Washer not always draining

It sounds like you have a couple of things going on here. First of all, the most common problems associated with a poor drain on a washer is due to clogs in the pump and/or drain hose. But first, make sure you don't have your drain hose shoved down in the drain standpipe too far. If you don't leave an air gap for the drain hose, this will often cause poor drainage problems and/or siphoning of the water as it tries to fill (this may be a cause for your soapy clothes, too). The drain hose should rest inside the standpipe so that pipe is not sealed and the hose is not sitting in the drain trap. You can check your drainage also by connecting a wet/dry shop vac to the drain hose and try to pull water through it from the machine. There will be some residual water that remains in the tub after washing. Just follow these simple steps: 1. Unplug machine. 2. Remove the lower kick plate under the door. There will be a screw in the bottom corners of the panel holding it on. 3. Find the drain pump. It will be on the right-hand side and is usually white in color. The drain hose from the bottom of the tub will be connected to it. 4. Remove drain hose from standpipe and connect a wet/dry shop vac (if you have one) to the end of it. 5. Turn vacuum on and watch the drain hoses from the tub and from the pump. If the hoses collapse, you have a clog somewhere. 6. Remove the drain hose leading to the pump. Check the impeller area of the pump for debris. This is usually where coins, clothing labels and other items get caught. 7. Clean out the pump and drain hoses. 8. When finished, reconnect any drain hoses that you previously removed making sure you get a good seal with the hose clamp BEFORE you fill the machine. If you notice a leak during fill, hit the "CANCEL" button to stop. Make sure you place the drain hose back in the standpipe too. Now...dispenser problems are usually the result of fabric softener and mildew. If you remove the dispenser tray from the machine and look inside the compartment on the front of the washer, you will notice a series of small holes in the overhead portion of the cavity. This is where water gets dispensed into the tray and flushes softener, bleach and detergent into your wash. If these holes get clogged, the tray will not dispense properly. Take a rag and clean this area thoroughly using some hot water. The water will need to be warm enough the melt any fabric softener residue that may have accumulated over time. Next, clean the area really good with some bleach solution to get rid of any mildew. You may have to use something to clear all the holes of debris. Often fabric softener is the culprit and it cakes the holes up. A simple wiping down with a rag may not be enough to do it. A cotton swap of tooth pick works great at cleaning these holes. This is also a good time to take the dispenser tray and soak it in some hot water in the kitchen sink to clean it out as well. Good luck to you and let me know if you find this advice helpful.