Common Dishwasher Problems and How to Troubleshoot Them
Is Your Dishwasher Not Turning On?
Is your dishwasher not turning on? A system failure might have occurred. It would help to disconnect the power for a few minutes (unplug it), then reconnect and start the appliance.
Sometimes, the dishwasher shows no signs of life: it makes no sounds, and the indicators and panels do not light up. It is logical to assume that the electrical circuit is disrupted. Excluding malfunctions unrelated to the device itself—such as a faulty outlet, extension cord, or a power outage—a capacitor has likely burned out. It cannot be repaired and needs to be replaced.
Is Your Dishwasher Not Turning On?
Occasionally, the power button fails—in which case, repairing the dishwasher will be inexpensive. It's worse if the motor has burned out or the control unit is not working. Sometimes, the problem lies in the relay. A mechanical failure: the dishwasher won't operate if the door doesn't close properly (without a click).
If the cause is a blockage or a pinched hose, the device hums but doesn't start the washing process.
Is Your Dishwasher Leaking?
Common causes of leaks include damage or contamination of hoses, pipes, seals, valves, and failure of water level sensors. If the machine is not positioned correctly (tilted), leakage may occur through the door. Less commonly, cracks in the tank or damage to the spray arm are observed.
Dishwasher Not Draining Water
Additionally, this can happen due to:
- A blockage or failure of the drain pump;
- Incorrect operation of the electronic control unit;
- Malfunction of the water level sensor.
The simplest situations involve a blockage (in the sewage system or the appliance itself) or a pinched drain hose. Cleaning a clogged filter is not difficult. In this case, you can repair the dishwasher yourself.
Dishwasher Not Drying
Here, you should pay attention to the symptoms:
- The device fills with water but stops and doesn't wash;
- It cleans dishes poorly;
- It doesn't spray water.
If turbo drying is implemented—with a stream of hot air—the cause may lie in malfunctions with the fan or control module. After a breakdown, you won't hear the characteristic noise.
Problems with Washing in the Dishwasher
In the first case, one of the most unpleasant situations is a malfunction of the control module. If the spray arm impeller is broken, water doesn't reach all the necessary areas. Other circumstances where dishes remain uncleaned include a broken turbidity sensor (in new models); the machine doesn't heat water (the heating element, thermostat, etc., has burned out), or the system is clogged with scale or debris.
Apart from malfunctions, the cause may be user errors—selecting the wrong program, overloading the dishwasher or loading it improperly, or incorrect dosage or composition of the detergent.
