Miele Dishwasher Not Draining? Here’s Why

A dishwasher that isn’t draining isn’t just annoying, it can be unhygienic, smelly, and cause long-term damage to your appliance. While Miele is known for their high-end dishwashers and long-lasting appliances, problems can and do occur. Thankfully, many of the issues that cause drainage problems in a Miele dishwasher are relatively easy to fix—even for a novice DIYer! We walk you through how to troubleshoot the cause of the drainage issue and how to fix the issue once you’ve figured out what it is. Let’s get started. 

This guide applies to all popular models of Miele dishwashers, including:

G 5056 SCVi SF

G 5008 SCU

G 7106 SCU XXL

G 7166 SCVi XXL

G 7176 SCVi XXL

G 7316 SCU XXL

G 7366 SCVi XXL

G 7566 SCVi SF

G 7966 SCVi

G 5892 SCVi SL

G 5053 SCVi

G 5481 SCVi SL

G 5000 SC Front

G 5000 SC

G 5210 SC Front

G 5210 SCU

G 5263 SCVi

G 7114 SC Front

G 7114 SCU

G 7114 SCi

G 7314 SCU

G 7319 SCU XXL

G 7319 SCi XXL

G 7369 SCVi XXL

G 7519 SCi XXL

G 7599 SCVi XXL

G 7919 SCi XXL

G 7969 SCVi XXL

Blocked Filter

A blocked filter is a relatively common cause of a dishwasher that won’t drain, and it’s also a pretty easy fix. Miele recommends that you remove and clean the drain filter once a week for optimal performance. If you’ve neglected this task, your filter can become clogged with food particles and debris, restricting water flow and preventing complete drainage. 

If the filter is the culprit behind your drainage issue, you’ll likely notice excessive food particles building up around the filter area at the bottom of your dishwasher as well as water pooling after a cycle has finished. Here’s how to resolve it:

• Remove the lower dishwasher rack to access the filter. 
• Remove the filter cover and pull out the filter. 
• Rinse the filter and filter cover thoroughly under running water, ensuring all food particles and debris are removed. 
• Use a small scrubbing brush to remove any stubborn grime. 
• If the filter is really dirty, soak it in a mild detergent and warm water solution for half an hour, then scrub and rinse. 
• Once the filter is completely clean, reinstall it in your dishwasher and replace the filter cover and lower dish rack.
• Run a test cycle to see if the drainage issue has been resolved. 

Clogged Drain Hose

If cleaning the filter didn’t fix your problem, you might have a clog in the drain hose. This is particularly likely if your filter has been blocked for a while as this can lead to food particles getting into the dishwasher’s water system and ending up in the drain hose. Drain hoses can also become kinked or pinched, particularly if you’ve recently installed or moved your dishwasher. Here’s what to do:

• Pull your dishwasher away from the wall to access the drain hose at the back. You may need someone to help you or you can use a furniture dolly. 
• Check the drain hose to see if it’s kinked or pinched in any places and ensure the hose is straight. 
• If the hose is free from kinks, it may have a clog. Have a towel ready to catch any spills, then disconnect the drain hose from the back of your dishwasher and remove the drainage end from the drain pipe. 
• Run water through the drain hose to check for clogs. If you do find a blockage, use a length of wire to clear it. 
• Once water can run freely through the hose, reconnect it to the dishwasher. 
• Put the dishwasher back in place, then run a test cycle to see if the drainage issue has been resolved. 

Obstructed Drain Pump Impeller

Once you’ve ruled out issues with the filter or drainage hose, it’s time to check the drain pump. The drain pump works to pump dirty water out of the dishwasher and into the drain hose, but if the pump is damaged or obstructed in some way, it won’t be able to work properly. The most common issue that occurs with a drain pump is an obstructed pump impeller. The impeller is a small part of the pump that looks like a fan. Its role is to spin, which helps to expel water. But if something gets lodged in it, your dishwasher won’t be able to drain. The most common items to block a pump impeller are bits of broken glass or crockery, but other hard items such as fruit pits can cause issues. Here’s how to check:

• Unplug your Miele dishwasher to ensure your safety. 
• Consult your owner’s manual to find out how to access the drain pump in your particular model. For many Miele dishwashers, this will involve removing the front bottom panel. 
• Once you’ve gained access to the drain pump, check if anything is stuck in the impeller and remove any blockages. Once cleared, you should be able to turn the impeller freely by hand. 
• Put your dishwasher back together and run a test cycle to ensure it’s now draining properly. 

Issues With Garbage Disposal Drain

If your dishwasher drains into your garbage disposal drain, a build-up of food and debris can cause drainage issues in your dishwasher. Here’s how to solve it:

• Run water into your garbage disposal. If you notice water pooling or draining slowly, then this is the likely cause of your problems. 
• Try running the garbage disposal to get rid of any build-up. If it sounds like there’s a blockage, turn off power to the garbage disposal by flipping the corresponding circuit breaker and use pliers or tongs to remove whatever is causing the blockage. 
• Restore power and run the garbage disposal along with running water until the water is draining freely. 
• Run a test cycle with your Miele dishwasher to see if the drainage issue is fixed.