Is your GE Profile Dishwasher not draining? Don’t panic! Experiencing this common issue can certainly raise your stress levels, especially if you’re unsure how to fix it. This article, l will guide you through easy-to-follow steps to troubleshoot and resolve the problem, getting your dishwasher back to optimum performance. Don’t let your faulty dishwasher get you down; follow my advice and you will be back in action.

Why Your GE Profile Dishwasher Won’t Drain

There are a number of common reasons your GE Profile dishwasher won’t drain. From a clogged filter or air gap to a Drain Hose that is obstructed or damaged in some way, or maybe one of the machine’s components is faulty. Let’s take a closer look at each of these issues in more detail. 

1. Clogged Filter

All dishwashers have a filter designed to catch food particles that come off the dishes during a wash cycle, as well as foreign objects such as broken glass that may find their way to the bottom of the machine. If the filter becomes clogged or blocked with debris, water will not be able to drain and exit the appliance, or it may drain slowly and leave standing water at the bottom of the device. 

2. Clogged Air Gap

The air gap, also sometimes called a check valve, sits under your kitchen sink or countertop and ensures that dirty water from your dishwasher doesn’t flow back into the dishwasher or your clean water supply. It’s essentially a safety mechanism to prevent cross-contamination and water backflow. It does this by routing the dishwasher drain water into the air gap and then into your sink drain or garbage disposal.

If the air gap becomes clogged with debris or stays closed when the dishwasher tries to drain, the dirty water will not be able to drain from the machine and this results in standing water in the bottom of the appliance. 

3. Drain Hose Obstructed, Crushed or Kinked

Dishwasher drain hoses can become clogged with food particles, grease or sud residue as the dirty water exits the machine. As such, most manufacturers recommend checking for and cleaning out any obstructions in the hose as part of a routine maintenance schedule. 

Drain hoses are also prone to a number of problems with their profile, such as being crushed behind the dishwasher, during installation, or perhaps the hose loop kinks, or sitting at an acute vertical angle restricting the outward flow of wastewater,

If your newly installed GE dishwasher is not draining properly, it could be that its drain hose has been damaged or obstructed in some way during installation. 

4. Faulty Components

The GE Profile dishwasher uses a number of components during the draining process, such as the drain pump and drain solenoid valve. If either of these parts fails the appliance won’t drain properly. 

For example, the drain pump impeller that’s used to push out water could be obstructed. Or the drain pump may have failed and needs replacing.  Fixing Your GE Profile Dishwasher. I will cover more on component failure later.

Fixing Your GE Profile Dishwasher

With most of the issues I covered previously, you should be able to troubleshoot and fix the problem yourself, before calling out a technician. Most of them involve inspecting and cleaning out the areas of the appliance included in the draining process. 

Keep in mind that you may need to pull the appliance out and place it on its back to access certain components. With that said, let’s get into the troubleshooting steps that always start with the simplest fix, inspecting the drain filter. 

1. Clean The Water Filter

The water filter is located at the bottom of the tub underneath the spray arm. See the image below to help you to locate it.

Follow the steps below to clean the water filter. If you find the filter is damaged or beyond cleaning, you can purchase a replacement filter here.  

1. With the dishwasher open, remove the lower dish rack and place it aside. 
2. Remove the lower spray arm to reveal the filter underneath. 
3. Twist the filter counterclockwise to remove it.
4. Clean the filter out by removing any large chunks and washing them in warm, soapy water. 
5. Replace the filter by turning it clockwise.
6. Replace the spray arm and lower dish rack. 

2. Inspect The Drain Hose Is Not Obstructed

Next, you will need to check if your dishwasher drain hose is kinked or obstructed. To do this follow this step-by-step guide:

1. Disconnect the power from the dishwasher. 
2. Remove the drain hose from the disposal under the sink to check for and remove any visible blockages.
3. Take a pitcher of water and pour it into the end of the drain hose to see if it runs through into the bottom of your dishwasher. If it doesn’t you will know the hose is clogged with grease or other debris.
4. To clear the hose, first, unscrew and remove the kick plate at the base of the dishwasher
5. Access the other end of the drain hose attached to the drain pump. 
6. Disconnect the drain hose from the pump. 
7. You can attempt to clear the drain hose with a pressure washer or with a length of stiff wire. I would recommend switching it for a replacement drain hose such as this Universal Drain Hose

3. Check The Garbage Disposal

If your GE dishwasher is connected to garbage disposal, its drainage issues might be caused by a clog in the garbage disposal. To find out, follow the steps outlined below.

1. Clean out the garbage disposal. Carefully remove any obstructions you find as this could be the cause of your dishwasher drainage issues. 
2. Use an environmentally friendly disposal cleaner to unclog the appliance and keep it in good working order. 
3. If your garbage disposal or dishwasher is newly installed, check that the knockout plug has been removed from the disposal, which must be done for the dishwasher to drain properly. To do this, you must remove the dishwasher’s drain hose from the disposal to locate the knockout plug. 
4. If the knockout plug has not been removed, remove it and reconnect the drain hose. 

4. Inspect the Impeller

The drain pump in your GE dishwasher has an impeller that drives water through the unit during the draining process. If the impeller becomes obstructed by food debris or grease, the pump will fail to drain the wastewater. To check if the impeller is spinning freely, follow the steps below. 

1. Safety first! Make sure your dishwasher is disconnected from the power source before you begin.
2. Slide out the lower rack of your dishwasher to give yourself more room to work.
3. Remove the Spray Arm, which is located in the middle of the dishwasher floor. It can usually be unscrewed or unclipped from the assembly.
4. Once you remove the spray arm, you’ll see the pump assembly. The cover is usually held in place by screws or clips that need to be removed.
5. After you have removed the pump cover, you’ll find the impeller. This is a fan-like part that moves the water through the dishwasher.
6. Check the impeller spins freely. You may need to use a small tool such as a wooden skewer or blunt knife to spin the tiny impeller 

5. Test for Drain Pump Malfunction

If you discover that the impeller is not the issue, you can test the drain pump to find out if it has malfunctioned. Follow the steps below. 

1. Make sure the dishwasher is disconnected from the power. 
2. Remove the drain pump. 
3. Use a multimeter to check for continuity. If there is none, the pump should be replaced – it cannot be repaired. 
4. Locate the part number on the drain pump itself or consult your dishwasher’s owner’s manual for help in identifying the correct part number. 
5. Take the part number or the faulty pump with you to your local hardware or home improvement store to purchase a new one. You can also contact GE for a replacement part. 

Watch the short video below to get a visual guide on how to test the continuity of your dishwasher. 

6. Inspect the Check Valve

A faulty check valve may be to blame for your dishwasher not draining properly. While its job is to keep dirty water from re-entering the appliance at the end of a wash cycle, sometimes it can become stuck in the closed position. To find out if this is the case, follow these steps. 

1. Locate the check valve, which is positioned at the outlet of the drain hose. 
2. Check for any visible signs of blockage and remove them. 
3. If the valve is damaged, go ahead and order a new component and replace it by following the step in this short demonstration video:

When To Call The Professionals

Most of these issues covered in the article can be fixed by you at home. With that said, if you are uncomfortable with conducting the necessary steps to solve your dishwasher drainage issue, or if your dishwasher fails to drain properly after following the guide above, I recommend contacting a professional plumber to troubleshoot and fix the issue for you.