How to Troubleshoot a Midea Top-Load Washing Machine That Won't Drain

Unplug the washing machine before any inspection, draining, testing, or disassembly.

Put towels down because water often spills when hoses or the pump housing are opened.

Check that the drain hose loop is positioned about level with the rear of the washing machine.

Set the drain hose outlet to about 100 cm (39 inches) from the floor.

Adjust the hose if it’s too high or too low, because either can cause siphoning and prevent proper draining.

Look for a pump cleanout at the bottom rear of the washer if the model includes one.

Unscrew the cleanout and check for blockages at the pump area.

Lower the drain hose to at or near floor level to siphon most of the water out of the tub.

If water is in the washer and it won’t siphon out at floor level, treat it as a likely obstruction in the pump or drain path.

Tilt the washing machine onto its front or onto its side to access the underside.

Tape the lid shut or hold it securely so it doesn’t flip open while the washer is tilted.

Locate the drain pump under the washer.

Use a Phillips screwdriver or a 10 mm driver to remove the three screws holding the pump housing area in place.

Use slip-joint pliers to remove the tub hose from the pump.

Check for obstructions inside the washer tub outlet and inside the tub hose you removed.

Inspect the hose path from the pump to the outlet drain hose for blockages.

Use a flashlight to look into hoses and ports, especially if lowering the drain hose to the floor didn’t release any water.

Clear any obstruction you find and recheck draining before condemning the pump.

Find the wire bag near the rear corner of the washer where the control board is located.

Remove the screws from the back of the washer as needed to access the wire bag more easily.

Trace the drain pump wire into the wire cluster, because the wire colors can be hard to identify and may vary by model.

Remove cable ties carefully, including any surface-mount cable tie holding the pump wires in the cluster.

Unwrap any cotton wrap around the wire cluster slowly, and plan to tape it back up during reassembly.

Set a multimeter to resistance (ohms).

Press the multimeter probes into the drain pump wire harness to measure pump resistance.

Replace the pump if the reading isn’t about 16–17 ohms, using roughly a 20% margin as a guideline.

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the three or four screws on the pump housing itself.

Separate the pump housing from the pump motor.

Move the impeller paddles by hand to check for physical resistance.

Confirm the impeller has three or four firm segments that are hard to push past and spring around due to internal magnets.

Replace the pump if the paddles feel loose or damaged, because the impeller may be stripped.

Route the pump wires back through the wire cluster the same way they were originally installed.

Re-tie the wire cluster and rewrap the cotton wrap, then tape it back up so the wires can’t move around.

Mount the wire bag back onto the side of the machine using its metal wire tie.

Reattach the tub hose to the pump, and clamp it securely.

Reinstall the three screws that secure the pump housing to the drum area.

Secure the pump wiring with cable ties as needed so it can’t rub, snag, or jostle while the washer runs.

Access the control board area from the back of the washer or while the washer is laid on its front.

Unplug the pump connector from the control board at CN5.

Use a multimeter to test continuity or resistance between pin 3 and pin 6 on the wires going to the pump.

If you get continuity, suspect a bad control board that isn’t triggering the drain pump.

If you don’t get continuity, suspect a wiring fault between the board and the pump, possibly in the wire bag area.