Nobody likes doing laundry but what makes it downright dreadful is when something happens during the wash cycle. For instance, if the washing machine doesn’t drain then you are stuck with sopping wet clothes. Although you are likely to think the worst, chances are that the solution to this problem can be solved without calling a technician. Or you can consider a new washing machine.
The most likely reasons a Hotpoint washing machine isn’t draining is because of a clogged drain hose, a blocked drain pump, or a broken drive belt among a few others. Luckily, you don’t have to be a trained professional to handle problems such as these. With a few tips and a little bit of patience, you can resolve the problem on your own and get back to your normal laundry day.
In this article, we will take a look at a few common reasons why the water is not draining and what you can do about it.
Common reasons that water won’t drain properly
A Hotpoint washing machine that was otherwise working properly and then suddenly has water inside the washing tub that won’t drain is not usually anything to panic about. Usually, the cause is due to a few different common problems that can come up suddenly.
Many common problems are due to human error such as leaving the settings on “crease care” or “rinse hold”. When you change to the proper wash setting then the cycle will finish and the water will drain.
If that isn’t the case then you’ll need to read on for the common causes of water not draining properly and how to fix them so you can go through all of the troubleshooting steps to fix the problem.
Clogged drain pump aka coin trap
The name coin trap for the drain filter should give a good indication as to what is usually causing the blockage. At a certain point during the drain cycle, objects such as coins and other small items will slip past the drum and end up in the coin trap pump. There is a filter there that traps many of these items and this causes a clogged pump. Lint from the clothes can also combine with soap suds and scum and create a sludge that results in a clogged pump.
While the problem could be a defective drain pump, chances are if you haven’t experienced a slow draining tub or heard noises coming from the washer during the spin cycle that it is a blockage. Luckily, clearing this blockage from the coin trap pump is simple and quick. To check if the coin trap pump filter is blocked and to manually drain the water from the tub, read the following steps.
- Turn off the Hotpoint washing machine by unplugging it from the power outlet
- Shut off the incoming water supply to the machine itself or into the whole house
- Look for the service flap on the bottom of the unit. Some will be on the bottom right and can be opened without tools. Other models will have the entire bottom panel required to be opened with a screwdriver
- If there is a drain fill hose then detach it from the clip and pull out until it stops
- Have a shallow container ready to collect the dirty water and remove the nozzle end
- Locate the cover cap for the washer drain pump filter and slowly turn it anti-clockwise to slowly release the excess water
- If the washer model has no hose then lift the machine and lean it on a receptacle before opening the cover cap of the pump so it can drain into the bucket
- Remove the coin trap drain filter and inspect it for obstructions and sludge build-up
- Inspect inside the pump chamber to see if there are any items such as coins, hair clips, or even sludge
- Check the impeller in the back of the washer chamber behind the coin trap pump to ensure that it is turning properly and not stuck. Don’t force the impeller if it doesn’t move to avoid breaking it
- Once everything is cleaned, replace the parts and tighten the cover cap of the pump
- Close the washer service flap and then turn on the incoming water and reconnect the machine to the power supply
Once the Hotpoint washing machine has been drained and any obstructions cleared from the washer pump you can do a test cycle to see if the problem has been resolved. If there was a lot of sludge in the chamber then you will probably be faced with a terrible smell coming from inside the washer now. For the test cycle, use a powder washing machine cleaner that you put directly into the tub and run the clean cycle at 90°C.
After having inspected the drain pump, if there are no obstructions then you may be faced with it still refusing to drain the water from the tub during the drain cycle. Run a test cycle and see what happens but don’t be surprised to see that the water pump won’t drain. If this is the case then it’s on to the next step.
Blocked or kinked sump hose
The next most logical place to look is the washing machine drain hose. This is the flexible and corrugated hose that connects to the drain pump to expel the water. The other end of the drain hose either goes into a direct drain from the washing machine out of the house. Or, it can be installed to fit onto the under-sink drain. Either way the drain hose drains, it could be an issue with this drain hose causing the problem with the standing water in the washer tub.
Since the drain hose is somewhat soft, it is susceptible to bending or kinking and this impedes the water flow out into the drain. First, check to make sure that the drain hose isn’t bent. If you had recently moved the washing machine when the water failed to drain before the spin cycle for the first time then the drain hose may have gotten kinked, or it got pushed too far into the drain pipe. One possibility is the machine is off-balance due to overloading the Hotpoint washer with laundry, then the shaking can move it around and kink the hose.
If the washer machine hose isn’t kinked then take a look inside to see if it is blocked. Some of the hoses are opaque so an obstruction from small objects can be seen. Otherwise, you can disconnect the hose from the washer machine and bring it outside. Run a garden hose through the drain hose to see if it pushes out any items that would block the water from draining properly.
Blocked main drain
Sometimes some of the small items that get sent into the drain pump filter can pass all the way through and end up in the main drain pipe out of the house. This can also cause the water to not drain in your Hotpoint washing machine. The first thing to check is the u-bend at the bottom of the pipe where the washer machine sump hose connects. In some cases, this is a dedicated drain pipe next to the washing machine to remove water to outside the house. In other cases, it is under the sink if your sump hose connects there.
Have a small tub to place underneath to catch water when you open up the pipe. Look fto see if it’s clogged or a build-up of sludge and debris in the pipe. If there is any then clean it out well and reattach it to the pipe.
If there was an obstruction or debris then this was the likely culprit and you should be able to run a test cycle without any issues at this point. Of course, if there was no debris you will have to continue on with your troubleshooting mission.
Unbalanced load
If you are regularly overloading your washer machine then you are causing it to strain itself and can cause it to become unbalanced. When it is unbalanced it tends to move around a lot. This motion is detected as the drum inside moves in a way that could cause serious damage. The result is the cycle stops and there can be water left in the tub. Try to avoid overloading to achieve balance.
Faulty lid switch assembly
There are some Hotpoint washing machines that are top-loaded. For those that have one of the models, if all of the previous troubleshooting tips didn’t work then there may be a problem unique to the top-loading washer models. This is because there is a safety feature called the lid switch assembly that prevents the drum from spinning when the top door is open. If you left the lid open then it would fill up but not spin so there would be no way to complete the wash cycle and the water would remain. In this case, it’s simply a matter of closing the door to get the lid switch assembly to activate and the cycle to finish.
If the door had been kept closed then the lid switch could be faulty. To see if the lid switch assembly is working or not, you can use a multimeter. If you don’t have one then look to see if the open door indicator light comes on when you lift the door. If it doesn’t then this means that the lid switch assembly isn’t able to send a signal that the door is open.
Unfortunately, if this is the case then you will need to call in a technician to fix the issue. You won’t be able to disassemble the Hotpoint washer machine and replace the part unless you have experience.
Damaged water pump belt
For the drum to rotate to wash the clothes and spin them dry, the washer motor has to be able to turn it. This is done by a water pump belt that attaches the drum to the motor. If this belt gets loose or damaged then the drum won’t rotate and the water to not drain properly.
Fortunately, the water pump belt is something that many people can fix themselves. If you are able to tip over the washing machine onto its side then you can access the bottom. Remove the metal protection and then locate the water pump belt. The drive belt is usually black or brown and is attached with two screws.
Once you’ve removed the screws, you can take the belt away from the washer. If the drive belt looks worn then this was the likely cause of the problem. Replace it with a new belt and you should have the problem fixed. This is a good thing to look out for regularly when you own a washing machine anyway.
Final Word
There are a number of reasons that a Hotpoint washing machine can end up with standing water that doesn’t drain. Luckily, not many of them are anything to worry about. With a little elbow grease and determination, you can take back your laundry day and not have to pay a Hotpoint washer machine technician in the process.
FAQ
What does the F05 error code mean?
Before you even realize that there is standing water in the Hotpoint washing machine you will be alerted to the fact with the F05 error code means that there is a waste pipe blockage or an issue with the pump. Unfortunately, it doesn’t differentiate so you will have to go through some of the troubleshooting tips to figure out what the issue is. The worst-case scenario is you’ll need a new pump for your Hotpoint washer.
What does the F11 error code mean?
The F11 error code is more explicit when you have water not draining as it indicates that there is a problem with the drain pump. Specifically, it means that there is a faulty pump circuit and you will need to call a technician right away to book a service call.
