What is actually happening
Near the end of a wash the machine runs its drain pump to empty the drum before it spins. If the water level sensor still reads full after that pump has run for its allotted time, the machine stops rather than attempting to spin a drum full of water. Almost always the pump is running but nothing is moving — which is why people often say they can hear it trying.
The Electrolux fault codes that point at this
A Electrolux washing machine will usually tell you what it thinks is wrong before anyone opens it up. These are the codes we hold for this make that relate to not draining:
- C02 — The machine isn't getting water into the main wash compartment, so it has stopped rather than run a cycle with an empty drum.
- E13 — The machine has had to keep topping itself up with water during the cycle, which tells the control board water is escaping somewhere — so it drains down and stops with the door locked.
- E20 — The machine can't get the water out, and Electrolux flags it as a blocked drain filter.
- E21 — The machine hasn't managed to pump the water out in the time allowed, so it has paused the cycle with the door locked and water still in the drum.
- E25 — The control board is reading a signal it doesn't trust from the machine's flood-protection sensing, so it drains the drum and stops the cycle as a precaution.
- E30 — The machine can't get a sensible reading of how much water is in the drum, so it stops rather than carry on blind.
- E31 — The machine can no longer trust the sensor that tells it how much water is in the drum, so it has stopped the cycle with the door locked.
- E32 — The machine can't get a steady "empty drum" reading from its water level sensor at the start of the cycle, so it stops with the door locked rather than risk filling blind.
If yours is showing one of those, that is a much shorter conversation than a general fault — tell us the code when you book and the engineer can often carry the part.
The usual causes on a Electrolux washing machine
- A blocked pump filter — coins, hair grips, buttons and screws collect there and it is by far the most common cause
- A sock or similar pulled through the drum and jammed in the pump impeller
- A kinked or blocked drain hose, or a blocked standpipe / sink trap where the hose empties
- A failed drain pump — it hums but the impeller does not turn
- A blocked pressure chamber hose, so the machine wrongly believes the drum is still full
What you can safely check yourself
- Switch the machine off at the wall before touching anything
- Open the small hatch at the bottom front, have a towel and a shallow tray ready, and unscrew the filter — expect a lot of water
- Clear whatever is in the filter, and turn the impeller behind it with a finger to check it spins freely
- Check the drain hose behind the machine for kinks, and pour a jug of water down the standpipe or sink trap to confirm it runs away
Still not draining?
If the checks above have not sorted it, it needs looking at properly. £66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.
Our engineers work on Electrolux machines week in, week out, so they arrive knowing the machine rather than reading the back of it. Local engineers across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.
Call 0115 648 0929 Book online — postcode and number is all we need
Common questions
Why is my Electrolux washing machine not draining?
The cycle has stopped with water still sitting in the drum, because the machine cannot get the water out. Near the end of a wash the machine runs its drain pump to empty the drum before it spins. If the water level sensor still reads full after that pump has run for its allotted time, the machine stops rather than attempting to spin a drum full of water. Almost always the pump is running but nothing is moving — which is why people often say they can hear it trying.
Can I fix a Electrolux washing machine not draining myself?
Switch the machine off at the wall before touching anything. Open the small hatch at the bottom front, have a towel and a shallow tray ready, and unscrew the filter — expect a lot of water. Clear whatever is in the filter, and turn the impeller behind it with a finger to check it spins freely. Check the drain hose behind the machine for kinks, and pour a jug of water down the standpipe or sink trap to confirm it runs away. Those checks fix it more often than not.
What Electrolux error codes mean not draining?
Electrolux washing machines report this through their own fault codes. The ones that point at not draining are C02, E13, E20, E21, E25, E30. If your machine is showing one of those, that narrows it down considerably — each has its own guide on this site.
How much does a Electrolux washing machine repair cost?
£66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.
Other Electrolux washing machine faults
- washing machine not spinning
- washing machine leaking water
- washing machine making a loud noise
- washing machine not heating the water
- washing machine door will not open
- washing machine will not turn on