Discovering your dishwasher isn’t working isn’t a good way to begin your day, especially if you have to deal with the expense of calling out a professional as well as staying home to meet them just to diagnose the problem.
Luckily it’s very feasible to determine and even sort out a number of machine issues alone without having to call for dishwasher repair, particularly if you happen to are able to find a multimeter.
You may find you can fix the problem quite easily by yourself, particularly if you are quite handy, and if you can’t at worst you will have a better idea of the issue when you do phone an engineer.
Before you begin looking for a new dishwasher there are a number of possible problems you can troubleshoot fairly easily.
Safety Warning: Always make sure your dishwasher is unplugged before attempting repairs.
In advance of checking your dishwasher for problems make sure that your machine hasn’t been accidentally unplugged, 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 and try resetting your machine.
You will often require the manual for this due to the fact that machines vary however the child lock tends to be fairly easy to put on accidentally. Likewise, the dishwasher might have power yet will not run, in this case the answer could be as easy as resetting the program.
Once you have ruled out these faults it’s time for the real investigations to start.
To examine these electrical components you will have to have a multimeter, or VOM (volt-ohm-milliammeter) to test the resistance plus test the components are working as they are meant to.
The first place to start is the door latches as well as door latch switches. Your dishwasher is designed not to run if these are faulty for understandable reasons. You wouldn’t want to be able to inadvertently start the dishwasher with the door open.
A faulty switch will stop your machine from turning on as well as operating. You may wish to test the switch using a multimeter. The switch is generally situated under the front door panel or control panel.
Ensure you have disconnected power to the machine prior to removing the door panel plus checking for continuity to make sure you do not get an electric shock.
If the latches or switches are faulty you will need a replacement door latch assembly.
If you have tested your door latch as well as door latch switch and discovered they are operating correctly the next thing to test is the timer or electronic control.
This is the part of the machine that sends power to all the other components the machine needs to operate including the pumps, and the water inlet valve.
If your machine has an electric control rather than a mechanical timer then it might need to be checked while plugged in, in which case you should call an engineer.
This is the part of your machine that selects the cycle , it’s style and location will vary contingent on the make and model of your dishwasher. A not working selector switch or one that has got stuck could cause the machine not to run.
You can usually see if the buttons are depressing fully, or you could have to disconnect the machine and have a look at the control panel to check the contact points for continuity using a multimeter.
The motor relay is another component that can cause your dishwasher not to start, so this may be the problem if you have tested the control panel and have ascertained that there is power going to the main pump.
To test this you need to gain access to the motor plus find the relay that will usually be located next to it. This can then be taken out and tested using a multimeter, if broken it may have to be replaced.
When you have investigated the above issues but still haven’t found the issue the next component to test would be the thermal fuse. This will only be found on some models and is there to stop the control board overheating.
If it will need to be replaced in order to restore power to the control board.
The final part of the machine you should be able to check that might stop your machine from operating is the drive motor. This is the part of the machine that circulates the water to wash your dishes.
If you have checked the other components but still aren’t getting anywhere this could be the issue especially if your machine has previously been making a loud humming noise.
You should be able to locate 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 be better off calling an engineer.
If you are happy to undertake the above troubleshooting then you may well be able to resolve the fault without assistance. However if you are not sure it’s always better to call in the professionals.
Plus have a look at your insurance as well as your home cover as dishwasher repairs might be included meaning the expense may be less than you were expecting.
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