Quick answer: A washing machine that won’t drain almost always points to one of three things: a blocked pump filter (free fix, 10 minutes), a kinked or blocked standpipe (free fix, 5 minutes), or a failed drain pump (part swap, 30 minutes DIY). Run the three checks below in order — they’ll find the cause every time. We stock drain pumps, filters and hoses for Samsung, LG, Fisher & Paykel, Bosch, Westinghouse, Electrolux, Haier and Beko, same-day dispatch from Sydney.
Find your drain pump now (model number)
Before you start — bail the drum
Open the door (front-loader) or lift the lid (top-loader). If there’s water sitting in the drum, you need to bail it before you can work on the rest. Two options:
- Front-loader: drop the kick panel, lower the small black emergency drain hose, drain into a tray. Most front-loaders have one — Samsung, LG, Bosch, Electrolux all do.
- Top-loader: scoop into a bucket, then put the drain hose below the height of the drum to gravity-siphon the rest.
Once the drum is empty, you can work without flooding the laundry.
Check 1: The pump filter (10 minutes, free)
Single biggest cause of “won’t drain”, across every brand we stock. Coins, hair clips, bra wires, kid’s socks — they all migrate past the drum into the pump filter and clog it.
Where it is:
– Front-loaders: behind the kick panel, bottom-right corner. A round screw-out cap, sometimes hidden behind a hinged door.
– Top-loaders: on F&P and most modern Samsung/LG top-loaders the filter is part of the pump assembly (no user-serviceable filter). On older Asko / Miele top-loaders it’s accessed differently — model-specific.
How to clean it:
1. Towel under the front edge of the machine — water will come out.
2. Unscrew the filter cap anti-clockwise.
3. Pull out, rinse under the tap. Check the housing inside for stuck items.
4. Refit hand-tight + quarter-turn. Don’t overtighten — the seal is rubber, not metal.
Run a rinse cycle. Drained = problem solved.
Check 2: The standpipe and drain hose (5 minutes, free)
If the filter was clean, the next suspect is the path from the machine to the wall.
- Drain hose kinked behind the machine? Pull the machine forward, straighten it.
- Drain hose pushed too far into the standpipe? The hose should sit inside the standpipe but not so deep it creates a siphon vacuum. Most plumbers leave 30-50mm clearance.
- Standpipe height correct? AS/NZS plumbing for washer drains specifies the standpipe outlet between 600-1100mm above floor level. Too low = constant siphon (machine drains during fill, won’t finish). Too high = pump struggles, may throw a drain fault.
- Standpipe blocked? Drop the drain hose into a bucket on the floor and run a drain cycle. If water flows freely into the bucket = standpipe blocked, call a plumber. If still no water = the pump itself.
Check 3: The drain pump (30-minute swap)
If filter and standpipe are both clear, the pump itself has died. Pump motors fail in two ways: the impeller seizes (foreign object jammed it) or the motor winding burns out (years of duty cycles, water-side seal failure letting moisture into the windings).
Confirm the pump is dead:
– Filter access cap off, look at the impeller — give it a spin with a finger. Free-spinning = motor electrical fault. Stuck = jammed impeller.
– Listen during a drain cycle — pump should whirr loudly for 30-60 seconds. Silence = no power getting to the pump (control board, wiring, or pump motor). A low click with no whirr = solenoid OK, motor dead.
The right part — by brand:
| Brand | Common AU model series | Drain pump in stock |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | WW / WA / WD series | Samsung drain pump (DC31-00181A) — fits the WW/WA/WD range |
| LG | WTG / WD / F1 series | LG drain pumps — multiple platforms |
| Fisher & Paykel | WH7560 / WH8560 series | F&P drain pump (full WH range) |
| Bosch | WAW / WAP series (AU models) | Bosch drain pump (P/N 00145093) — WAW28460AU + others |
| Westinghouse / Electrolux / Simpson | Shared Electrolux chassis | Electrolux drain pumps — full range |
| Haier / Hoover | HWM / HWF series | Haier drain pumps |
| Beko | WMB / WMY / WTG series | Beko drain pumps |
The swap (universal pattern):
1. Power off at the wall. Drag the machine out to get access.
2. Drop the kick panel (2-4 screws) for front-loaders; tip the machine forward and remove the bottom access plate for top-loaders.
3. Catch any residual water in a tray.
4. Disconnect the electrical plug from the pump. Loosen the hose clamps. Remove the old pump.
5. Fit the new pump — clamps, electrical plug, snug the connections.
6. Refit the panel. Test with a rinse cycle.
30 minutes with hand tools. No mains rewiring needed — the pump is on a low-voltage switched feed from the control board.
FAQs
Q: My washing machine drains slowly but doesn’t error out — same fault?
A: Usually the early stage of a clogged pump filter or partly-blocked standpipe. Clean the filter first (free). If it’s still slow, the pump impeller is starting to seize — get the replacement on order before it fully dies mid-cycle and leaves you with a drum of water.
Q: Water won’t drain AND won’t spin — connected?
A: Almost always yes. Most washers refuse to spin until the drum is empty (safety feature). Fix the drain fault, the spin returns.
Q: I cleaned the filter, no objects in there — but still won’t drain?
A: Two possibilities: the blockage is between the drum and the filter (in the sump hose) or the pump impeller looks clear but the motor is dead. Spin the impeller with a finger — if it’s loose and spins freely, the pump motor has burnt out. Replace.
Q: Can I run a washing machine without the drain pump if I just gravity-drain?
A: No — even gravity-drain machines (old top-loaders) use a powered pump to push water through the standpipe rise. Without it, the wash water just sits in the drum after the cycle ends.
Q: Front-loader drain hose keeps blowing off the standpipe during drain — fix?
A: Hose clamp at the standpipe isn’t holding, OR the standpipe is partly blocked and back-pressure is forcing the hose off. Tighten the clamp; if that doesn’t hold, the standpipe needs clearing by a plumber.
Related guides
- Washing machine grinding noise — diagnosis
- Washing machine not spinning — full guide
- How to replace a washing machine drain pump (step-by-step)
- Fisher & Paykel washing machine parts & repair guide (hub)
Ready to fix it?
- Run your washer model through the Oz Appliance Spares Part Finder — model in, exact-fit pump out.
- Browse by brand: Samsung · LG · F&P · Bosch · Electrolux · Haier · Beko
- Order before 12pm AEST → ships from our Sydney warehouse same day, Australia-wide.
