How can I resuscitate a Bosch dishwasher?

[Roger Mills]

My Bosch built-in dishwasher seems to be pretty dead - no lights showing, and no response to the on/off switch. It seemed fine when I ran it yesterday, but probably didn't finish its cycle. SWMBO emptied it, assuming it had finished and that I had turned it off - but I hadn't.

When I came to use it today, in addition to its not responding, there was quite a lot of water left in the bottom - but not enough to cause a flood when the door was opened.

I've checked the fuse and the socket into which it is plugged, and both are fine.

Any ideas what to look for?

TIA.

[Bob Eager]

It's not clearing of water, so it naturally stopped.

First thing is to get all the water out. Check for a jammed floar or similar in the bottom; that stops the machine if flooding, but it looks as if it did its job.

Next thing is blocked filters. Clean them (I do mine monthly). If it then runs, does the pump operate? The above might be enough for it to fill and run, but not to empty. And of course a hose could be leaking into tyhe bottom.

[Animal]

Divide & conquer, to track down where the power changes from on to nothing.

[Fredxx]

No lights is worrying. There would normally be some indication power is connected?

I would probably google your model and no lights to see if it's a common fault.

[Tim+]

Most dishwashers have a “flood tray” underneath with a float switch that cuts power in the event of any leak. You may need to pull your machine out to check this.

Tim

[Roger Mills]

I suspect that it stopped for some other reason, and failed to clear as a result.

I've sucked all the water out, but it made no difference.

I've cleaned the filters, but they were not blocked. By taking off one of the covers below the filters, I have exposed the impeller of (presumably) the drain pump. I can turn that by hand and can feel the effect as it passes each pole of its motor.

I've removed the plinth so that I an see underneath, and it's dry as a whistle - so there are no leaks to the outside world.

As others have said, I would expect *some* lights to be on - but zilch, and no sign of life.

[charles]

Our washing machine has one of those, but it told us why it stopped working.

[Theo]

The float switch can be very sensitive, even a few ml of water can trigger it.

Wait until it's completely dry.

Some of them just have the float switch in series with the mains inlet. Any water in the machine and it's completely isolated.

Theo

[Brian Gaff]

Float switch?

I gave up on dishwashers. They do seem to have a very poor reputation. Splits in the rotating arms where the water comes from, blocked up pumps and sticking float switches and they go rusty and plastic bits go brittle. Brian

[fred]

In my experience dish washers are more trouble free than clothes washing machines.

[Brian]

The following is based on my experience of most common problems having owned dishwashers since the 1980s:

First unplug it then get the water out.

Try lowering the waste pipe and putting the end over a container or, if possible, out a door. Generally, that will drain some of the water.

If not, suspect a blockage. Either water, expect to use a cup etc to remove the rest.

Generally, the water is detected by a air operated pressure switch- at least in my experience. These have a thinnish pipe, often clear, which goes from the sump area to a box with a few wires mounted well above the water level.

Normally, the water forces the air in the pipe up the pipe, operating a switch. The pipe sometimes gets blocked by gunge and the machine gets ‘confused’.

Clear the gunge and you may be in luck.

The fuse is worth checking easy but not something I’ve seen go.

I don’t recall seeing any internal fuses in machines but it is worth looking.

Next, bad joints. Has water leaked and caused a problem on one of the many connectors? Sometimes you can clean them and hopefully cure the leak.

If you can solder, check the PCB for dry joints. These are far from rare - temperature cycling, vibration, all help them form. Add in lead free solder if it is new enough and….

A crack in the PCB is also possible. If you can solder, these can be repaired - use solder and wire, not just solder.

Obviously the pumps but I’ve never seen one fail. The ones which circulates the water tend to be robust and the ones which pump it out aren’t over worked, unless they get bunged up.

[Fredxx]

Are you saying after all that the lights, currently not working, will magically illuminate?

If so, please explain why? So far, the only other plausible explanation is a faulty float to mitigate floods.

[Rod Speed]

Brian Gaff [e-mail] wrote

I haven't with them, washing machines, cars, computers, houses, pets and a great raft of other stuff as well. They are much too useful.

So does everything else I listed.

No point in giving up on dishwashers for that reason.

[SteveW]

On my previous and current one. Water in the tray doesn't cut the power, instead it causes the drain pump to run continuously.

[SteveW]

On a dishwasher that I used to own, that would not work. The switch was held closed by a dry sponge. When the sponge got wet, it softended and allowed the switch to open. However, the sponge had top be removed and allowed to return to its normal shape before drying or it would just dry in the tripped position.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I paid £120 to have a Bosch dishwasher fixed. It lasted 3 weeks. TNP's advice to people trying to fix Bosh dishwashers Dont. Throw the over advertised overhyped piece of german shit onto the landfill where it belongs.