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The inside of a US kitchen sink cabinet showing a chrome hot-water shutoff valve with a braided line running toward the dishwasher, a hand turning the valve handle.

Dishwasher
Not Filling With Water

The cycle starts and hums, but little or no water comes into the tub.

(844) 430-4286

Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm

  • 5 checks before you book
  • 5 questions that narrow it
  • 5 causes, cheapest first

Book a visit

Three short steps, about a minute.

or call (844) 430-4286

What it
usually means.

Water enters a dishwasher through a single electric inlet valve under the tub, and the control opens it until a float or a pressure sensor says the level is right. So a machine that will not fill either has no water arriving at the valve, a valve that will not open, or a float switch that falsely reports the tub as full. The supply valve under the sink is the first place to look.

Hands test a dishwasher water inlet valve with a meter under an open toe kick in a US home kitchen. The 5 causes, cheapest first

Answer these first

01

Do you hear water rushing in at the start of the cycle, or only a hum?
02

Was plumbing work done recently, or the supply valve under the sink turned?
03

Does the float, a small plastic dome in the tub floor, move freely up and down?
04

Does the machine fill a little and stop, or not at all?
05

Is the water pressure in the kitchen faucet normal?

Check these
before you book.

Dishwasher not filling with water: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything.

01

Open the supply valve under the sink fully, counterclockwise until it stops.

02

Lift the float in the front corner of the tub and let it fall; it should move freely.

03

Clear any utensil or debris around the float housing.

Also worth checking

  • Check water pressure at the kitchen faucet, especially after nearby plumbing work.
  • Listen at the kick plate during the first minute for the click of the inlet valve.

How soon does it need a visit?

Not urgent. A machine that will not fill is not leaking, so the only risk is a supply line that was disturbed; if you see water under the sink, close the supply valve and turn off the breaker.

The causes,
cheapest first.

5 things dishwasher not filling with water turns out to be, from supply valve closed or partly closed to float switch or level sensor.

The cost guide
  1. 01 no repair

    Supply valve closed or partly closed

    The hot-water shutoff under the sink is easy to bump or leave half open after plumbing work. Open it fully and try again.

    No repair: check it yourself
  2. 02 lowest

    Float stuck in the up position

    A float held up by debris or a utensil tells the control the tub is already full. Lifting it and letting it drop often frees it.

    Fixed by fill and water valve repair
  3. 03 low

    Clogged inlet valve screen

    A fine screen at the valve inlet catches sediment and scale. As it clogs, the fill slows until the cycle runs on too little water.

    Fixed by fill and water valve repair
  4. 04 low

    Failed water inlet valve

    A valve coil that has opened electrically, or a diaphragm that sticks, lets no water through even with full pressure at the supply.

    Fixed by fill and water valve repair
  5. 05 low

    Float switch or level sensor

    The switch under the float can fail in the full position. The valve then stays closed although the float itself moves freely.

    Fixed by controls and sensors
  6. What it costs

    Every repair on the site's cost scale, side by side

    Open the cost guide

The makes
it happens on.

27 makes on this site; dishwasher not filling with water can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page.

All 27 brands

Dishwasher Not Filling With Water,
where we come out.

9 metros, each with its own page.

All service areas

Tampa BayFL · 31 areas

OrlandoFL · 30 areas

Miami / South FloridaFL · 47 areas

New York MetroNY · 75 areas

HoustonTX · 36 areas

ChicagoIL · 50 areas

Los AngelesCA · 95 areas

San DiegoCA · 31 areas

San Francisco Bay AreaCA · 74 areas

A family unloading clean plates from an open dishwasher together in a bright contemporary kitchen, a child handing a plate to a parent
For the heart of your home.

Questions about
dishwasher not filling with water.

How much water should a dishwasher use?
Much less than most people expect: a few gallons over the whole cycle, with only a gallon or two in the tub at a time. A shallow pool covering the sump during the wash is normal, not a sign of underfilling.
The water heater was just replaced. Could that matter?
Yes. Work on the hot-water line can close the dishwasher supply valve or send a slug of sediment that clogs the inlet screen. Mention the plumbing work when you book.
Can I test the inlet valve myself?
Checking that the supply valve is open and that the float moves is safe. Testing the inlet valve means working near both line voltage and pressurized water under the tub, so leave that step to the visit.
It fills, but slowly. Is that the same problem?
Usually the early version of it. A clogging inlet screen or low household pressure slows the fill, the cycle runs short on water, and cleaning suffers before the fill stops altogether.

Back to your everyday

Still seeing dishwasher not filling with water?

Book with what you checked above — 5 answers save the technician the first part of the visit.

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