[mjpalad]

My dishwasher has been working great for years but stopped draining a few days ago. I have verified the drain hose is clear, air-gap is clear, hose from air-gap to garbage disposal is clear, and the knockout plug in the disposal has been correctly removed. My thinking is most likely the drain pump needs to be replaced.

The dishwasher does make a slightly different sound than it used to when it enters the drain cycle.

Anyone know of any other diagnosing I can do or other possible problems before I spend the money on a new drain pump?

Thanks in advance.

[woodchuck]

I would make sure there isn't anything jammed in the pump stopping it up.

[mjpalad]

Thanks for the response. I pulled it out and eyeballed it and it seemed clear. I then ran water through it and it seemed to pass through with no problems.

I saw an article at Dishwasher Repair Guide: How To Check the Drain Valve - ACME HOW TO.com that talks about testing the pump with a multimeter. Does that seem like a legitimate test?

[mjpalad]

Just to update, I got a used drain pump from a local used appliance store and that did the trick. It sure was satisfying to see that water start pumping.

[Danwilliams]

I'm interested in the same problem my maytag is leaving an inch of water near the opening in the bottom. I'm not sure what to check

[mjpalad]

I'm far from an expert, but from the reading I did and talking to others, when a dishwasher isn't completely draining, the first thing to do is verify that there are no clogs in the filter in the bottom of the dishwasher. If that is clear and your drain hose goes to an air gap (the little thing that sticks up from the sink), verify that the drain gap is clear. From there you can check the hose to the air gap and the hose from the air gap to the garbage disposal.

If all of that is clear (as it was in my case), it is probably a mechanical issue with your pump or possibly with the timing motor.

Good luck!