Dishwasher not filling with water
When a dishwasher runs but stays dry inside, water isn't getting past one of a few checkpoints between the shutoff under the sink and the tub. The usual causes are simple: a shutoff valve that was left closed, a float stuck in the up position or a clogged screen at the inlet valve. A failed inlet valve is the usual part to replace, and it's a job many homeowners can do in under an hour. Work through the free checks first, in order.
How a dishwasher fills
A dishwasher doesn't have a pump to pull water in. It relies on household water pressure and an electric inlet valve, usually behind the kick plate at the bottom front. When a cycle starts, the control first runs the drain pump for a short time, then sends power to the valve. The valve opens and water flows in, usually from a small vent or opening on the inside of the tub near the door, until either a timer or a float tells it to stop.
The float is a small plastic dome or cylinder on the floor of the tub, often in a front corner. It rides up on the water and works a switch underneath. If the float is stuck up, the control thinks the tub is already full and never opens the valve. The door latch is another gate: if it doesn't report the door as closed, the cycle won't start or won't fill. So a dry tub means either no water is reaching the valve, the valve isn't opening, or something is telling the control not to open it.
Why a dishwasher won't fill
Often after work under the sink, or someone turned it by mistake.
A supply line bent behind the unit or crushed by a stored item.
Food, grease or a utensil holds it so the control thinks it's full.
Grit from the pipes blocks the small screen at the valve inlet.
The coil burns out or the valve sticks shut. A common part to replace.
A door that doesn't latch, a setting like delay start, or a leak sensor that has tripped.
| You notice | Likely cause | Start at |
|---|---|---|
| Tub dry, controls light up, no hum | Shutoff closed or line kinked | Step 2 |
| Starts, drains, then stays dry | Float stuck up | Step 3 |
| Won't run at all with the door shut | Latch, setting or power | Step 4 |
| Only a trickle comes in | Clogged inlet screen | Step 5 |
| Humming or buzzing but no water | Inlet valve failed | Step 6 |
| Not sure it's filling at all | May be normal | Step 1 |
Let's fix it
- Make sure it really isn't fillingStart a normal cycle and wait 2 to 3 minutes. Most dishwashers drain first, which takes about a minute, and then you'll hear water running in. Open the door carefully. When it's filling normally you'll see a shallow pool covering the bottom of the tub around the filter, often an inch or less, since many newer models use only a gallon or so per fill. If the bottom is bone dry after a few minutes, or you hear humming but no water, keep going. Check the display too. If it shows an error code, look it up in your manual, since it may point straight at the cause.
- Open the water shutoff under the sinkLook in the sink cabinet for the valve on the hot water pipe that feeds a thin braided or copper line heading toward the dishwasher. On a multi-turn valve, turn the handle counterclockwise until it stops. On a quarter-turn valve, the handle should line up with the pipe. If someone recently worked under the sink, this is the first suspect. Turn on the hot water at the sink to make sure the house has hot water pressure at all. Then follow the supply line as far as you can see it and look for kinks, a crushed spot or a stored item pressing on it. A sharp kink can stop the flow completely.
- Free the floatPull out the bottom rack. Find the float on the floor of the tub, usually a small plastic dome or tube near a front corner. Lift it gently with a finger. It should slide up about an inch and drop back on its own, and on many models you'll hear a faint click from the switch below. If it sticks, lift it off if your model allows it (some just pull straight up, others don't come out) and clean around and under it with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Look for broken glass, a toothpick or grease holding it up. Make sure nothing in the lower rack hangs down onto it.
- Check the door latch and settingsClose the door firmly until you hear or feel the latch catch. If it won't stay latched, look for a rack or dish sticking out, or a latch that's bent or full of gunk. Check the control panel for delay start, a control lock or a sanitize setting that changes the cycle, and cancel any of them. Then reset the electronics: turn the breaker off for one minute, turn it back on and start a normal cycle. If nothing happens at all when you press start, follow the steps for a dishwasher that won't start instead.
- Clean the inlet screenTurn off the dishwasher's breaker and close the hot water shutoff. Remove the screws holding the kick plate at the bottom front and set it aside. With a flashlight, find the inlet valve, a small plastic or metal valve where the supply line connects, often at the front left. Put a towel and a shallow pan under it and unscrew the supply line from the valve's brass elbow (on some models the elbow comes off with the line). Look into the valve inlet for a small mesh screen. Brush grit off it with an old toothbrush and rinse with a little water. If the screen doesn't come out, clean it in place. Don't pry it out, since that can damage the valve. Check the supply line for debris too by holding its end over a bucket and briefly opening the shutoff.
- Test the inlet valve and replace it if it's deadWith the breaker still off, pull the wire connector off the valve's two terminals. Set a multimeter to ohms (resistance) and touch one probe to each terminal. Compare the reading with the value in your dishwasher's tech sheet, which is often tucked behind the kick plate or under the control panel. A reading near zero (a short) or OL/no reading (an open circuit) means the coil has failed. If the coil tests fine but you heard humming with no water, the valve can still be stuck shut. To replace it, order the valve that matches your model number (typically $20 to $60) and note how the wires and line attach. Remove the mounting screws and move the brass elbow to the new valve with fresh thread sealant tape or pipe dope on the elbow's threads, as the valve instructions say. Don't put tape on the supply line's compression or flare fitting.
- Turn it back on and watch for leaksReconnect the supply line snugly to the elbow, and reattach the wires if you removed them. Leave the kick plate off for now, and keep hands, towels and pets away from the wiring while it runs. Open the shutoff slowly and watch the connection with a flashlight for a couple of minutes. A drip means the nut needs a little more tightening. Turn the breaker back on, start a short cycle and listen for water coming in after the first drain. Check the floor under the valve again once it's filling, then screw the kick plate back on. Run one full cycle before you load dishes.
Watch it done
- You hear water running in a minute or two after the cycle starts
- A shallow pool covers the bottom of the tub
- No drips at the inlet valve or under the sink
- Dishes come out clean
Still dry? A failed float switch or control board needs a technician.
If it comes back
If the dishwasher fills now but the dishes come out dirty, the spray arms or filter are the next place to look. See the guide for a dishwasher that isn't cleaning and how to clear clogged spray arms.
If the inlet screen clogs again within months, your water may carry a lot of grit or scale. Flushing the supply line before reconnecting it, and checking the screen once a year, usually keeps it clear. If the house has low pressure everywhere, see the guide for low water pressure in the whole house.
If water ends up on the floor instead of in the tub, stop running it and follow the dishwasher leak guide. Some models refuse to fill when their leak sensor in the base has tripped, and the leak has to be found and dried out first.
What a pro typically charges (a rough estimate; prices vary by area): A service call typically runs about $100–$200, and replacing an inlet valve usually totals about $150–$300 with the part. A float switch or control board can cost more.
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