Maytag makes some fantastic dishwashers, their reliability and energy efficiency have made them popular choices for those needing a new dishwasher for their home.
However, despite this praise, many users have reported running into a problem where their Maytag Dishwasher will suddenly stop draining. This will leave you with dirty dishes and bad-smelling water deposits in your dishwasher.
So in this article, I’m going to explain what causes this problem to occur and give you all the methods you need to get this problem fixed as quickly and easily as possible.
Why is your Maytag Dishwasher Not Draining?
A number of potential problems can occur that will cause your dishwasher to stop draining. Most commonly, this problem is caused by some kind of blockage that prevents the water from draining, such as the drain hose becoming kinked or the dishwasher filters becoming blocked.
1. The Sump Filters are Clogged
Many modern dishwashers utilize multi filters (called the coarse filter and the fine filter) in order to catch the food debris and stop them from circulating through the dishwasher.
When these filters become too clogged up with food particles or grease, they can restrict the water flow causing the bad water to remain in the machine.
So the filters will need to be removed and washed by hand to ensure the water can properly drain away.
2. The Garbage Disposal is Blocked
A large number of US washer models are connected directly to your kitchen’s garbage disposal in order to get rid of food waste.
These too, can become blocked up over time, usually due to a buildup of oils and grease which can either restrict the water flow. If the blockage is severe enough, it can actually cause dirty water to back up into the washer.
So once again, the garbage disposal and its connecting hose will need to be manually unblocked and cleaned so the water can drain properly.
3. A Control Board Fault
The control board functions as the brain of the washer and tells each of the various components to turn on or off as needed in order for the washer to operate.
When the control board fails or runs into problems, it may cause the drain pump to not function correctly, which will prevent the dishwasher water from being expelled.
As this is quite a complicated component to troubleshoot, the usual course of action is just to replace the control board completely.
4. A Drain Impeller is Broken
The method by which the drain motor removes water from the dishwasher is through the use of a rotating impeller. What can sometimes happen is one or more of the fins on the drain impeller may become damaged or break off.
This will cause the water to not flow out of the machine fast enough, resulting in excess water being retained inside the washer. When this happens, the drain impeller will need to be replaced.
5. The Drain Pump Motor has Failed
The drain pump motor turns the impeller, so when this stops working, it will completely prevent water from draining away.
You will need to use a multimeter and test the drain pump motor for continuity.
If it’s receiving power but doesn’t operate, the only option is to replace it, as these are difficult to repair.
6. The Drain Solenoid is Not Working
The drain solenoid opens and closes a small valve on instruction from the control board to allow or prevent new water from exiting the machine as required.
So when this solenoid fails, the valve may remain permanently shut, causing the water to remain in the dishwasher. The drain solenoid will need to be replaced so the valve can become operational again.
7. The Drain Hose is Kinked/Clogged
The dirty water exits the dishwasher through the drain hose to be taken to the sink drain.
When there is a blockage, kink, or impingement in the drain hose, the water flow will be restricted and not drain away properly.
You’ll need to remove the drain tube and inspect it. Should any blockages be located, then they will need to be removed.
8. The Detergent is Being Used Incorrectly
Dishwashers require a specific type of detergent to be used and in specific amounts.
While it’s tempting to just buy a cheap detergent and use a lot of it, this will result in extra suds forming, which won’t properly drain away. It can also leave excess soap deposits, which contribute to blockages.
So here, you’ll need to ensure you use the right kind of detergent for Maytag dishwashers.
How to Fix a Maytag Dishwasher Not Draining?
As you can see, this problem is most commonly caused by a blockage or small component failure.
Let’s now look at how to get these problems fixed so you can restore your dishwasher back to working order as soon as possible.
1. Unclog the Filters
When the filters become clogged up with food particles and debris, it can prevent the water from draining away.
You should clean the filter at least once a month to ensure your Maytag washer can operate optimally.
- Start by opening the washer door and removing the lower dish rack to gain access to the bottom of the dishwasher.
- Depending on the model of the washer, you may have two filters you need to remove—an upper filter assembly for large food objects and a lower filter for fine particles.
- Remove both of the filters by turning them clockwise and pulling them up. Be sure not to damage them, as they can be quite fragile.
- Simply running the filters under running warm water will be enough to remove the majority of the deposit. If anything is still stuck you can remove it using a soft toothbrush or a sponge.
- Once the filters are clean, you can reinstall them. Place them in the bottom of the tub and then turn the filter clockwise until it locks into place.
Don’t worry if the arrows of the two filters don’t align exactly; as long as the filter has been turned clockwise as far as it can go, it’s now securely locked in place.
2. Unblock the Garbage Disposer
Sometimes you may not have direct access to the garbage disposer, so you can use a cleaning solution to help break down the residue and then run the kitchen faucet to help it drain.
Create an equal part solution of baking soda and vinegar and put it into the basket at the bottom of the washer. Let this sit for 15 minutes, and it will break down the stuck-on dirt and residue.
Once it’s finished, put some hot water down the basket and run a quick rinse cycle while the faucet is running, so flush everything through.
3. Replace the Faulty Control Board
If the control board has been tested and lacks continuity, then the only solution is to replace it.
As this is quite an involved process, we recommend contacting Maytag customer support, who will help arrange for a replacement board and a trained technician to come and help install the new board for you.
4. Replace the Drain Impeller
To access the drain impeller, you need to purchase a new kit from Maytag; once that has arrived, you can get it installed.
- Start by unplugging the dishwasher from the power supply and turning off the water supply.
- You’ll need to remove the pump to access the impeller.
- Once you have located the impeller, you’ll need to unscrew it while using a wrench to hold it in place. Otherwise, it will just continue spinning.
- Lift the impeller free; this can now be discarded.
- While everything’s open and accessible clean the area with a cloth and a vacuum to ensure the area is suitable for the replacement.
- Install the new impeller and then reinstall everything that needed to be removed in order to gain access to the impeller.
5. Install a New Drain Pump
Once the drain pump has failed, it will need to be replaced.
This is quite an involved process, so again, we recommend contacting Maytag support, who will arrange for a technician to come and install a new drain pump for you.
You should also ensure that you’ve cleaned out the filters so the new pump can operate at maximum efficiency.
6. The Drain Solenoid is Not Working
If the dishwasher solenoid becomes locked closed, the water won’t drain away, so it will need to be replaced with a new one.
- Ensure the power to the machine is turned off.
- Remove the lower access panels to gain access to the solenoid.
- The old solenoid will be attached to the machine by means of a wire harness. Use some pliers to carefully remove the wires and detach the drain solenoid.
- Use a screwdriver to remove the retaining clip. You can now remove the old solenoid and discard it.
- Place the new solenoid into the retaining clip and re-attach it to the washer.
- Install the wire harness.
- Re-attach the access panel.
7. Unkink the Drain Hose
The water won’t drain away when the drain hose becomes kinked or pinched. This is most commonly caused by the washer being pushed too close to the wall.
So first, you should pull out the washer, inspect the drain hose for any impingement points, and make sure it’s straightened out. If there are any blockages present, you should remove them by hand.
Once the water can flow freely through the hose, you should carefully push the washer back into place, ensuring that you leave enough room so the hose doesn’t get crimped further.
8. Use the Correct Type and Amount of Detergent
Using the wrong type or amount of detergent can cause excessive suds production and soap deposits that can clog the washer up.
If you are using a HE (high efficiency) washer, you should also ensure you are also using a HE detergent type. Then it would be best to refer to the detergent packaging instructions and only use the specified amount.