Direct answer
A small amount of clean water in the sump can protect pump seals, while water covering the tub floor or carrying debris indicates incomplete drainage.
What this covers
- Dishwashers · normal drain state
- The exact symptom in the title before component-level repair
- Consumer-accessible controls, connections and maintenance areas
What it does not cover
- ×Smoke, burning odor, swelling, liquid on powered parts or damaged wiring
- ×Opening sealed panels, bypassing interlocks or live-electrical testing
- ×Account ownership, billing or warranty disputes
Observe before changing anything
ReversibleMeasure where the water sits after a completed cycle and whether it is clean, smelly or above the filter area.
Isolate the failing boundary
ReversibleRun Cancel/Drain and inspect the filter, pump cover, hose, air gap and disposal connection.
Apply the narrow correction
ReversibleClean and reassemble user-accessible drain parts; leave a small clean sump level alone if the manual describes it.
Verify the result and stop at the boundary
ReversibleStop for wastewater backup, glass in the pump area or water returning from the sink.
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Visible sources support the visible claims. Home Product Support records the publisher, the fact used and the review date; community reports can suggest an issue but do not become a published fact on their own.
Exact questions
Common follow-ups
What should I check first for “Is a small amount of water under the dishwasher filter normal?”?+
Measure where the water sits after a completed cycle and whether it is clean, smelly or above the filter area.
How do I know whether the problem is external or inside the device?+
Run Cancel/Drain and inspect the filter, pump cover, hose, air gap and disposal connection.
When should I stop and request repair?+
Stop for wastewater backup, glass in the pump area or water returning from the sink.
Answer for the exact device and software version shown above.