I have a feeling that, a couple of years or so ago, someone either wrote a Wiki article, or wrote a post almost as good as one, covering a generic process for sorting dishwashers - but I can't find it.
My son is having problems with a Zanussi ZDF131W (less than 3 years old) which we gave him when we we had a new kitchen with built-in dishwasher.
I'm going to see him in a few days, and will probably be asked to look at it! I'm not sure of the exact nature of the problems, but I think it started stopping in the middle of wash cycles, and now doesn't work at all - apart from making the odd buzzing noise.
If anyone can point me at an on-line generic dishwasher fixing document, I will be very grateful.