For water that keeps moving in a Kenmore 796 washer when it should not, Kenmore's guide points to the drain hose. The hose must be tied to the inlet hose or standpipe so it cannot come out during draining, and inserted about 8 to 12 inches (20.3 to 30.5 cm) into the standpipe; the maximum drain height is 96 inches (244 cm) above the bottom of the washer. A drain hose that has come out or is not inserted far enough is a listed cause of water leaking around the washer, and a hose that is kinked, pinched or clogged is a cause of slow draining.
The water level in the washer being too high due to a faulty water valve shows as an error: close the water faucets, unplug the washer and call for service.
Differential
Likely causes of “Kenmore 796-series front-load washer fills with water while turned off”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A faulty water valve
What separates it The water level is too high and an error shows
How to confirm Close the faucets, unplug the washer and call for service
- 2
A drain hose that has come out of the drain
What separates it There is water on the floor while draining because the drain hose has come out of the drain
How to confirm Tie the hose to the inlet hose or standpipe
- 3
A drain hose not inserted far enough
What separates it There is water at the standpipe because the drain hose is not inserted far enough
How to confirm Insert it about 8 to 12 inches into the standpipe
- 4
A drain higher than 96 inches
What separates it There is poor draining and water returning because the drain is higher than 96 inches
How to confirm Adjust or repair the drain, and run a short cycle
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether an error code shows and which
- How far the hose is inserted and its height
- Whether water enters with the faucets closed
Try in this order
0 of 5 completedClose the faucets
ReversibleClose the faucets, and unplug the washer if it is still filling, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check the drain hose
ReversibleCheck the drain hose, which should be tied to the inlet hose or the standpipe and inserted 8 to 12 inches.
Check the drain height
ReversibleCheck the drain height, which must be no more than 96 inches above the bottom of the washer.
Read the display
ReversibleRead the display, since a high level error means a faulty water valve, so call for service.
Test a short cycle
ReversibleTest 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
- The error-monitoring system
- Kenmore says the washer has an automatic error-monitoring system to detect and diagnose problems at an early stage, and the troubleshooting table lists the display errors and what to do. For a faulty water valve or a water level sensor that is not working correctly, the instruction is the same: close the water faucets, unplug the washer and call for service.
- Washer in a freezing area
- If the washer may be exposed to freezing temperatures, Kenmore's storage steps are to turn off the water supply, disconnect and drain the hoses, add 1 gallon of nontoxic RV antifreeze to the empty drum, run the drain, unplug and dry the drum, and later run the Express Wash cycle with no laundry to clear the antifreeze. Frozen water in a valve can otherwise crack it and cause leaks.
- Parts for this problem on the FRONT (RepairClinic, 2026-09-21)
- water inlet valve assembly, part number AJU75152601, at $143.80.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the 796-series top-load washer.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the water level is too high with the faucets closed, unplug the washer and call Kenmore Customer Care on 1-844-553-6667
- !If water reaches wiring, shut off the water at the main
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Kenmore's own manual for the 796 top-loader.
LG's own list for the maker of the 796 platform: IE inlet, OE drain, dE door, UE unbalance, LE motor rotation and PF power failure to confirm the display letters the Kenmore guide's scan could not show.
LG's own top-load list, which carries the same IE, OE, UE, dE, LE and PF letters used by the 796.3143 top-loader.
Kenmore's own manual lookup, where the model number identifies the original platform.
Parts and list prices as shown on RepairClinic's parts search for this model number on 2026-09-21.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does water keep entering my Kenmore washer?+
A faulty water valve can let it in; the washer shows an error for a high water level.
How far should the drain hose go into the standpipe?+
About 8 to 12 inches (20.3 to 30.5 cm).
What is the maximum drain height?+
96 inches (244 cm) above the bottom of the washer.
Should I tie the drain hose?+
Yes, to the inlet hose or standpipe so it cannot come out.