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Samsung Dishwasher Not Draining: Causes and Fixes

Quick Answer

A Samsung dishwasher not draining usually indicates a clogged filter, a kinked drain hose, or a faulty drain pump. The most common fix is cleaning the fine filter and checking the sump area for food debris or foreign objects.

Standing water in your Samsung dishwasher is almost always a clogged filter or something jammed in the drain pump impeller. Ignore it and you'll get mold, bad smells, and eventually a dead pump that costs $150+ to replace. I'd say 70% of the calls I get on these are solved in under 20 minutes just by pulling and cleaning the filter assembly.

SamsungDishwasherSeverity: moderateDifficulty: intermediate75% DIY Success
Time to Fix
15–90 min
Difficulty
intermediate
Parts Cost
$0 (no parts needed)
Tools Needed
Phillips #2 screwdriver, Flathead screwdriver (small, for check valve inspection)

Samsung Dishwasher Not Draining: Causes and Fixes

Samsung dishwashers are actually pretty solid machines but they're notorious for drain problems when the filter doesn't get cleaned regularly. Samsung's three-piece filter setup traps food debris way more efficiently than older dishwashers, which is great, except nobody ever cleans it. Honestly, most of the drain calls I go on could've been avoided with a monthly rinse of that filter. The repair is usually free if you catch it early.

Common Causes

  • The three-part filter assembly (coarse filter, fine mesh filter, and cylindrical micro filter) is packed with food debris and grease, basically strangling water flow before it even reaches the pump. This is the cause on probably 6 out of 10 Samsung drain calls.
  • Something got past the filter and is jammed directly in the drain pump impeller. I've pulled out broken glass, a twist tie, cherry pits, and one time a small lego brick from a Samsung sump. The impeller tries to spin, can't, and the pump just gives up.
  • The drain hose has a kink in it, usually right where it bends up behind the cabinet or connects at the garbage disposal. Samsung's drain hoses are on the stiffer side and they love to kink if the dishwasher gets pushed back too hard during installation.
  • The knockout plug in the garbage disposal was never removed when the dishwasher was first hooked up. This one's almost always on brand new installs or after a disposal replacement. Water has literally nowhere to go.
  • The drain check valve (it's a small rubber flap inside the pump housing) gets stuck in the closed position from grease buildup, so even when the pump runs fine, water just cycles back into the tub.
  • The drain pump motor itself is burned out, usually from running dry after someone ignored the clog for too long. You'll hear it humming or buzzing without actually moving water.

Symptoms You May Notice

  • There's an inch or two of standing water sitting in the bottom of the tub after the cycle finishes. Sometimes it's clear, sometimes it's got food bits floating in it.
  • The dishwasher shows error code 5C, 5E, or OC on the display and won't complete a wash cycle.
  • You hear the drain pump running (it's a distinct higher-pitched whirring sound at the end of a cycle) but the water level doesn't go down.
  • Dishes coming out with a gross film or smelling musty, because the machine's been sitting in dirty water and cycling it back over your dishes.
  • Cycle times are way longer than normal because the dishwasher keeps retrying the drain sequence.

Can you reset a Samsung dishwasher to clear the NOT-DRAINING code?

Cancel the current cycle by pressing and holding the Start/Cancel button for 3 seconds. Then unplug the dishwasher from the wall outlet for 60 seconds. Plug it back in, select a short cycle like Rinse, and hit Start. If the drain issue was a one-time glitch from a power interruption, this'll clear it. If it comes back, there's a real underlying cause that needs fixing.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

Phillips #2 screwdriverFlathead screwdriver (small, for check valve inspection)Digital multimeterNeedle-nose pliersOld toothbrush (for filter scrubbing)Flashlight or headlampShallow pan or towels for waterTorx T20 screwdriver (for pump access on some models)

Service / Diagnostic Mode

On most Samsung dishwasher models (2018 and newer), press and hold the 'Delay Start' button and the 'Express 60' button simultaneously for about 3 seconds until the display shows all segments lit up. Then press 'Start' to cycle through diagnostic tests. The drain pump test will activate the pump directly so you can hear if it's running. Older models vary, so check your model's service manual if this doesn't work.

Diagnostic Checklist

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

ComponentComponent Under Test
Expected Range200–400 ohms
ConditionIf Open (OL) or infinite, replace component.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to fix a Samsung dishwasher not draining?
If it's the filter, it's free. Seriously, 20 minutes of your time. If it's a drain pump replacement, the part runs about $60-90 for a Samsung OEM pump and maybe $100-150 in labor if you have someone come out. Control board issues are where it gets expensive, $200-400 for the part alone. I usually tell people if the machine's over 10 years old and it needs a pump or board, do the math on replacement vs repair.
Is it worth repairing a Samsung dishwasher not draining?
If it's under 8 years old, almost definitely yes. A filter cleaning or drain pump swap is way cheaper than a new dishwasher. If it's 10-12 years old and needs a control board on top of a pump, that's when I'd start pricing out replacements. Samsung's build quality on dishwashers is pretty decent so they can run 12-15 years with reasonable maintenance.
Can I fix Samsung dishwasher not draining myself?
The filter cleaning and impeller check? Absolutely, no special skills needed. The drain hose inspection? Same thing. Pump replacement is intermediate DIY, you'll need to pull the machine out and disconnect a few connectors, but there are no refrigerants or gas lines involved, just water and low-voltage electrical. The scariest part is usually moving the dishwasher without scratching the floor. Towels under the feet.
Why does my Samsung dishwasher keep not draining even after I clean the filter?
Check the check valve. It's a small rubber flap inside the pump housing and it prevents water from flowing back into the tub after draining. When it gets coated in grease it can stick shut. You can sometimes pop it loose with a toothpick or small screwdriver. If it's torn or deformed, a new check valve is about $8-15. Also double-check your drain hose has a high loop or air gap, because without it, water can siphon back into the tub after the pump shuts off.
What do the Samsung error codes 5C, 5E, and OC mean for draining?
They're basically all telling you the same thing, the dishwasher couldn't drain within the expected time. 5C and 5E are the drain error codes on most Samsung models. OC means overfill, which can also be drain-related if the water sensor thinks there's too much water because it never drained. Start with the filter every single time you see these codes. Nine times out of ten that's it. If the filter's clean and the codes keep coming back, then you're into pump or sensor territory.
How often should I clean my Samsung dishwasher filter to prevent drain problems?
Once a month if you run it daily. Every two months if you use it a few times a week. Honestly most people never clean it at all and then wonder why they're getting drain errors after two years. Takes five minutes. Twist out the cylindrical filter, pull out the flat mesh filter, rinse them under hot water and scrub with an old toothbrush. That's it. I replaced three drain pumps last month that were burned out from running against a clogged filter for years.

Models Known to Experience NOT-DRAINING Errors

This repair applies to most Samsung dishwashers with this error code. Common model numbers include:

DW80R5061US, DW80R9950US, DW80T5040US, DW80K5050US, DW80M9550US, DW80H9970US, DW80J3020US, DW80F600UTS

MS

Written by

Mike Sullivan

Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 20 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on March 16, 2026