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Intermediate Residential dishwasher ~11 min4 decision steps

Dishwasher Not Draining

A dishwasher completes its cycle but leaves standing water in the tub. Work the air gap and hose, then the filter and sump, then the pump — in that order.

Scenario briefing

The call

A customer reports their dishwasher runs the full cycle but there is always standing water in the bottom of the tub when it finishes. Dishes come out wet, and lately some come out dirty.

No error code is displayed — some models only post a generic drain notice, and this one shows nothing. The machine fills, washes, and ends the cycle on time, so the control is sequencing normally.

Work the sequence: confirm the complaint and inspect the external drain path first, then split simple restrictions from pump and control faults, then open the sump. Parts come after you have looked, listened, and measured.

Scenario photo
Dishwasher tub base with standing water, showing the filter, sump area, and drain connection

Step 0 · Required

Safety Gate

Confirm every item below before the diagnostic area unlocks. This mirrors the pre-work checklist you owe every customer.

0 of 5 confirmed.

Step 1 · First checks

Locked

Diagnostic decision

You are at the machine with the customer standing by. What do you do first?

Complete the safety gate to continue.

Component view

Dishwasher drain circuit — component view

Locked

Interactive schematic coming in the next release

Select a component above to read what it does and how it fails on this call.

Progress

Step 1 of 4

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