If a Kenmore 110 washer will not drain, start with the drain hose. Kenmore's guide shows the hose form and says not to straighten the hose or force excess into the standpipe. Whirlpool's own guidance for the builder adds the drain pump filter on some front-load models, which should be cleaned occasionally, a hose no more than 4.5 inches into the drainpipe, the standpipe height, and the F9 E1 code, where drain times are longer than expected, typically over eight minutes. On the top-loader Kenmore lists small items caught in the pump or between the basket and tub as a cause of slow draining, and too much detergent making suds that slow or stop draining and spinning; select Rinse & Spin without adding detergent.
Differential
Likely causes of “Kenmore 110-series front-load washer will not drain or stops with water inside”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A clogged drain pump filter
What separates it F9 E1 shows and there is standing water because the drain pump filter is clogged
How to confirm Clean the filter, and then run a drain and spin
- 2
A drain hose that is kinked, too deep or wrongly set
What separates it The draining is slow because the drain hose is kinked, too deep or wrongly set up
How to confirm Use the hose form and keep the hose loose with an air gap
- 3
Small items in the pump (top-loader)
What separates it There is a slow drain and clicking because of small items in the pump on a top loader
How to confirm Empty pockets; call for service if items are trapped
- 4
Too much detergent
What separates it The suds slow or stop the drain because too much detergent was used
How to confirm Select Rinse & Spin and do not add detergent
- 5
Top-loader (110-series HE, Water Level knob): small items in the pump or between the basket and tub
What separates it The load is still wet or the light shows the washer could not pump out water within minutes
How to confirm Use a cycle with a low spin speed and check the pockets and drain for small items
- 6
Top-loader (110-series HE, Water Level knob): the drain hose is installed wrongly
What separates it Water backs up or the load stays wet after the cycle
How to confirm Check the hose height and whether it extends too far into the standpipe
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether F9 E1 showed on the display
- How the drain hose is set
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck the drain hose
ReversibleCheck the drain hose, which should be form fitted, not kinked, and loose with an air gap.
Clean the pump filter
ReversibleClean the pump filter, on models that have one, and refit it, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check the standpipe
ReversibleCheck the standpipe, and make sure that it is within the installation limits, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Cut the suds
ReversibleCut the suds, by running Rinse and Spin with no detergent, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Restart
ReversibleRestart, by running Drain or Spin, and watching the water leave, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check the hose
ReversibleKenmore says to check plumbing for correct drain hose installation, that the hose does not extend into the standpipe farther than recommended, that it is secured to the drain pipe or tub, and to remove any clogs from the hose. Lower the hose end if it is higher than the maximum height above the floor.
Rearrange and drain
ReversibleA tightly packed or unbalanced load may not spin correctly and leaves the load wetter than normal. Evenly arrange the wet load and select the Drain Spin cycle to remove excess water, and use a lower spin speed if small items may be caught.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Drain and spin on the top-loader
- Kenmore's top-loader table says a washer that is not draining or spinning, with loads still wet or the Spin light on because it could not pump out water within 10 minutes, has five causes: small items in the pump, a low spin speed cycle, a tightly packed or unbalanced load, an incorrect drain hose installation or a hose higher than 96 inches, and too much detergent. The remedy for each is in the same table.
- Floor drain and hose form
- The front-loader can drain to a standpipe or laundry tub with the hose form fitted, or to a floor drain that may need additional parts. Do not straighten the drain hose, and do not lay excess hose on the tub bottom. A hose that has lost its form is the usual reason a previously normal washer starts draining badly after being moved.
- Front-loader guide: F21 and the drain checks
- Kenmore's own 110.4996x guide lists F21 as a drain problem. Press STOP twice, unplug the washer, and check whether the drain hose is kinked, frozen or clogged and whether the end of the hose is more than 96 inches (2.4 m) above the floor; then plug in, re-select the cycle and press START, and call for service if F21 returns. For a washer that will not drain or spin the guide adds low household voltage (do not use an extension cord), an active SUD routine that will finish once the extra suds are removed, and an unbalanced load, which a single bulky item can cause. This front-loader's own guide uses F21 for drain, not the F9 E1 pair in Whirlpool's table for the builder's later platform.
- Drain notes
- Too much detergent creates suds that slow or stop draining and spinning; measure detergent and use Rinse & Spin to remove extra suds without adding more. Dry spots on the top of the load after the final spin can happen because the high spin speeds and air flow dry the top items, which Kenmore says is normal.
- 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 F9 E1 returns after cleaning the filter and hose, call Kenmore on 1-800-4-MY-HOME
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 my Kenmore 110 top-loader drain slowly?+
Small items in the pump, a low-spin cycle, a packed load or too much detergent.
What is Drain Spin?+
A cycle that drains and spins; the pump hums and gurgles as it works.
How do I remove extra water from the load?+
Select the Drain Spin cycle after arranging the load evenly.
Can too much detergent stop draining?+
Yes, suds can slow or stop draining and spinning.