Amana Dishwasher Not Draining: Causes and Fixes
After 20 years on the bench, the first thing I check on an Amana dishwasher that won't drain is the filter at the bottom of the tub. Sixty percent of the time, it's packed solid with grease and food debris and the pump simply can't push water past it. Amana dishwashers built after 2010 use a manual-clean filter that most homeowners don't know exists. A quick rinse fixes it in under five minutes, no tools needed.
When the filter is clear and water still won't drain, the most likely culprits are a kinked drain hose, a worn check valve, or a failed drain pump motor. Amana shares a drain system architecture with the broader Whirlpool family, so failure points are well-documented and parts are easy to source.
This guide walks through every common cause, the DIY steps worth trying first, and the situations where calling a technician makes sense. If you'd rather not crack it open, Perfect Appliance Repair Tampa is available Monday through Saturday across Tampa Bay. $69 diagnostic, 100% applied to your repair if you approve the work. Call (813) 522-0014 when you are ready.
Why Your Amana Dishwasher Won't Drain
Clogged filter or drain basket. Amana dishwashers built after 2010 use a manual-clean filter at the base of the tub. Food particles, grease, and broken glass accumulate there over time and restrict water flow until the pump can't clear the tub. This is the single most common cause of poor draining and the first place to check. Many homeowners don't know the filter exists and never clean it. A monthly rinse under the faucet prevents most drain problems entirely.
Kinked or blocked drain hose. The corrugated plastic hose that carries water from the pump to the garbage disposal or sink drain kinks easily, especially after someone has worked under the sink. Even a partial kink cuts flow significantly. The hose can also develop a soft clog from grease buildup near the disposal connection. Check that it forms a high loop under the counter. Without that loop, water siphons back into the tub between cycles.
Faulty drain pump. The drain pump motor forces water out of the sump and through the drain hose. When the impeller breaks or the motor windings fail, the pump moves water slowly or stops working altogether. You'll sometimes hear a humming sound as the motor tries to run but can't turn the impeller. A failed drain pump requires replacement. The part typically is quoted after the $69 diagnostic for Amana models.
Check valve failure. A small one-way valve sits between the pump and the drain hose to prevent drained water from flowing back into the tub. When the rubber flap tears or the valve seat gets coated with grease, water returns to the bottom of the dishwasher after each cycle. The symptom is a shallow but consistent pool, usually an inch or less, every time you open the door after the cycle ends.
Garbage disposal connection issue. If your dishwasher drains into a garbage disposal, a blocked knockout plug or a clogged disposal inlet can back water up into the machine. This is especially common on newly installed disposals. The factory knockout plug must be removed before connecting the dishwasher drain hose, and it's frequently overlooked. Running the disposal for 30 seconds before starting the dishwasher clears any food blocking the inlet.
DIY Fixes to Try First
Safety first: unplug the dishwasher from the wall outlet or switch off the circuit breaker before reaching into the tub or touching any components. Water and electricity are a dangerous combination. Keep a few old towels nearby. You'll need them when you remove the filter or disconnect the drain hose.
Clean the filter and drain basket. Open the dishwasher and pull out the lower rack. At the base of the tub you'll see a cylindrical filter surrounded by a flat mesh screen. Turn the cylinder counterclockwise and lift it out, then pull out the flat screen. Rinse both pieces under hot running water, scrubbing gently with an old toothbrush to remove grease and food residue. While the filter is out, use a flashlight to check the drain basket opening for any debris. Broken glass is a common culprit. Reinstall the filter, run a short rinse cycle, and check whether water clears.
Check the drain hose and run the garbage disposal. Open the cabinet under the sink and trace the corrugated drain hose from the back of the dishwasher to its connection point. Look for kinks, tight bends, or signs of a soft clog near the disposal inlet. Straighten any kinks and confirm the hose makes a high loop secured to the underside of the counter before dropping to the connection point. If you have a garbage disposal, run it for 30 to 45 seconds with the water on to clear any accumulated food from the inlet. For a dishwasher connected directly to a drain tailpiece, remove the hose connection and check for buildup. After reassembling, run a full drain cycle. Many Amana models let you start a drain-only cycle by pressing and holding the Cancel/Drain button for three seconds.
Reset the dishwasher. A control board glitch can sometimes leave the drain cycle incomplete. Unplug the unit for five minutes, then plug it back in and run a new cycle. If the dishwasher has a door latch that isn't fully engaging, the control board may skip the drain phase. Press the door firmly until it clicks before starting any cycle.
When to Call a Technician
If cleaning the filter and clearing the drain hose doesn't fix the problem, the issue is most likely a failed drain pump or a defective check valve. Both require disassembling the lower section of the dishwasher and are best handled by a technician. A drain pump replacement on an Amana dishwasher takes about 45 to 60 minutes in the field. Control board faults are less common but do occur. A technician can test the board's drain circuit output with a multimeter in minutes. Attempting either repair without experience risks cracking the sump housing or miswiring the pump, which turns a quote after diagnosis part into a quote after diagnosis repair.
Perfect Appliance Repair Tampa handles Amana drain pump replacements, check valve swaps, and control board diagnostics across Tampa Bay, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Brandon, and Wesley Chapel. We carry the most common Amana drain pump assemblies on our service vehicles, so most repairs are completed in a single visit. If your dishwasher is still under the Amana limited warranty (one year parts and labor on most models), we can document the failure and help you work through the warranty claim. If we cannot fix it, you do not pay. No labor, no parts, no charge. Call (813) 522-0014 or book online. Same-day appointments available Monday through Saturday.
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Anatoli Didenco is the owner-technician of Perfect Appliance Repair Tampa, with 20+ years of hands-on refrigeration experience across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties. He specializes in refrigerators — particularly Sub-Zero, Wolf, and premium built-in systems — and sealed-system and compressor work. He personally answers the phone and shows up at the door. Read more on the About page.
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