The short answer: an F11 on a Miele dishwasher is a drainage fault, meaning the machine could not pump water out in time. It is almost always a clogged filter, a blocked or kinked drain hose, or a worn drain pump, not a failed dishwasher.
Miele dishwashers monitor how quickly water leaves the sump, and when drainage is too slow they stop the cycle and post F11 to protect the machine. It is one of the most common Miele calls we take across Longmont, and it usually resolves at the filter and drain path.
What Causes an F11
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Our Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Standing water in the tub | Clogged filter or debris | Clean the filter and sump, clear debris |
| Slow or no drain | Kinked or blocked drain hose | Clear the hose, confirm the high loop |
| Pump hums, no flow | Worn or jammed drain pump | Test the pump, clear the impeller or replace |
| Drains partway | Check valve or air gap | Clean the check valve and air gap |
| Recurs after cleaning | Pump or control fault | Test the pump and control, replace as needed |
Working the Drain Path
After the filter, a technician checks the drain hose for kinks and blockages, confirms it has a proper high loop so water does not siphon back, and inspects the check valve and air gap. If the path is clear but the pump only hums, the impeller may be jammed with debris or the pump may be worn, both of which are defined repairs.
What the Repair Involves
A technician clears the filter and sump, tests the drain pump for flow and resistance, and confirms the hose and check valve are clear. A jammed or failed pump is replaced with a a part selected for the approved scope, and the machine is run through a drain cycle to confirm F11 does not return.
Miele Showing F11?
We clear the drain path and repair with genuine OEM parts. Book online or call. Diagnostic and travel fees, if applicable, are confirmed before the appointment and before repair approval.
The Pump Is Usually Innocent
F11 gets read as a dead drain pump, and owners frequently buy one before calling anyone. More often the pump is in perfect health and something upstream is throttling it. Miele's system watches how fast the tub empties and raises F11 when the water does not go where it should in the time it should, which is a statement about the whole drain path rather than about one component. The usual culprits are the fine filter packed solid with debris, the non-return valve stuck part-open so water cycles back into the tub, or a drain hose that a plumber looped too high behind the cabinet during a remodel. We test the pump's actual output before condemning it, and that test regularly saves the part.
What to Check Yourself First
Pull the filter assembly at the base of the tub and look at it properly. On a Miele it comes out by hand and rinses under the tap, and if it has never been cleaned in several years of hard Douglas County water it will not be subtle about it. Check that the drain hose behind the machine has not been kinked or crushed by anything pushed in behind the cabinet. Those two checks cost nothing, and between them they resolve a meaningful share of the F11 calls we get booked for before we ever load a van.
Related Reading
F70 Fault
The water-level sensor code explained.
Miele Repair Guide
The full owner's guide to Miele.
Dishwasher Repair
Our dishwasher service.