Grundig washing machine not draining: causes & fix

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 Grundig fault codes that point at this

A Grundig 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:

E04 — The machine has spotted that the part of the control board which switches the water inlet valves on and off has failed shut, so water can keep pouring in whether the machine wants it or not.
E05 — The machine can't get the water out — the drain pump either isn't running or is blocked.
E07 — The machine can't get a sensible reading from the sensor that tells it how much water is in the drum, so it stops rather than risk filling or draining blind.
E08 — The machine hasn't got enough water in the drum in the time it expects, so it has stopped and flagged a water supply problem.
E12 — The machine thinks there is too much water in the drum, so it has shut the cycle down and will normally pump out instead of washing.
E25 — The control panel and the machine's main circuit board have stopped talking to each other, so the washer won't take instructions.
E27 — The machine is seeing water arriving in the drum when it hasn't asked for any, so it stops rather than let the level keep rising.

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 Grundig 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 Grundig 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 Grundig 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 Grundig 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 Grundig error codes mean not draining?

Grundig washing machines report this through their own fault codes. The ones that point at not draining are E04, E05, E07, E08, E12, E25. 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 Grundig 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 Grundig washing machine faults

Repairs we cover near you

Written by the engineers at ASAP Repairs from our own repair notes. See also our general guide to washing machines not draining and our Grundig repairs page.

Grundig washing machine not draining