Appliance Spares
Quick answer: Washing machine drain pumps are not universal, but they are far more shared than the badge suggests. Three things decide which one fits: the mounting style (screw-on volute, bayonet twist-lock, or pump-and-filter housing as one unit), the wattage and motor type, and the model number on your sticker. Get those right and a drain pump is typically a $30 to $70 part and an under-an-hour job — against $100 to $165 just to have someone attend.
Last updated August 2026
The part everyone orders twice
A drain pump is a small motor with an impeller that pushes the water out at the end of a cycle. When it fails you get water standing in the drum, a cycle that stops mid-way, or an error code for drainage. It is one of the most commonly replaced parts in any laundry, and one of the most commonly bought in the wrong version.
The reason is that “washing machine drain pump” describes a job, not a part. The pumps differ in how they mount, how they are driven, and whether the plastic filter housing is part of the pump or a separate item you keep. Work through the three checks below before ordering.
Start here: which mounting are you looking at?
| Mounting style | How you’ll recognise it | Typically found on | An example that fits |
|---|---|---|---|
 Pump with filter housing as one unit | The removable filter cap at the front kick panel screws directly into the pump body | Bosch and many European-built front loaders | Bosch drain pump with filter, WGA244U0AU and WTG86400AU |
 Bayonet twist-lock motor | The motor twists off the volute; the plastic housing and hoses stay on the machine | Electrolux-group front loaders, Simpson, Westinghouse | Simpson drain pump 147112300, SWT754 and SWT954 |
 Screw-on volute pump | Three or four screws hold the motor to the pump chamber | Samsung, LG, Haier, Hisense and most rebadged brands | Samsung drain pump WF16N8750KV and WF16T9500GV |
 Low-voltage DC pump | The motor is marked with a DC voltage rather than 240V | Some LG top loaders and newer platforms | LG DC drain pump AHA75693503, WTG7520 and WTG8521 |
 Top loader pump | Sits low in the cabinet, often with a wider outlet to suit gravity drain | Solt, Haier and Hisense top loaders | Solt top loader drain pump GGSTLW70RC and GGSTLW90RC |
Take a photo of the pump before you unbolt it. Nearly every ordering mistake we see would have been avoided by that one photo.
Check 1: is the filter part of the pump?
This is the single biggest split. On Bosch and most European-built front loaders the fluff filter you unscrew at the bottom front is the pump housing — so the replacement comes as a pump-and-filter assembly. On most Asian-built machines the filter is a separate plastic trap and the pump bolts to a separate volute.
If you order a bare motor for a machine that needs the whole assembly, nothing lines up. If you order the whole assembly for a machine that only needs the motor, you pay for plastic you already have. Look at what comes away when you unscrew the filter cap: if the pump comes with it, you need the assembly.
While the filter is out, keep the cap safe — and if yours is cracked or the thread is stripped, that alone can cause a slow leak. A replacement filter plug cap is a fraction of the pump.
Check 2: mounting and rotation
Bayonet pumps twist onto the volute with a quarter turn and a locking tab. Screw-on pumps have three or four bolts around a flange. They are not interchangeable, and neither is the direction the outlet points — a pump with the outlet at the wrong angle will foul the cabinet or kink the hose.
Count the screws, note where the outlet points relative to the electrical terminals, and match that. A pump that is right in every other respect but points the wrong way is still the wrong pump.
Check 3: the model number does the work, not the badge
Here is the part worth knowing. Many Australian washing machines are built on shared platforms and sold under several badges, so one pump often covers models you would never guess were related.
The clearest example in our own range is a drain pump listed as fitting Centrex, Bosch, AEG and Euromaid machines — four badges, one part. Another is the B25-6A pump that covers both washing machines and dishwashers across several brands.
So if your badge isn’t in a listing, do not assume we don’t stock the part. Search the model number from your model sticker instead — inside the door rim on a front loader, under the lid or on the rear panel on a top loader. If nothing comes up, send us the model number and we’ll check what matches.
Brand-specific pumps in stock include LG, Electrolux and AEG, Westinghouse, Beko, Euromaid, Stirling, Technika, InAlto, Baumatic, Omega, Akai and Whirlpool, Amana and Maytag. The full range is on the drain pump page.
Before you buy: prove it’s the pump
Half the “dead pump” calls are not a dead pump. Twenty minutes with a towel and a shallow tray will tell you which half you’re in:
- Clean the filter properly. Coins, hair clips, bra wires and a surprising volume of lint. If the machine drains normally afterwards, you are finished.
- Check the drain hose. Pull it out of the standpipe and look for a kink behind the machine or a blockage at the outlet. A hose looped too low will siphon; looped too high and the pump can’t lift the water.
- Listen during the drain step. A hum with no water moving means the impeller is jammed or the motor has failed. Total silence points at the pump winding, its wiring, or the control board.
- Spin the impeller by hand once the filter is out. It should turn freely with a little resistance. Gritty, stiff or seized means the pump.
Our full brand-by-brand walkthrough is here: washing machine not draining, the fix for every brand, with a shorter four-step version here. If yours is a Bosch, start with the Bosch not-draining guide; if it’s a Samsung throwing a code, the 5C error guide covers it.
Fitting it
Turn the taps off, unplug the machine at the wall, and put a towel and a shallow tray down — there will be water in the pump chamber no matter how well you drained it. Most front loaders come apart from the front kick panel; most top loaders from the rear panel or by laying the machine gently on its side.
Photograph the wiring and hose clamps before removing anything. Fit the new pump, check the outlet points the way the old one did, and run a rinse-and-spin with the panel still off so you can see whether anything weeps before you close it up.
One honest caution: the pump sits on 240V wiring on most machines. The machine must be unplugged, not merely switched off, and if the machine is hard-wired or you are not comfortable around mains terminals, use a licensed person. The plumbing side of the job is genuinely low risk; the electrical side deserves respect.
What the two paths cost
A washing machine drain pump is commonly a $30 to $70 part. A repairer typically charges $100 to $165 just to attend and diagnose before parts and labour, with most full washing machine repairs landing between $200 and $450, and many applying a one-hour minimum. Doing the filter check yourself costs nothing at all — and it is genuinely the answer often enough to be worth the twenty minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How do I know whether I need a bare pump motor or the whole pump-and-filter assembly?
A: Unscrew the filter cap at the front of the machine. If the pump body comes away as part of that housing, you need the complete assembly. If the filter is a separate plastic trap and the pump bolts on behind it, you only need the motor.
Q: My washing machine hums but doesn’t drain. Is that the pump?
A: Usually, but check the filter first. A hum with no water movement most often means the impeller is jammed by debris or the motor has seized. Clear the filter, then try to turn the impeller by hand — if it’s stiff or gritty, the pump has had it.
Q: Can I fit a drain pump from a different brand if it looks the same?
A: Only if the mounting, outlet direction and electrical rating all match. Many pumps genuinely are shared across badges, which is why we list several against multiple brands. Don’t judge it by appearance — match your model number, or send it to us and we’ll check.
Q: Where do I find my model number?
A: On the model sticker. On a front loader it’s usually inside the door rim or on the back panel; on a top loader it’s under the lid or on the rear. Photograph it while you’re there — it makes every future part easier to match.
Q: Is replacing a drain pump safe to do myself?
A: On a plug-in machine it’s one of the more approachable jobs, provided you unplug it at the wall first and expect some water. If the machine is hard-wired, or you’re not confident with mains-voltage terminals, have a licensed person do the electrical connection.
Bottom line: mounting, then filter housing, then model number. Clear the filter first, and if the pump really has failed, it is a cheap part and a straightforward afternoon. Match your model number here and we’ll point you at the pump that fits it.
Disclaimer: this article is general information only and is provided without warranty of any kind. Appliance designs vary between models and production runs — always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, switch off and unplug the appliance before starting any work, and confirm parts against the model number on your appliance’s model sticker. Any repair is undertaken at your own risk and Oz Appliance Spares accepts no liability for injury, loss or damage arising from work performed after reading this guide, to the maximum extent permitted by law. If in doubt, use a qualified technician.
