You may depend on your dishwasher to take the hassle out of tackling the dirty dishes, but if it suddenly stops working or you notice a fault, then you will want to get to the root of the problem. In this post we look at some common dishwasher problems and what might be causing the dishwasher fault.

Before we start exploring potential dishwasher faults, remember if you are in any doubt then you should contact a qualified appliance engineer and remember safety first – always disconnect an appliance from the power supply before doing any appliance maintenance or repairs.

The most common dishwasher faults include:

The Dishwasher has Started to Smell!

If you have started to notice an unpleasant whiff coming from your dishwasher then bacteria is likely to be at the root of the problem. During and after use a dishwasher’s internal pipe work and spray arms can get coated with hard water salts and food deposits which can cause the machine to smell. To combat the problem you should do a maintenance wash using a proven cleaning product like dishwasher degreaser or descaler. You could also consider investing in a dishwasher deodoriser.

The Dishwasher is Leaking!

There are several things that can cause a dishwasher to leak. You should check the following; make sure that there is no blockage in the fill or drain hoses and inspect the dishwasher door gasket for signs of wear and tear or loose fitting. If you have identified the door seal as the problem this video shows you how to replace it.

The Dishwasher Cleans Poorly!

Again there are several possible causes to this fault. It may be that the dishwasher isn’t being loaded properly and this could be blocking the spray arm and stopping water being distributed evenly on to the dirty dishes. Other possible causes include a defective inlet or drain valve. Cleaning issues can also be caused by a clogged dishwasher filter – in this instance you should clean the filter thoroughly removing any debris.

Tags: dishwasher, Dishwasher Faults, Dishwasher Spare Parts