My Dishwasher is Filling But Not Washing!
The dishwasher is considered a very productive appliance in your home - once you have cooked your favourite meal, the dreaded washing-up after can be taken care of with no effort or fuss.
However, like all appliances, faults can occur when you least expect them - and the dishwasher is no different in this respect.
If you have found that the water is filling up in your dishwasher, but your plates are still being plagued by the remnants of your last meal after the cycle has completed, you may conclude that it’ll be time for a new appliance!
Before you make the plunge and purchase a new dishwasher, just see our advice article where we have diagnosed and compiled the most common causes as to why your dishwasher is not performing.
Your questions could be answered below, and you could even find yourself on the way to fixing it yourself - saving yourself some valuable time and money in the process!
Wash Motor
If your dishwasher is filling up, but not cleaning; the first thing to do is to check for sounds! A humming noise coming from the dishwasher could be a sign that broken glassware may be blocking the motor.
Here we list what you need to do in order to check for possible blockages:
Safety First! Please ensure that you have disconnected the appliance from the mains before starting any repair.
- Remove any excess water.
- Check for blockages in the filter, sump hose, impeller and drain hose.
- When removing any blockages be careful - as there may be broken glass shards caught in the impeller.
It is recommended to run a maintenance wash every month to remove limescale, bacteria, and blockages. Our eSpares Dishwasher & Washing Machine Cleaner is highly rated by our customers and can help leave your dishwasher looking and performing better.
If you have performed the checks stated above with no blockages to be found, and the capacitor is functioning ok, the likely cause is then the motor.
If you do need to get a replacement motor, you will be pleased to know that there is good news...you can see our range of dishwasher spares on the eSpares website, where we have a wide selection of available dishwasher motors
Once you have purchased the correct motor for your dishwasher, we can offer you advice and instruction on how to replace it yourself - see our article and video guide to see how.
Spray Arms
If the motor is working fine, another possibility could be that the spray arms are causing the problem your dishwasher is experiencing - particularly if the dishes come out dirty after the wash cycle.
Without regular cleaning, the sprayers may become blocked, and this will affect the cleaning performance of your machine.
Safety First! Please make sure that you've switched off your appliance and disconnected it from the mains before beginning any repair.
Here we advise you on how to clean the spray arms:
- Remove any excess water
- Remove the dishwasher baskets so you have room to work
- Give the spray arms a spin to ensure they’re moving freely - visually check for cracks (paying extra attention to moulded joints).
- Take a close look at the spray arm water holes and check for obstructions.
It is recommended to clean the holes with a toothpick and use a descaler. Our eSpares Dishwasher & Washing Machine Cleaner is highly recommended. Refit and test for performance.
If you have identified that the spray arms are the culprit and that they actually need to be replaced, you can view a wide selection of dishwasher spares at eSpares - where we can provide a large offering of replacement spray arms.
See our easy to follow guide to get your sprayers working like new.
Printed Circuit Board
The PCB (printed circuit board) is the brains to your appliance, as it helps ensure that the dishwasher can run its programs - and display the relevant information (if it is a display circuit board).
If it fails then you could be stuck with an appliance that does not function correctly during its various programs, or perhaps does not at all recognise what you have requested it to do.
Unfortunately diagnosing a faulty PCB can be difficult - unless there is some visual indication of the fault, identifying the cause may be near impossible and you would, therefore, require a replacement to have your appliance restored back to working capacity.
Safety First! Please ensure that you have disconnected the appliance from the mains before starting any repair.
- To gain access to the PCB, on most models you will have to remove the outer panel.
- If you drop the door down you will see a set of screws that will go through the inner panel to the outer panel.
- With the panel out of the way remove the screws from the control panel and the PCB will be located behind.
- Look for visual signs of damage to the PCB or a loose terminal connection and replace as required.
If you do find faults, and need a replacement, you will be pleased to know that we offer a wide range of replacement PCBs and Modules within our range of dishwasher spare parts.
With help from eSpares, you won't have to do the dishes by hand for much longer - we can hopefully soon help you get your trusty kitchen companion back up and running in no time!
To see how to remove and replace the faulty module board, you can see our easy to follow video guide.
See our video guide showing you how to replace the control board on a dishwasher.