Discovering your dishwasher has stopped working is never going to be the highlight your day, particularly if you are also faced with the expense of calling out an engineer and taking time off work to let them in just to determine the issue.
Fortunately it’s possible to determine and even resolve plenty of machine problems yourself without needing to call for dishwasher repair, particularly if you happen to own a multimeter.
You may discover you can resolve the fault quite easily alone, particularly if you are mechanically minded, and if not at worst you will have a better idea of the fault when you do call a repair man.
In advance of searching for a replacement machine there are a number of possible faults you can identify fairly easily.
Safety Warning: Never attempt repairs while your machine is plugged in.
In advance of going through the following list of possible issues ensure that your machine hasn’t been accidentally switched off, as well as that none of the switches on the circuit breaker have tripped.
This is also an opportune moment to see if the child lock isn’t on as well as try resetting your machine.
You will most likely require the manual for this as models are all different however the child lock tends to be quite simple to put on without meaning to. Similarly, the dishwasher may have power yet will not run, in this case the answer might be as simple as resetting the program.
When you have ruled out these issues it’s time for the real troubleshooting to start.
To test these parts you will have to have a multimeter, or VOM (volt-ohm-milliammeter) to measure the resistance and check the electrical components are working as they are meant to.
The first thing to test is the door latches and door latch switches. Your machine is designed not to operate if the door latches are faulty for understandable reasons. There’s no way you would want run the machine without meaning to with the door ajar.
A defective switch will stop your machine from turning on as well as running. You can test the switch with a multimeter. The switch is generally located behind the front door panel or control panel.
Double check you have disconnected power to the machine prior to accessing the door panel plus testing for continuity to prevent yourself from getting an electric shock.
If the latches or switches are broken you will need a replacement door latch assembly.
If the door latch plus door latch switch, are working as they should the next component to check is the timer or electronic control.
This is the part of the machine that distributes electricity to all the other parts the machine requires to operate such as the pumps, and the water inlet valve.
If your machine has an electric control as opposed to a mechanical timer then it could need to be tested while connected, in which case you should call a repair person.
The selector switch is the component that selects the program and will vary contingent on the make as well as the model of your machine. A broken selector switch or one that has got stuck may result in the dishwasher not to turn on.
You can usually see if the buttons are depressing fully, or you could need to disconnect the dishwasher in order to gain access to the control panel to check the connections for continuity using a multimeter.
The motor relay is an alternative component that can result in your dishwasher not starting, thus this could be the fault if you have tested the control panel and have ascertained that there should be power going to the motor.
To check this you will have to find the motor and locate the relay that will usually be mounted next to it. This may then be removed as well as checked with the help of a multimeter and it could need to be replaced.
Once you have tested all the above but still haven’t found the problem the next component to investigate is the thermal fuse. This will only be found on some models and is designed to stop the control board overheating.
If it will need to be replaced in order for the control board to get power.
The final part of the machine you can test that could stop your machine from running is the drive motor. This is the component that moves the water around to wash your dishes.
If you have tested the other parts but still haven’t discovered the issue this could be the cause of the problem especially if you noticed a loud humming coming from the machine.
You can usually gain access to the motor by removing the lower access panel. Test it by using a multimeter and replace if faulty.
Not everyone has a multimeter, or would know how to use one even if they do, in which case you will need to call an engineer sooner rather than later.
If you are happy to undertake the above troubleshooting then you could well be able to sort out the problem without assistance. However if you are con confident it might be easier to call in the professionals.
And examine your insurance and your home cover as appliance repairs might be included which means the expense might be less than you were expecting.
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