On the covered Kenmore HE2, HE5 and HE5 steam model front-load washer, F21 means Kenmore's service table lists this code as: will not drain. Follow the drain path from the tub: pump filter, pump, hose and standpipe; the chart's first instruction is to check it for a clog or restriction.
Differential
Likely causes of “Kenmore HE2, HE5 and HE5 steam model front-load washer code F21”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A clogged or restricted drain path
What separates it F21 appears after the washer fails to drain within 8 minutes, leaving water in the tub
How to confirm Follow the drain path from the tub: pump filter, pump, hose and standpipe; the chart's first instruction is to check it for a clog or restriction
- 2
The large-item filter in the drain pump is full
What separates it The pump hums but water moves slowly or not at all; coins, buttons and lint are common
How to confirm Remove and clear the filter — the chart tells you to clear the large item filter in the drain pump
- 3
A kinked drain hose, or a standpipe the hose is pushed too far into
What separates it Water drains slowly or drains then refills; gurgling from the standpipe
How to confirm Straighten the hose and check the standpipe; a hose pushed too deep can siphon water back
- 4
The drain pump has failed
What separates it The pump is silent or does not move water when the washer calls for a drain, though filter and hose are clear
How to confirm The chart says replace the drain pump if it does not drain the water when activated
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- How much water is left in the tub and whether it is soapy
- Whether you can hear the drain pump run
- What was found in the filter (coins, socks, lint)
- How the drain hose is routed and how far it enters the standpipe
Try in this order
0 of 4 completedCorrect only the documented fault domain
ReversibleThe washer failed to drain within 8 minutes. Check the washer drain path for a clog or restriction. Clear the large item filter in the drain pump. If the drain pump doesn't drain the water when activated, replace it. Parts named: drain pump.
Unplug the washer and put towels and a shallow pan down
ReversibleWater in the tub will run out when you open the filter. A pan and several towels stop it reaching the floor; bail the tub first if you can.
Clear the large-item filter in the drain pump
ReversibleIt sits behind the lower front panel or a small access door, depending on model — PartsDirect has a video for the models without an access door. Twist it out slowly and clear coins, lint and foreign objects.
Check the drain hose and standpipe, then run a drain-and-spin
ReversibleStraighten kinks, make sure the hose is not pushed so deep it siphons, and run Drain/Spin. The chart's timer is 8 minutes; if the tub empties well within that, the fix worked.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Trigger
- Drain not completed within 8 minutes, per the Sears PartsDirect chart.
- Part named by the chart
- Drain pump. Large item filter in the pump cleared first.
- Tools
- Towels, a shallow pan, and a screwdriver or nut driver if the lower panel is screwed on.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the filter is clear, the hose is clear and the pump stays silent, the chart's remedy is a new drain pump — book it if you are not comfortable with pump wiring
- !Stop and call for service if water is spreading toward electrical parts or the floor is flooding
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Where the manufacturer's article stops. The 8-minute limit, large-item filter and drain-pump replacement are chart text; where the filter sits, and the standpipe and siphon checks, are what the pages that rank agree on and standard practice.
Exact questions
Common questions
What does F21 mean on a Kenmore HE2, HE5 and HE5 steam model front-load washer?+
Kenmore's service table lists this code as: will not drain.
How long does the washer try to drain before showing F21?+
The chart says the washer failed to drain within 8 minutes. Anything that slows draining enough to exceed that, from a partial clog to a weak pump, can trigger the code.
Where is the drain pump filter on a Kenmore HE2?+
Behind the lower front panel or a small access door, depending on model. The chart calls it the large item filter in the drain pump, and PartsDirect has a video for cleaning it on models with no access door.
What part does the chart list for F21?+
The drain pump, and only if it does not drain the water when activated after the filter and drain path are clear.
Can too much detergent cause F21?+
Heavy suds slow draining and often show first as Sd (see that code's page). Rule out suds before replacing a pump.
Will F21 clear by itself?+
Not while the cause remains. Clear the water, remove the blockage and run a test drain; if F21 returns, move to the pump.