Do you have a broken dishwasher? No one likes washing up the dishes after a long day. Our experts have a few steps to follow to repair your dishwasher.
Dishwashers: we cannot live without them. But a dishwasher is an appliance that makes our lives so much easier and it has the uncanny ability to prevent the formation of factions between family members as to who would be washing the dishes on a particular day.
But all of this can be for nothing when a dishwasher refuses to start. You place the dishes, press the switch, and then nothing happens. Claiming on your dishwasher insurance sounds like a good idea, but how about you try to diagnose the situation and fix it? Don’t worry though, it’s not difficult and most of these common problems can be fixed in a jiffy.
Common dishwasher faults
1. Faulty Door Latch Switch
The door latch switch is connected to the latch assembly and it prevents leakage of water during a wash cycle by ensuring the door is properly closed. The switch is connected to the power circuit and only when the switch is closed, the dishwasher will be able to start.
Sometimes, this switch becomes defective; you inspect it by opening the inner door panel with a screwdriver as the latch assembly is located behind the door panel towards the top. The assembly consists of two switches in series as a safety mechanism. Ensure that the door catch is able to activate the switches by inserting the catch manually into the assembly.
If the switches close, the next thing you can do is to check them for continuity with a multimeter. In case, one of the switches does not close, you will have to replace it.
2. Malfunctioning Timer Control
When you turn on the dishwasher, the first thing it does is drain water from the tub. If you determine that the drain pump motor is not working at all, check the timer control. It is situated at the back of the control panel and you will have to remove the inner door panel to gain access.
Modern dishwashers have an electronic control that uses electrical relays and a microprocessor to control the inlet valves and the motor. The output from the relays can be examined using a multimeter. If the voltage readings are incorrect, the board is faulty and will have to be replaced.
3. Damaged Selector Switch
The selector switch is situated on the control panel and is used to choose between the different cycles like heated wash and heated dry. This switch is usually connected to the main pump motor and if defective or not fully pressed, the dishwasher will not start.
Firstly, always ensure that the switch is properly pressed. Secondly, you can inspect the switch contact for continuity with a multimeter. If there’s no continuity, replace the switch.
4. Blown Thermal Fuse
The thermal fuse is connected to the main electronic control board on modern dishwashers and it protects the board from voltage fluctuations and sudden changes in the current. It consists of two wires.
In some situations, the fuse could melt, causing the dishwasher to not start. Remove the inner door panel, extract the control panel, and disconnect the fuse from the board. Check the two wires of the fuse for continuity with a multimeter. If there’s none, the fuse has melted and you have will have to get a new one.
Fast reliable dishwasher repairs
If you feel uncomfortable undertaking any of the above, or if you are concerned about all the necessary procedures related to electrical safety, then book your dishwasher repair online today or call us on 0333 733 1234.