How To Drain GE Dishwasher [Including Mid Cycle]

Found water pooling at the bottom of your GE dishwasher? This may be a sign that the drain isn't working, and you might need to force it to drain. Don't worry! We've done the research to come up with a solution to this issue for you.

To force your GE dishwasher to drain, follow these steps:

  1. Press and hold the start button for 3 seconds. 
  2. Listen for the draining sound and wait until it stops before checking to see if all the water has drained. 
  3. Repeat the process if there's any remaining water. 

If you're draining your GE dishwasher mid-cycle, you need to cancel the cycle first by following these steps:

  1. Some GE dishwasher models have a "Stop/Pause" or "Cancel" button, so press that if yours has one.
  2. If your model does not have a "Cancel button," cancel the cycle by slightly opening the door. 
  3. See to it that the spraying has stopped. 
  4. Open the door more fully to access the control panel. 
  5. Press the start or reset button and hold it for a second. 
  6. Perform steps 1 and 2 above to force your GE dishwasher to drain. 

If following these steps doesn't eliminate the water at the bottom of your GE dishwasher, you may have to drain it manually. Keep reading because we'll cover how to do so in the succeeding section of this post! We'll also help you diagnose and fix what issues may be preventing your GE dishwasher from draining.

Properly manage and arrange dishes in dishwasher, How To Drain GE Dishwasher Inclduing mid cycle

How To Drain Your GE Dishwasher Manually

Getting rid of standing water from your GE dishwasher is the first step to finding out why it won't drain water by itself as it's designed to do. This means you'll have to drain it manually if forcing it to drain doesn't work.

Here are the steps to drain your GE dishwasher:

1. Remove all the dishes and silverware

It's important to clear out your dishwasher before doing anything else. Set aside your plates, utensils, and kitchenware and place them on the sink or counter. Remove the bottom rack of the dishwasher as well.

2. Turn off the power supply and water supply

Turn off the power supply by unplugging it from the outlet or shutting down the circuit breaker to which it's connected.

Then, turn off the water supply by looking for the water line connecting to the dishwasher. This is a copper or stainless steel line that should be just right under the sink.

You also need to close the shut-off valve under the sink that supplies water to the dishwasher.

3. Remove standing water from the dishwasher

Now you'll want to remove all the water from your dishwasher. It's important to lay down towels around the base to absorb any spillage, especially if you have a lot of water at the bottom.

You can use towels to absorb the water or use a plastic cup to scoop it up and place it into a bucket. If there's plenty of water and you want to speed up the process, you can also use a wet/dry vacuum for this step.

Check out this wet/dry vacuum on Amazon.

Reasons Why Your GE Dishwasher Won't Drain

Dishwasher filter overused or not cleaned every after wash

Now that you've removed water completely from your GE dishwasher, the next step is to find out what's causing the issue in the first place.

Here are a few of the most common reasons why your GE dishwasher won't drain:

Clogged drain hose

A clogged or kinked drain hose can keep your GE dishwasher from draining properly.

To address this issue, you'll need to remove the hose using pliers or a screwdriver to detach the clamps holding it in place. At this point, you can straighten out any kinks.

If your hose isn't kinked, then blockage inside the hose may be the culprit. Clear out any debris or blockages using a wire or a drain snake. After cleaning, you can put it back into place and check if the dishwasher drains properly.

Damaged drain pump impeller

The drain pump on your GE dishwasher uses an impeller to push water through the drain hose and down into the drain tube. A damaged impeller will cause water to pool at the bottom of your dishwasher.

In some GE dishwasher models, you can replace an impeller independently. Find out how to do this by watching this video:

Other models will require you to replace the entire drain pump if the impeller malfunctions.

It's also important to check if the drain pump itself is malfunctioning as this can also prevent your GE dishwasher from draining properly.

Use a multimeter to perform a continuity test on your drain pump. If it shows a reading of 200 ohms, then it's not the problem. If it fails to show any reading, then you'll need to replace it.

Check out this digital multimeter on Amazon.

Dirty filter

Maintenance is the key for low cost repair

Every GE dishwasher comes with a drain filter that keeps food particles and debris from entering and causing blockages in the drain pump. However, when it's not cleaned regularly, it can become clogged and prevent proper draining.

To resolve this issue, you'll need to access the filter at the bottom of the dishwasher to clean it. Take note that while all GE dishwasher models have a Fine Filter, some also have an Ultra-Fine Filter that will need cleaning as well.

Learn how to clean your GE dishwasher filter by reading this post: "How To Clean A GE Dishwasher Filter."

Clogged air gap

An air gap is a fitting installed with your dishwasher drain plumbing, designed to keep discharged water from re-entering the dishwasher.

However, clogs can build up inside the air gap over time, which can prevent water from flowing freely. You can clear out these clogs by removing the cap of the air gap and cleaning it to get rid of any debris that could be causing the blockage.

Faulty drain solenoid

The drain solenoid is responsible for opening the drain valve during the drain cycle, allowing water to exit the dishwasher. When it malfunctions, the dishwasher won't be able to drain water.

You can perform a multimeter test on the drain solenoid to check if it's faulty. Another option is to turn the timer on the dishwasher during a cycle until the solenoid turns on. If it doesn't engage, you'll need to replace it.

Issues with garbage disposal

Problems with your garbage disposal can also be to blame for your GE dishwasher's failure to drain. If your dishwasher has only recently been installed and is connected to the garbage disposal, you will need to remove the drain plug in it to allow it to drain water effectively.

If you're already certain that the drain plug has been removed, you'll need to detach the drain hose from the garbage disposal. After this, clean the drain hose and clear out any clogs. Then, you can put the drain hose back into place and check if this solves the issue.

Take note: if your dishwasher isn't connected to the garbage disposal, you have to keep the drain plug in place.

Water Leakage on floor causes might be clogged drainage on dishwasher

How do you reset a GE dishwasher?

GE dishwasher models come with a "Start/Reset" button, so all you have to do is press and hold this button for a few seconds, then wait two minutes for it to reset.

If this doesn't solve the issue(s) you're experiencing with your appliance you may need to perform a hard reset. To do this, cut off the power supply to the dishwasher by turning off the circuit breaker connected to it. Wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on.

Why won't my GE dishwasher start the wash cycle?

There are a number of reasons why your GE dishwasher won't start the wash cycle, including:

Power failure

This can be caused by a blown fuse, tripped breaker, and disconnected or burnt wires. Often, the solution to this issue is by restoring the power supply to the dishwasher and resetting it.

Child Lock enabled

The Child Lock safety feature can be the culprit responsible for your dishwasher's failure to start. All you have to do in this case is to turn it off.

Water valve turned off

Make sure the water valve supplying water to your GE dishwasher is turned on. If it's defective, you'll need to replace it.

Do GE dishwashers have problems?

Cleaned and well organized dishwasher and well functioning

While GE dishwashers are widely praised for their top-notch quality, reliability, and efficient cleaning, they're not spared from issues that dishwashers face with regular use. These may include:

  • Inability to fill with water
  • Problems with proper draining
  • Failure to start
  • Failure to dry dishes
  • Water leaks

The Wrap-Up

Properly manage and arrange dishes in dishwasher

Standing water at the bottom of your GE dishwasher is a clear sign that it isn't draining properly. Make sure to drain it by force or by hand and get to the bottom of the issue to keep your GE dishwasher functioning properly.

Did you find this article helpful? Check out these other posts about GE dishwashers:

GE Dishwasher Beeps Every 60 Seconds—What To Do?

How Long Should A GE Dishwasher Run? [Inc. On Normal]

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