How to fix a washing machine if it's not draining water?

First thing, check the drain filter - it's at the bottom behind the cover. Mine had a coin and a bunch of lint in it, after I cleaned it everything started working.

If the filter is clean, check the pump impeller - threads often get wound up on it. And the pump itself can die, it's worth peanuts, takes half an hour to change.

I had that happen too, turned out there was a clog in the hose between the tank and the pump. I had to lay the machine on its side and remove the hose

Indesit has this problem pretty often, I know from work - people complain all the time. Start with the filter, the advice above was right, but do it carefully: first put a rag or a pan under the machine because there's always water left in there. The hatch is usually on the bottom left, you unscrew the filter counterclockwise and pull out all the junk - hair, threads, lint. It'll take 10 minutes and usually fixes the problem. While you're at it, check if the filter or pump got frozen over with ice, though that's unlikely in summer.

Then check the drain hose - that's the one going from the machine to the sewer or sink. The stuff above was right about kinks, that's a common cause. The hose should lie freely, not pinched between the wall and the machine. If there's a clog, try blowing it out or pouring boiling water through it. If the filter and hose are clean, then it's most likely the pump - either it got clogged (then cleaning the impeller helps) or it broke. That's already a job for a repair person, because they'll need to take the machine apart. Pumps on Indesit aren't expensive, so don't worry about costly repairs.

Don't go straight into the electronics and don't think it's a board error - ninety percent of the time it's mechanics. Indesit is a pretty tough machine in that regard, if water won't drain, something's blocking the way.

Start with the simple stuff: unplug the machine, open the hatch at the bottom front and check the filter. It's a small cylinder, you just need to unscrew it counterclockwise - water might spill out, so put a rag or small pot under it. Rinse it under the tap, and especially run your finger inside - lint and hair build up in there. Then check the hole behind the filter - sometimes coins or plastic pieces get stuck there. If everything's clean, screw the filter back in and try running a wash. My neighbor had the same Indesit, and he just had hair wrapped around the pump shaft, which you can see in that same hole. Wiggled it with a screwdriver and everything came back to life.

If the filter's clean but the problem's still there, second thing to check - the drain hose. See if it's kinked, if it's clogged with dirt. Pull the machine out a bit from the wall and trace the whole path of the hose from the machine to the drain or sink. My friend's machine was once shoved too tight into a corner, the hose got bent, and water wouldn't flow right. Moved the machine and boom - it drains like clockwork. If the hose is clogged, you can disconnect it at both ends and flush it with a strong stream of water or even push a thin tube through it, but that's getting more into repair-person territory. If these two things don't fix it, the pump itself is probably dead or the impeller's jammed. That's when you call a specialist.

Also check the drain hose itself for kinks and blockages, especially where it connects to the sewer pipe. Sometimes lint and detergent build up there and create a clog that the machine physically can't push water through. Disconnect the hose at both ends and blow it out or rinse it - sometimes that's all it takes.

Actually, a drain error isn't always a breakdown - sometimes the machine just "freezes" because of a software glitch. But if it keeps happening, then yeah, you need to figure out what's going on. The things that actually help in half the cases have already been mentioned - filter, hose, pump. I'll add what people often overlook.

Before you start taking things apart, try something basic: unplug the machine for about five minutes, then plug it back in and run the drain cycle separately (if there's one in the menu). Sometimes that clears the error. Then definitely check if the drain hose isn't kinked - it should be straight, and the end shouldn't be submerged deep in the drain or sink, otherwise you get a backflow. My neighbors had something like this once: the machine wouldn't drain, turned out someone had accidentally pinched the hose behind the cabinet. Five seconds to straighten it - and everything works.

If that doesn't help, then you move on to cleaning the filter and checking the pump impeller - that gets clogged with lint and hair pretty often. After seven years of use, the odds that something's wrapped around it are pretty high. If that's clean too, then it's most likely the pump itself or the pipe between the tank and the pump - you can't get around disassembling it then. Honestly, if you're not really handy with machines, it's better to call a technician because you could break something during disassembly. But checking the filter and hose is worth doing anyway - it's quick and safe.

First, try to figure out at which stage the machine gets stuck - does it show an error right after washing or does it try to drain but can't. This matters because the causes are different. The filter and pump have already been mentioned, that's the classic culprit, but there's an intermediate thing that people often miss: check if the drain hose is clogged from the inside. Grab a flashlight, disconnect the hose from the machine (put a bucket underneath first) and look through it - sometimes slime and small fibers build up in there, visible as a black coating. Pour hot water with vinegar through it, this helps even when there's no visible blockage.

Another thing that can save you: check if water drains normally into the actual plumbing. If the machine is humming but the water isn't going anywhere, the culprit might not be the machine itself but your sink siphon or pipes. Put a bucket under the hose outlet and manually drain the water into the bucket - if water comes out of the hose fine, the problem is definitely in the plumbing. This happens when there's a clog in the pipes or the drain hose is connected wrong (it needs to be higher than the water level in the siphon, otherwise you get an air lock).

If none of these checks work, then yeah, you need a technician - most likely the pump failed or the drain control electronics are damaged. But about 80 percent of the time the problem gets solved at the filter, hose, or siphon stage.

First, check if the drain hose is clogged - people often miss this because it looks clean on the outside, but there can be slime or dirt inside, especially if the machine's been sitting for a while or if the drain slopes downward. Then move on to the filter and pump, like they mentioned above. But here's what's important: when you open the filter door, put a cloth or a basin underneath first - there might be water in there and it'll spill all over the floor. And also keep in mind that on Indesit, the error can be caused by a bad connection in the pressure switch (water level sensor), which is worth checking too if everything else is clean.

Check the drain hose visually, without taking the machine apart. It often gets kinked behind the casing or gets clogged, and people miss this, jumping straight to disassembling the insides. Make sure it's not pinched, and that water flows freely from it into the sink or drain. If the hose is intact and not bent, try disconnecting it from the machine and running water straight from the tap into a bucket - if the flow is normal, then the problem is inside.

After that, you can open the access panel with the filter (usually at the bottom right). Unscrew it carefully - water might spill out - and check if it's clogged with lint, hair, or debris. Often this is exactly what's causing it. If the filter was dirty and you cleaned it, try running the machine on the drain cycle. If nothing helps and the error persists, then you'll need a technician - it could be the pump impeller clogged, the pump itself broken, the drain pipe blocked, and that requires disassembly.

I'll add to the checklist - check if the drain pipe itself in the floor or wall is clogged, if your machine is connected permanently 😊 Sometimes water just won't drain because silt or hair has built up in there, especially if the house is old. If your machine sits freely and drains through a hose into a tub or sink, that's obviously unlikely, but I've seen it happen on Indesit after seven years of use.

Seven years for an Indesit is already quite respectable, and usually it's one of three components to blame. Besides everything mentioned above, it's worth checking whether there's water that's just not draining because of an air lock - this happens if the machine's been sitting for a while or you recently moved it. Try unplugging it from the outlet, opening the lower hatch, and letting the water drain into a basin to release the pressure in the system.

After that, move on to checking things one by one: first the filter that's actually accessible (they've already talked about that), then visually inspect the drain hose - it often gets clogged right at the exit from the machine, before it goes into the sewer. If you see something black or green there, try blowing it out or flushing it with a pressurized stream of water over a basin.

I had trouble with an old machine at my dacha: it refused to drain, and it turned out that synthetic threads from some sneaker I accidentally washed had wound around the pump. I pulled out the filter hatch, took it apart, and cleaned the impeller - two minutes of work and the machine was back in action. But if the filter's clean, the hose is clear, and the machine still won't drain, then the pump itself has probably broken, and at that point you need a professional 😞

Don't rush to take the machine apart right away - first try the obvious stuff: unplug it from the outlet for 10-15 minutes and plug it back in, sometimes the electronics just freeze up! If that doesn't work, then yeah, start with the filter and hose like others already said, but I'll add a lifehack - before you open the filter cover, put an old towel under the machine or stick a basin there, because water from the filter can spill out unexpectedly and quite a bit! And here's what the previous answers missed: check if the drain hose itself is clogged from the inside - if it's black and old, slime and gunk often builds up in there, push a wire through it or replace it with a new one, it costs next to nothing and often solves the problem without having to take the machine apart at all.

I'd start with the drain hose - that's usually the culprit. The thing is, it either gets kinked or it's lying higher than the water level in the machine. Once my hose got twisted behind the drum, so the water would go into the pump but wouldn't come out of the machine. Check if the end of it is raised above the edge of the bathtub or sink - the drain needs to be lower than the drum.

After that, you can look at the filter at the bottom (like people correctly mentioned above), but honestly, it's often not even necessary if the problem's in the hose. But if the hose is clear and the filter's clean and the machine still won't drain - then yeah, the pump impeller could be clogged or the pump itself has failed. That's when you need to call a technician.

One thing nobody mentioned - check if the drain hose is kinked right under the machine or behind it where it connects to the sewage line. Washers often shift during the cycle, and the hose gets bent at an angle that completely blocks the drain. Just pull the machine forward a bit and straighten out the hose - sometimes that's all it takes to get everything working again without taking anything apart.

What everyone forgets to check - make sure the drain system isn't clogged with air. Sometimes the washing machine refuses to drain because an air pocket forms in the siphon or the hose, especially if the drain is positioned higher than the drum. Try disconnecting the drain hose from the sewage pipe and lowering it below the level, let the water drain into a basin - if the water flows, then it's a problem with the drain geometry, not an actual breakdown.

You should understand though that with an Indesit of that age, the pump is a common problem - it loses power over time. Your neighbors already mentioned the filter and hose, and yeah, you definitely need to check those, but if everything's clean there, it's most likely the pump itself. It's actually pretty straightforward to replace, but to be sure it's worth at least checking if it makes any sound when you turn on the drain cycle - if it's completely silent, that's almost definitely it.

Which exact error code you'll get depends on the model, but the issue is usually the same. I'd recommend starting with the simplest thing: make sure the drain hose isn't kinked or squeezed. It sounds obvious, but people often move the machine around for cleaning or rearrangement, and accidentally pinch the hose against the wall or a leg. Check for any bends in it, and make sure the end of the hose is lying freely in the sink or drain pipe - not clamped or blocked by anything.

Then move on to the filter; the previous answer here is absolutely right about that. There's a hatch at the bottom front - open it, but first put a bucket or pan under the machine, because there might be some water left inside. The filter unscrews counterclockwise. If it's empty or just has a bit of lint, okay, but often there's a more serious clog. After cleaning the filter, screw it back in carefully - don't overtighten it.

If the filter's clean and the hose is fine, then it gets trickier. The pump impeller can get clogged with threads and hair - that's only checked by removing the pump. The pump itself is actually cheap, but to get to it on an Indesit, you have to take off part of the casing. If you're not confident doing it yourself, you'll need a technician at this point, because if you take it apart wrong, it's harder to put back together afterward.

You should also check whether the drain hose itself has gotten clogged on the inside - people often overlook this. Some acquaintances of mine had a similar situation with an Indesit: the machine washed fine, but it would hang up during the drain cycle, and it turned out there was a plug inside the hose made of hair and detergent that had gotten compacted over time. If the hose isn't bent or pinched, disconnect it from the machine (water might spill out, so put a bucket underneath) and blow it out or clean it from the inside with a hard object. It's easier than removing the hoses or replacing the pump.