Electrolux Dishwasher Leaves Standing Water Below the Filter

You open the door after a finished cycle and find water pooled beneath the filter, in the sump at the bottom of the tub. Some dishwashers hold a thin film of water there by design, so the first question is whether what you see is a shallow film or a visible pool that sits above the filter basket and smells of old food. A film that is gone after a later cycle is usually nothing to chase. Water that is still there hours later, or that returns after every wash, tells you the drain path is not clearing the tub.

What the water under the filter is telling you

The sump is the low point where wash water gathers before the circulation pump sends it back to the spray arms and, at the end, before the drain system pushes it out. If the sump stays full, one of three things is happening. Something is blocking the way out, the part that moves the water out is not running or not opening, or the dishwasher never reached the drain stage because the cycle stopped early.

On Electrolux dishwashers the display may help you tell these apart. The code i20 means the dishwasher did not drain completely, and i40 points at a clogged filter or sump with built-up food soil. If you see neither, read the display before you do anything else and write down what it showed, including the exact letters and digits.

Likely causes, from most common to least

A clogged filter or sump

Food soil, label scraps, broken glass slivers, seeds and the grit that comes off unrinsed pans collect around and inside the filter. Water then drains slowly or not at all, and the leftover pool is cloudy. This is the one cause an owner can often confirm with eyes and hands.

A blocked drain hose or sink connection

The dishwasher drain hose travels to the sink drain or to a disposal inlet. Two things go wrong there. Disposers installed new may still have a knockout plug in the dishwasher inlet, and a kinked or crushed hose behind the cabinet slows the outflow. In San Francisco flats and condos with tight under-sink cabinets, a hose pinched by stored cleaning supplies is a surprisingly frequent culprit.

A sink that drains slowly

If the kitchen sink backs up while the dishwasher runs, the problem is in the household drain line, not the appliance. Standing water in the sink basin along with water in the tub points that way.

The drain mechanism itself

Electrolux dishwashers use a drain valve arrangement that the control board checks for position feedback. Codes such as Er07 and Er11 are about the drain valve, and a drain problem that returns every cycle despite a clean filter belongs to a technician. The same is true when the display is blank on the symptom yet the pool never leaves.

A cycle that stopped before it drained

A door that was opened mid-cycle, a power interruption or a paused cycle can leave water in the tub simply because the machine never reached the drain step. The PF indicator means the dishwasher lost power during a cycle. Run a short cycle after power is steady and see whether the water goes.

Checks to do in order

1. Switch the dishwasher off at its controls, and let the display go dark before you touch the tub.
2. Scoop out the standing water with a cup and towel. Do not use anything sharp, and watch for broken glass at the bottom.
3. Take out the lower rack, then lift out the filter pieces by their handles according to your owner guide. Rinse them under the tap and use a soft brush on the mesh. Look into the opening they came from for anything loose, and remove only what you can reach by hand.
4. Put the filter back fully seated. A filter that sits slightly crooked can leave a gap that lets debris through toward the drain.
5. Check that the water supply valve under the sink is open and that the dishwasher is level enough that water collects at the filter side, not in a corner.
6. Run the sink tap and the disposal, if you have one, and see whether the sink empties without gurgling. If it is slow, address the sink first.
7. Run a short cycle and watch for the code. Write down whatever appears.

If you are comfortable looking behind the toe plate or the sink cabinet without removing screws, you can glance at the visible length of the drain hose for a kink. Do not pull the unit out of its cabinet, and do not disconnect any hose.

What not to do

• Do not pour drain cleaners into the tub. They can sit in the sump, attack seals and rubber parts, and leave a hazard for the next person who reaches in.
• Do not open the lower access panel to look at the pump or drain valve. It sits close to wiring, and the ability to confirm those parts belongs to a technician.
• Do not keep running cycles hoping it will clear itself. Repeated runs add soap-laden water to an already full sump and can push a leak at the door or the base.
• Do not disconnect the drain hose for a look. Water trapped in it will go onto the floor, and the connection is a sealing point.

When to book a visit

Book when the filter is clean and seated, the sink drains normally, and water still collects beneath the filter after a full cycle. Also book if any of these appear: a drain code that returns after a clean filter, water on the floor in front of the dishwasher, a humming sound with nothing leaving the tub, or a display that shows a leak indication. The Er01 and i30 codes both involve water detected where it should not be, and a unit showing them should be left off until it has been looked at.

When you contact us, have the model number ready. It is usually on the inside of the door frame or on the tub edge. Models such as the EDSH4944BS and EDSR4932 share the same general kind of drain arrangement, but the exact part layout depends on the platform, which is why the number matters. We diagnose before any repair, give a written estimate, and do nothing without your approval. You can read more about this on our Electrolux dishwasher repair page, or browse the Electrolux dishwashers lineup to find your model.

Frequently asked questions