Dishwasher not filling with water: causes and safe checks

Usually simple

Quick answer

If little or no water enters your dishwasher, check the tap is fully open and other taps are running, and avoid running other water-using appliances at the same time. Check the inlet hose isn’t kinked and its filter isn’t scaled up. A damaged inlet hose or a faulty valve needs an engineer.

Also covers: no water in dishwasher · dishwasher not getting water.

Likely causes

What you can safely check yourself

Stop and call a qualified engineer if:
  • A hose is split, bulging, cracked or leaking at the connection. Stop using the appliance until the hose is replaced.
  • Water flow at the tap is too low, or the tap or valve is seized. That is a plumbing job for a plumber or your water supplier, not the appliance.
  • The code or problem comes back after you’ve done the safe checks on this page.
  • The next step would mean removing a cover or panel, or working on the pump, valves, heater, motor, door lock or wiring. That is a job for a qualified engineer.

Work through these in order. Stop as soon as one of the signs above applies.

Make sure the water tap is fully open

  1. Find the isolation tap or valve on the pipe feeding the appliance, usually under the sink or behind the machine.
  2. Check it is turned fully on. On lever valves, “on” is usually when the lever lines up with the pipe.
  3. If other taps in the house have low pressure too, the problem may be the mains supply rather than the appliance.

Don’t force a stiff or seized valve. It can break inside without opening.

Check the water flow with a bucket test Take care

Before you start
  • Turn off the water supply tap to the appliance before disconnecting any hose.
  1. With the tap off, disconnect the inlet hose from the tap end (or use a nearby tap on the same supply).
  2. Hold the hose end in a bucket, or put the bucket under the tap, and turn the water on fully for a timed period.
  3. Compare what you collect with the figure in your manual or in the brand note below. A weak flow points to the supply, not the appliance.
  4. Reconnect the hose hand-tight and check for drips when the water is back on.

Check the dishwasher inlet hose and filter Take care

Before you start
  • Switch off and unplug the appliance at the wall socket before you touch hoses, filters or the back of the machine. Make sure your hands and the plug area are dry.
  • Turn off the water supply tap to the appliance before disconnecting any hose.
  • Expect water to come out. Put towels and a shallow tray or baking dish down first.
  1. Where you can see it (usually under the sink), check the inlet hose isn’t kinked, twisted or damaged.
  2. With the tap off, unscrew the hose from the tap connection and clean the small filter inside of scale and debris.
  3. Reconnect hand-tight, turn the tap back on slowly and check for drips.

If the inlet hose is damaged, leave the water off and the dishwasher unplugged. A damaged hose must be replaced.

Check the dishwasher drain hose

Before you start
  • Switch off and unplug the appliance at the wall socket before you touch hoses, filters or the back of the machine. Make sure your hands and the plug area are dry.
  1. Where you can see it (usually under the sink), check the drain hose isn’t kinked, twisted, squashed or damaged.
  2. Check its length and the height of the drain connection against your manual. Hoses that are too long, too low or too high drain badly.

Don’t pull a built-in dishwasher out of its housing. If the hose can only be reached that way, ask an installer or engineer.

Showing an error code?

These codes are related to this problem. Codes differ by brand, so pick yours:

Related problems

Brand guides: AEG, Samsung. More dishwasher problems and codes, or use the fault finder.

Sources

Last checked against these sources: .

We write every page in our own words from manufacturer guidance and check it against the sources above. If your manual says something different, follow your manual. How we check.