when the tub looks completely empty.
The display is stuck on Sensing or the cycle won't progress past the first few minutes, with the pump audibly running the whole time it's frozen there.
Water pours in from the inlet and immediately drains right back out, so the tub never actually fills up enough to start a wash cycle.
An LD or F32 error shows up on the panel, usually after the machine's been running that drain pump for several minutes straight and gave up waiting.

Can you reset a Maytag washer to clear the MAYTAG-DRAIN-NOISE code?

Unplug the washer and leave it for a full minute. Plug it back in. Now here's the Maytag-specific part: lift the lid and lower it 6 times within 12 seconds at a steady pace, not super fast or super slow. This clears Long Drain and Overfill fault codes stored in the board's memory. After the last lid drop, give the machine about 30 seconds to process, then start a new cycle and watch to see if the pump stays quiet during the fill phase.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

Phillips #2 screwdriverFlat-head screwdriver (medium)Nut driver set (1/4 and 5/16 inch)Digital multimeterNeedle-nose pliersFlashlight or headlampSmall bucket (1-2 gallon)Old towels or shop rags

Diagnostic Checklist

Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.

ComponentComponent Under Test

Expected Range10–25 ohms

ConditionIf Open (OL) or infinite, replace component.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Maytag washer pump run as soon as I plug it in?

That's your control board stuck in flood protection mode. Either the pressure sensor thinks there's water in the tub when there isn't, or a triac on the board shorted and it's just firing constant power to the pump no matter what any sensor says. Don't keep running it like that. Running a pump dry burns it out fast and then you've got a real repair on your hands instead of just a sensor or board swap. Try the hard reset first. If it's still pumping immediately after plugging in with an empty tub, you're probably looking at a board replacement.

Can a clogged lint filter make the washer sound like it's draining?

Yeah, absolutely. When the impeller can't pull water through a stuffed filter, it's basically spinning in air and you get this loud gurgling, grinding noise that honestly sounds exactly like an active drain cycle. Sometimes the water is moving, just super slowly. Check that filter before you do anything else. It takes five minutes and costs nothing. Found one last week packed solid with lint from a down jacket. Homeowner thought her pump was dying. Nope. Just lint.

How do I know if the pressure switch is bad?

On older mechanical switches, blow gently into the port and you should hear a distinct click. That means the diaphragm is intact. But the newer Maytag digital pressure transducers don't click at all, they output a varying voltage signal. You'd need to probe the signal wire with a multimeter and check if the voltage changes as you manually add water. If the tub's empty and the board's getting a signal that says it's full, that transducer is lying and it needs to come out. They're usually under $30 and pretty easy to swap.

Is it normal for a Maytag washer to drain at the start of a cycle?

Yes, totally normal. Most Maytag top-loaders do a quick 30-second drain right at the start of the sensing phase to confirm the tub's empty before it weighs the load. You'll hear the pump kick on briefly when you first start a cycle and that's fine. What you don't want is the pump still running a minute or two in with no water coming in, or the pump just never shutting off during the fill phase. That's when something's actually wrong.

What does the LD error code mean on a Maytag?

LD is Long Drain. The board set a timer on the drain cycle and the water level didn't drop fast enough, so it threw a code. Usually means a partial clog in the pump filter, a kinked drain hose, or a pump that's getting weak and slow. The machine will often keep running the pump even after throwing the code, still trying to clear whatever's slowing it down. Check the filter first, that fixes it probably 60% of the time. Filter's clean and hose looks fine? The pump's probably on its way out.

How much does it cost to fix a Maytag washer that won't stop draining?

Honestly depends a lot on what's actually wrong. The air tube is like $6. A pressure switch runs $20-40. A new drain pump is $35-90 depending on whether you go OEM or aftermarket. The main control board is the expensive one at $120-200. Labor on top of parts if you're calling a tech runs another $80-150 depending on your area. Most of the time the fix is cheap though. I'd say 70% of these calls end up being under $50 in parts if you do it yourself.

Models Known to Experience MAYTAG-DRAIN-NOISE Errors

This repair applies to most Maytag washers with this error code. Common model numbers include:

MVWB765FW, MVWB835DW, MVWC565FW, MVWB880BW, MVW7230HW, MVWC415EW, MVWB855DC

Written by

Mike Sullivan

Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 20 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on March 17, 2026