Hotpoint make a range of really nice household appliances. But, appliances can have major or minor issues that need fixing. In this article, I will explain how to troubleshoot a Hotpoint dishwasher that won’t drain properly.
A common reason for a Hotpoint dishwasher not draining is a clogged filter. Over time, food particles and debris can accumulate, obstructing water flow. To resolve this, remove the filter, thoroughly clean it under running water, and replace it, ensuring it’s securely in place.
If the dishwasher’s filter is clean but it’s still not draining, the drain pump might be malfunctioning. The pump is responsible for expelling the used water out of the dishwasher. Check for any visible damage or obstructions. If the pump is not working, it may need to be replaced.
Another potential cause is a blocked drain hose. Over time, the hose can become kinked or clogged with grease and debris. To fix this, disconnect the hose from both the dishwasher and the sink drain, then flush it out with water. Ensure there are no kinks when reconnecting the hose, and secure it properly to prevent leaks.
Hotpoint Dishwasher Draining Problem
After a wash and dry cycle there shouldn’t be any pooled water at the bottom of your Hotpoint dishwasher. If there is it indicates that there is a blockage or one of the parts has failed. This is how to troubleshoot this issue.
Overall, the most common cause is that food particles are blocking the filter at the base of the dishwasher. Inspect this and clean it out if required. Generally, it’s easiest to remove excess water using a sponge before doing so. After that, follow the steps below.
Each of these steps except for step 1 has the potential to solve this issue. Therefore, after doing each step, wait until you need to do another wash cycle, and see if it’s fixed the problem. So, it’s a good idea to bookmark this page to come back to it later.
Another option is to do all of the steps in one go. But, bear in mind that the later steps can’t necessarily be done by everyone.
The steps after step 5 can need a repair technician to do them for you. Therefore, you may need to stop at step 5, and test to see if it’s now draining properly.
1. Turn the power to the dishwasher off – very important for safety
Before tinkering with your dishwasher you should turn off the power to it. There’s a chance that you bump something on the interior of your dishwasher, or a component has failed which can give you an electric shock. Modern kitchens often have a switch near the counter that controls the power to the dishwasher.
In other cases they can have a wall outlet that the dishwasher is plugged into that can be accessed quite easily. Either under the sink or close to the counter top. If you’re unable to locate it, and turn your dishwasher off, then it’s best to turn it off at the fusebox.
This is also called ‘the mains’ or the switchboard. It can be a bit tricky to use a fuse box if you’ve never used one before.
2. Remove the excess water using a cup and sponge
Typically, when a dishwasher has a drainage problem there will be water pooled in the bottom of the dishwasher. This water needs to be removed first to make it much easier to identify where the blockage is. It’s very easy to remove.
Take a cup, and place it on its side to half fill it with the excess water, then pour it into a bucket. Or, empty it into the sink. Generally, using a bucket is easier because you don’t need to move as far to empty the cup each time.
Once you’ve removed as much water as you can using a cup use a sponge. Place the sponge in the water, and then squeeze it out. This can take some time but provided you remove as much as you can with a cup there doesn’t be much water to remove using a sponge.
3. Inspect the filter and filter screen at the base of the dishwasher
To get at the filter the bottom rack needs to be removed. Take the bottom rack out by pulling it out all the way and set it aside.
There is also a screen that you can see in the video that sits on the bottom of the dishwasher. It’s the plastic area with a bunch of tiny holes, which looks very different to the rest of the bottom of the dishwasher that has a metallic finish. These tiny holes can be blocked with chunks of food, and need to be cleared using a soft brush.
An old toothbrush, or something that is similarly soft works best. A regular brush used for washing dishes by hand can be used.
But, don’t press into this area with a lot of force as it’s not very strong. On some Hotpoint dishwasher models this whole screen can be removed and washed on its own in the sink.
4. Check the impeller is turning freely and clear any blockages
Technically there are generally 2 impellers on a dishwasher. The one to check is the drain impeller. It’s turned by the pump motor and spins.
As it spins it pushes water out the sides using centrifugal force. If the impeller is not spinning at all it can lead to your dishwasher not draining. In general, it’s protected by a cover that can be removed by unclicking it from its position using a screwdriver.
Then you should try to turn the impeller using a screwdriver or similar to see if it spins freely. If it does then there’s no problem with it, and you should move on to the next step. It can be kind of rigid or be difficult to turn.
This can be caused by a small piece of a plate or cup being stuck in it, or piece of food. You can use an old toothbrush to gently brush out anything that’s stuck in it. If it remains difficult to turn it can need replacing.
5. Do a wash cycle using a dishwasher cleaner
There are specialist dishwasher cleaners from brands like Affresh. These are put into the detergent compartment, or placed in the rack. Then you rush the dishwasher on a wash cycle.
These have special cleaners that do a very thorough job of cleaning dishwashers, and are known to be effective and clearing blockages that can cause a draining problem. There are multiple different brands available at your local supermarket.
Choose one you like, and follow the instructions on the packaging. Most dishwasher manufacturers recommend doing a dishwasher clean every 3 months, but it’s typically in the user manual.
The following steps can require a repair person, the reason is it requires a good amount of strength, and there is the potential to accidentally damage your dishwasher. I’ll explain the steps, and how to do them yourself. But, if it sounds too difficult then have a repair person do the next steps.
This can also be a good idea because if it’s neither of these issues generally a component will need to be repaired. Which for most people needs to be done by a repair technician.
6. Check the waste hose is not kinked
A dishwasher can be pulled out from where it’s located. This will give you access to the rear of the dishwasher where there are hoses that connect to the wall. It’s possible the dishwasher was bumped or moved and caused the drainage hose to get a kink in it.
To slide your dishwasher out, lift it up to take some of the weight of the dishwasher and then pull it out a little bit at a time. Lifting it allows it to gently slide along the ground. The main thing to be aware of is not to pull it out too far.
There are hoses that are connected to the rear of the dishwasher, and the wall behind the dishwasher. If you pull on these they can break and need to be repaired/replaced. You can see behind the dishwasher as you’re pulling it out and see if the hoses are being pulled tightly.
They will generally be pulled tight and be at a risk of breaking when the dishwasher is almost pulled completely out from where it’s located. Unscrew the hoses from the rear of the dishwasher if required.
Otherwise inspect the hoses for any kinks, and if there are missing them out using your hands. While the dishwasher is pulled out from where it is, check for a blockage in the waste hose, which is explained in the next step.
7. Check for a blockage in the drain hose that connects to the wall
There are two types of drain hoses that a Hotpoint dishwasher can have. Both are shown in the video below. In the video by Hotpoint they also show how to inspect them for a blockage. Generally, this is done by looking into them.
8. Adjust the angle that the drain hose connects to the waste water line
After that move on to seeing if the drain hose needs adjusting. The drain hose should be adjusted so that it is elevated before it enters the garbage disposer unit, or the hose at the rear.
In practice the drain hose should be in a question mark ‘?’ shape where it exits, rather than entering flat or where its entering going uphill.
9. Use a voltmeter on the components (advanced)
If you’ve used a voltmeter this step will be easy. But, if you don’t have a voltmeter or haven’t used one before then it’s best to have a repair technician take a look at your Hotpoint dishwasher if it’s still not draining properly after doing all of the steps above.
A voltmeter can be put onto each of the components to check for continuity. This means that power passes along them, and indicates that the component is working and isn’t faulty.
A first check would be to unscrew the drain pump component, and check it. If it’s faulty then replace it. Otherwise, you can check each of the other components as well.
This is quite a task and requires you to remove each of them and put them back. Because of that you may decide it’s easier to have a repair technician to repair it for you after checking the drain pump.
Hotpoint Dishwasher Not Draining
After a full cycle the bottom of your Hotpoint dishwasher should be pretty much completely dry. If it’s not draining properly there will be a pool of water at the bottom of your dishwasher. To fix this issue here’s what you should do.
There is a screen and filter which traps large food particles at the base of the dishwasher can become clogged with grease or food particles. It can be removed and cleaned very easily with a soft brush and hot soapy water. Once it’s clear, check the impeller, and drainage hoses.
I’ve put together step by step instructions for how to do each of these troubleshooting steps at the start of this article. Scroll to the top and start with step 1, which is to disconnect the power from your Hotpoint dishwasher. Then do each of the steps in order until you find the cause of the issue.
Or, it’s still not draining even after doing each of the steps. In which case you should contact Hotpoint and have them advise you on the best course of action to get a repair technician to fix it for you.
Hotpoint Dishwasher Not Draining Fully
If a Hotpoint dishwasher is working properly there shouldn’t be any water at the base of the dishwasher when a complete wash and dry cycle is done. The water is drained out by a drain pump to a drain hose and then out into the waste water lines. But, if there’s an issue along the way your Hotpoint dishwasher can not fully drain, here’s what to do if you notice water at the bottom of your dishwasher after a complete wash and dry cycle.
In general, the filter screen is blocked with food particles and needs to be cleaned, the impeller is clogged and not spinning, the drainage pump has failed, or there is a blockage in the drainage hose. Start by checking the screen and cleaning it where necessary as it’s the easiest to check.
I’ve ordered the troubleshooting steps to get a Hotpoint dishwasher to start draining properly again at the start of this article. And I’ve put them in order from easiest to do, to the hardest.
After each step use your Hotpoint dishwasher, and see if the issue remains. Go to the top of this article and start with step one which is to disconnect the power to your hotpoint dishwasher.
Hotpoint Dishwasher Drain Pump Keeps Running
The drain pump should not be on for longer than about 30 minutes. An issue that can occur with Hotpoint dishwashers is that the drain pump stays on when it’s first turned on. Or, stays on permanently at the end of the cycle.
As a general rule, water is not being removed completely after it has been drained by the drain pump, this causes water to flow back into the tray at the bottom of your Hotpoint dishwasher, and the drain pump remains on permanently. This is generally caused by a blockage.
Also, the drain hose may not be installed correctly, or has a blockage in it that stops the water from being able to be removed. First, check for blockages around the impeller which can stop it from closing, and create a seal which stops water from getting back into the base of your dishwasher. Then move on to checking the drain hose is installed so that water can’t flow back into the dishwasher.
The steps are quite specific for this issue. But, to tick all the boxes and make sure it’s not something else it’s best to follow all of the steps near the top of this article. Start with step 1, which is clearly labeled ‘Turn the power to the dishwasher off – very important for safety’.
Then do each step after that one by one. Finally, if you get to the end and it’s still not working, the last step is to contact Hotpoint support to see how to get a repair technician to repair it for you.
Hotpoint Dishwasher Drain Clogged/Blocked
On Hotpoint dishwashers there are two areas where food particles are trapped so that they don’t cause your dishwasher to get clogged. These are the screen that sits above the filter, and the filter itself. Both of these feeds sit in the drain at the base of your dishwasher, and can need to be cleared so here’s how to do that.
Overall, clean both the filter and the screen above the filter using an old toothbrush, and hot soapy water. It’s very easy for small amounts of grease/oil to get trapped and clog the dishwasher drain. Over time, these can build up. Remove the screen, and the filter and clean them out in the sink.
The impeller can also have food, grease, or small broken pieces of a cup or plate lodged in it which can stop it from spinning properly. This should be cleaned, using an old tooth brush gently. I’ve explained how to do each of these steps, and additional steps if your Hotpoint dishwasher is still clogged/blocked, and there is water at the bottom of the dishwasher after a full clean and dry cycle.
Go to the top of this article, and start by doing step one which is to make sure your Hotpoint dishwasher is disconnected from the power. Then do each of the steps one by one until it’s no longer clogged. Or, you get to the end and need to get a repair technician to repair it for you.
Hotpoint Dishwasher Stuck on Drain
After starting your Hotpoint dishwasher it’s common for it to drain for a minute or two and then start. Also, during a normal wash cycle it should drain for a maximum of 30 minutes or so before beeping to conclude the dishwasher wash cycle. If you notice it’s draining significantly more than these two cases this is how to fix it.
Generally, something is stuck in the impeller that won’t allow it to close all the way, or the drain hose is rigged improperly. Inspect the drain at the bottom of your dishwasher, and modify the drain hose so that it’s elevated above where the water exits.
If the hose is set up so that it connects where it will drain out at a flat angle, or facing down, when the water is pumped it will flow back down the pipe. This causes it to take MUCH longer to drain. The drain hose can be connected to a garbage disposer, or to pipes at the rear of the dishwasher.
Before, fixing or inspecting that check and clear the impeller, and filter in the drain hole at the bottom of your dishwasher. Full instructions for how to do that can be found at the top of this article, but start with step ‘1. Turn the power to the dishwasher off – very important for safety’. The reason is that you will be working around water and electric wires, which does have a risk of electrocution.
After turning off the power, follow the steps after that. This will cover everything that can cause your Hotpoint dishwasher to be stuck on the drain.
How to Manually Drain a Hotpoint Dishwasher
If your Hotpoint dishwasher has a drainage problem water can pool and remain in the bottom of your dishwasher. This generally needs to be removed so that the filters can be inspected/cleaned. To manually drain a hotpoint dishwasher yourself, here’s what you should do.
Overall, the only way is to soak up and remove the excess water using a sponge. But, it’s very important to disconnect the power to your dishwasher before doing that, so that it’s impossible to get an electric shock.
The pump needs to function for a Hotpoint dishwasher to drain. But, there can also be a blockage that needs to be cleared first. In general, you need to check multiple places and components.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on April 1, 2022.
However, in order to check these components you need to remove the excess water first. Therefore, there’s no getting around removing the excess water with a sponge. A cup, and soup ladle can also work well.
Once, you get down to a thin layer of water remaining then use a sponge to remove all of it. After that, you can inspect the parts of your dishwasher that can be causing the issue. I’ve explained what and how to check each of them at the start of this article.
There are 8 steps in total to identify what the issue is. Start with step 1 which is to disconnect the power to your dishwasher, and work your way through each of the steps. The steps start just below the top of this article.
Overall, there can be a blockage, the drain pump can have failed, or the drainage hose can be installed incorrectly or have a kink. These can cause the seals to not close completely and allow water back in after it has been removed. Or, the water can’t get through a blockage.
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