For water that keeps entering or leaving a Kenmore 110 washer at the wrong time, the drain hose is the cause. Kenmore's guide for the front-loader shows a drain hose form: snap either end of the form to the drain hose where the corrugation begins, bend the hose over the form and snap it in place. To keep drain water from going back into the washer do not straighten the drain hose, do not force excess hose into the standpipe, keep the hose secure but loose enough to leave a gap for air, and do not lay excess hose on the bottom of the laundry tub.
The top-loader's guidance is the same; its troubleshooting also says water may run back if the standpipe is too low or the hose too deep.
Differential
Likely causes of “Kenmore 110-series front-load washer fills with water while turned off”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A drain hose without its form or pushed in too far
What separates it Water siphons back because the drain hose has no form or is pushed in too far
How to confirm Fit the drain hose form and keep the hose loose with an air gap
- 2
Excess hose forced into the standpipe
What separates it Drain water returns because excess hose is forced into the standpipe
How to confirm Do not force excess hose in, and leave an air gap
- 3
Excess hose lying in the laundry tub
What separates it Water flows back because excess hose is lying in the laundry tub
How to confirm Do not lay excess hose on the bottom of the tub
- 4
A leaking inlet valve
What separates it Water enters with the washer off because of a leaking inlet valve
How to confirm Close the faucets and call for service, since the inlet valve leaks
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- How the drain hose is set up
- Whether the water stops with the faucets closed
- Whether an inlet valve hums after a cycle
Try in this order
0 of 5 completedClose the faucets
ReversibleClose the faucets, and see whether the level stops changing, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check the drain hose form
ReversibleSnap it to the hose where the corrugation begins and bend the hose over it.
Leave an air gap
ReversibleLeave an air gap, since the hose must be secure but loose enough to leave a gap.
Keep the hose short in the standpipe
ReversibleKeep the hose short in the standpipe, and do not force excess hose in or lay it on the tub bottom.
Test with a short cycle
ReversibleTest with a short cycle, and watch the fill and the drain, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Installation drain notes
- Kenmore's installation section for the front-loader covers the drain hose form, the floor drain option and the standpipe. Do not force excess drain hose into the standpipe, and connect the drain hose form to the corrugated hose. Properly levelling the washer avoids excessive noise and vibration, and the four feet must be tightened with a 17 mm open-end wrench so the nuts sit against the cabinet.
- Whirlpool's siphon numbers
- Whirlpool's own articles for its washers give the drain numbers as no more than 4.5 inches of hose in the drainpipe, no tape, a drain top at least 30 inches (39 inches in some articles) above the floor and no more than 96 inches. Kenmore's 110 line is built by Whirlpool, so the same limits are a sensible check if the water keeps moving.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the 110-series top-load washer.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the drum fills with the faucets closed, unplug the washer and call Kenmore on 1-800-4-MY-HOME
- !If water reaches wiring, shut off the water at the main
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Kenmore's own guide for the 110 front-loader in full: the pages that carry the troubleshooting, care and cleaning sections are images, so they were read by text recognition and checked against the printed page.
Whirlpool's own table of front-load washer codes, used for the builder's front-load platform.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does drain water go back into my Kenmore washer?+
The hose is straightened, forced too far in, or sealed without an air gap.
What is the drain hose form?+
A plastic form that bends the hose to provide the correct length in the drain.
Should the hose be tight in the pipe?+
No; it should be secure but loose enough to leave a gap for air.
Can I run the hose to a floor drain?+
Yes; the guide lists a floor drain option that may need additional parts.
What if water enters with the faucets off?+
Call for service; a valve may be leaking.