On the covered Kenmore 722 series dishwasher, OE means Kenmore's service table lists this code as: not draining. First, check the sink drain or garbage disposal for a clog and clear any clogs you find. Then: if the sink or garbage disposal drains okay, pull off the dishwasher drain hose from the sink or garbage disposal connection and check the end of the drain hose for a grease clog. Clear grease clogs from the drain hose. If the dishwasher uses an air gap, check the air gap for clogs and clear any clogs.
The checks in more detail
Unplug the dishwasher and check the entire drain hose between the drain pump and the sink drain connection for clogs and clear any drain hose clogs. If you find no clogs in the drain path, check the dishwasher sump and drain pump for clogs and remove any clogs. If the sump and drain pump are clear, check the wiring connections on the drain pump and reconnect any loose wires. If the wiring connections are okay, disconnect the wires from the drain pump and check the resistance of the drain pump motor using a multimeter.
The meter should measure between 4 and 5 ohms of resistance through the drain pump motor pins 1 and 2, pins 2 and 3 and pins 1 and 3. Replace the drain pump if the meter measures infinite resistance through any combination of pins. If resistance through the drain pump is good, check the wires to the drain pump wiring connections on the electronic control board (sky blue, black and white wires on YL3). If wiring connections are okay, unplug the drain pump wires from the control board and measure resistance between sky blue and white wires, sky blue and black wires and white and black wires.
The meter should read the same resistance as for the drain pump. If the meter measures correct resistance through the wires, you'll likely need to replace the electronic control board because it's not sending the current to the drain pump during the drain portion of the cycle. If the meter measures infinite resistance through any combination of the drain pump wires that connect to the electronic control board, find and repair the break in the wires. If the drain pump runs but doesn't pump water, replace the drain pump impeller because it's likely damaged or broken. Parts named: drain pump, electronic control board.
Differential
Likely causes of “Kenmore 722 series dishwasher code OE”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A clog in the sink drain or garbage disposal
What separates it The OE code appears and the tub does not empty
How to confirm Check the sink or disposal for a clog and clear it
- 2
A grease clog at the end of the drain hose, or a clogged air gap
What separates it The sink is fine but the hose end is greasy or the air gap is blocked
How to confirm Pull the hose off the sink connection and check its end; clear the air gap if you have one
- 3
A clog in the sump or drain pump
What separates it The whole drain path is clear but water stays in the tub
How to confirm Check the sump and pump for debris and remove any clog
- 4
A failed drain pump motor
What separates it The wiring is secure and the pump does not run
How to confirm Measure between 4 and 5 ohms through pins 1 and 2, 2 and 3, and 1 and 3
- 5
A control board that is not sending current to the drain pump
What separates it The pump and its wires both measure correctly on the meter
How to confirm The chart replaces the control board if the wires on YL3 read the same as the pump
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether the sink or disposal drains normally
- Whether the drain hose end has a grease clog
- The resistance across each pair of pump motor pins
- Whether the pump runs but does not move water
Try in this order
0 of 5 completedWhat to do first
ReversibleCheck the sink drain or garbage disposal for a clog and clear any clogs you find.
Correct only the documented fault domain
ReversibleIf the sink or garbage disposal drains okay, pull off the dishwasher drain hose from the sink or garbage disposal connection and check the end of the drain hose for a grease clog. Clear grease clogs from the drain hose. If the dishwasher uses an air gap, check the air gap for clogs and clear any clogs. Unplug the dishwasher and check the entire drain hose between the drain pump and the sink drain connection for clogs and clear any drain hose clogs. If you find no clogs in the drain path, check the dishwasher sump and drain pump for clogs and remove any clogs.
If the sump and drain pump are clear, check the wiring connections on the drain pump and reconnect any loose wires. If the wiring connections are okay, disconnect the wires from the drain pump and check the resistance of the drain pump motor using a multimeter. The meter should measure between 4 and 5 ohms of resistance through the drain pump motor pins 1 and 2, pins 2 and 3 and pins 1 and 3. Replace the drain pump if the meter measures infinite resistance through any combination of pins.
If resistance through the drain pump is good, check the wires to the drain pump wiring connections on the electronic control board (sky blue, black and white wires on YL3). If wiring connections are okay, unplug the drain pump wires from the control board and measure resistance between sky blue and white wires, sky blue and black wires and white and black wires. The meter should read the same resistance as for the drain pump. If the meter measures correct resistance through the wires, you'll likely need to replace the electronic control board because it's not sending the current to the drain pump during the drain portion of the cycle.
If the meter measures infinite resistance through any combination of the drain pump wires that connect to the electronic control board, find and repair the break in the wires. If the drain pump runs but doesn't pump water, replace the drain pump impeller because it's likely damaged or broken. Parts named: drain pump, electronic control board.
Clear the sink drain or garbage disposal, then the drain hose end and any air gap
ReversiblePull the hose off the sink or disposal connection and look for a grease clog, then check the air gap if the dishwasher uses one.
Unplug the dishwasher and check the entire drain hose, the sump and the drain pump for clogs
ReversibleClear any clog you find in the hose between the pump and the sink connection, then in the sump and the pump.
Check the pump wiring and measure the motor, then the wires on YL3
ReversibleThe motor should read 4 to 5 ohms across each pin pair; replace the pump if any pair is infinite. Check the sky blue, black and white wires on YL3; if they read the same as the pump, replace the control board, and repair the wiring if they read infinite.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Shown as
- OE (722 series table).
- Parts named by the chart
- Drain pump and electronic control board.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !Stop and unplug before reaching into the sump or the pump
- !If the pump runs but does not pump water, the chart replaces the impeller because it is likely damaged or broken
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Where the manufacturer's article stops. The 4 to 5 ohm reading and the YL3 wire colors are chart text.
Exact questions
Common questions
What does OE mean on a Kenmore 722 series dishwasher?+
Kenmore's service table lists this code as: not draining.
What should the drain pump motor measure?+
Between 4 and 5 ohms through pins 1 and 2, pins 2 and 3 and pins 1 and 3.
Which wires go to the board?+
The sky blue, black and white wires on connector YL3.
What if the pump runs but no water moves?+
The chart replaces the drain pump impeller.