My dishwasher got l...
 

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[Closed] My dishwasher got lazy - can I fix it?

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My 14+ year old AEG dishwasher has had enough of doing the washing up and seems to have broken.

The lights are on and it makes a noise but no water is forthcoming.

Bought secondhand 14+ years ago for £40 it clearly owes me nothing but is it worth trying to take a look at it myself? It is not worth getting anyone to look at it as callout charge will be more than it is worth. Seems a waste to scrap what was working on Monday but there are second hand options locally for £40 and less.

Any advice for some amateur inspection (including don't bother)? I have screwdrivers and a multimeter!


 
Posted : 14/11/2018 8:24 pm
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My dishwasher got lazy

Says the person who needs a dishwasher! 🙂


 
Posted : 14/11/2018 8:33 pm
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Stick a gopro in to see whats actually happening.

My guess would be pump. Or lemon pips in the arms... Its always lemon pips in the arms.

In reply to essel. Nothing lazy about a dishwasher it just indicates clear logical thinking because clearly anyone who would rather do the dishes by hand is a moron... 🤣


 
Posted : 14/11/2018 8:39 pm
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Nothing lazy about a dishwasher it just indicates clear logical thinking because clearly anyone who would rather do the dishes by hand is a moron

Then I is a moron, innit bro!


 
Posted : 14/11/2018 8:46 pm
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Just had to scrap mine after puling it to pieces.  Turned out is was the circulation pump, it was going to cost 50% of the cost of a new machine.  Not worth it in mind view.  Check out you tube loads of videos on what to check for first before scrapping.


 
Posted : 14/11/2018 8:52 pm
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I knew it!

Also a wellstacked dishwasher takes time and finesse to complete.


 
Posted : 14/11/2018 8:53 pm
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Then I is a moron, innit bro!

Dishwashers are a no brainer. Use less water and energy. They also are a lot more hygienic.

Why would any 1st Worlder not have one bro?


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 8:34 am
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Use less water and energy

14 pages, the industrial revolution, bannings, palm oil, Yorkshire independence, Liz Bonnin and a lecture from TJ.


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 8:45 am
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Liz Bonnin

I've met her. In Norway. On a ship.


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 8:47 am
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Lucky bastard.


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 8:50 am
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I don't know what is wrong with yours but mine displayed the same symptoms and it was caused by a bit of lamb bone caught in the little fan thing that spins around to draw water into the pump. Very easily fixed with minimal tools (which was just as well as it was on xmas day with a house full of greedy relatives)

Is it displaying any sort off fault code?

I agree about not getting anyone out to look at it, for not much more money, and a lot less hassle, you can have new one delivered tomorrow by ao.com


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 8:52 am
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I agree about not getting anyone out to look at it, for not much more money, and a lot less hassle, you can have new one delivered tomorrow by ao.com

Not always the case. There are still a few decent engineers out there.

When I was down in Kent I used this bloke. He was very good and very reasonable. He doesn't charge for the initial call out and will assess the problem and then charges a standard £50 labour charge plus parts to do the repair. Very helpful. If you are in his area I would recommend him.

http://www.lunar-appliance-repair.co.uk/


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 10:40 am
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Fix it? Probably yes.

As above, there are repair engineers about. Mine stopped working and i tried a 'washing machine' repair chap i'd used a couple of times before. He popped over on a Saturday and found a faulty on/off switch and charged me less than £50 inc. parts. Saved from the scrapheap!


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 11:07 am
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Most appliances are quite simple and there's a huge range of spares available online.  Lots of things like motors and elements and stuff are generic.  I fixed our microwave twice with eBay parts for a few quid a time.  People keep going on about stuff not being made to be repaired, but that's rubbish IMO - the issue is that the cost of someone running a business to repair stuff for you is often high, which puts people off.  But repairing a £150 diswasher for £60 is still cheaper and a lot better for the environment.

There are also websites where you can live chat with a repair person.  They seem ropey, but I used one and it actually worked - and cost me a tenner or something. You're meant to sign up monthly (as if) but you can cancel straight away.

Anyway - with dishwashers, they often leak, and there's a bund/drip tray built into the base to catch the drips.  Inside that there's a float sensor so that if it fills up it will stop working and just pump out.  You can test this by tilting the dishwasher back to let the water run out.  You will need a towel tho as it's a few litres of water.


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 12:11 pm
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U tube and searching on here, I had hard fat in a pipe which led to water in bottom tray operating the floaty thing and stopping water coming into machine.


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 12:15 pm
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Too slow as above.


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 12:17 pm
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Or lemon pips in the arms… Its always lemon pips in the arms.

Ours generates weird stringy orange goo that is extruded from the holes in the arms and stop them working. I suspect there might be a hellmouth or something in there.


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 1:39 pm
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In my case, the control board went, and I found one on eBay for £20 ish I think.  There was also water in the tray - when I moved it, it cracked a perished o-ring/dried gunge seal on a bit of plastic ducting, so I took it apart and added some PTFE tape and it's been fine.


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 1:42 pm
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Ours generates weird stringy orange goo that is extruded from the holes in the arms and stop them working. I suspect there might be a hellmouth or something in there.

Rice in ours. The arms clip in and out easily but do not come apart to remove the debris, seems a bit of a design oversight to me.


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 1:42 pm
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We installed a way to big Ikea shoe storage unit two weeks ago in the porch, told wife as a joke we will never get any white goods in the house ever again.

Saturday the dishwasher packed in, not draining and making noises. Raging I got the multi meter out took out the pump and no obvious issues.

YouTube later mentioned glass blocking the impeller, checked it out and there was two small shards of glass stopping it turning. Wife suddenly remembers dropping a delicate wine glass inside.

Tiny thing stopping a very small thing turning.


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 2:26 pm
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Dishwashers are a no brainer. Use less water & energy.

& lemon pips & rice cause problems?

Riiigght...

No! Don't tell me...you have to rinse your plates first before stacking?

What with?


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 8:20 pm
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Mine does something similar with the lights, take it out, tip it to more than 45 degrees and try it again

I assume there is a reset or something. Costs nowt, so worth a try, it certainly works for me


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 9:37 pm
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Clean the blades

Clean the filter that unscrews out.

Let it run through rinse cycle if its defaulting to that then select desired programme and turn off then on.

Fill.up the salt bit.

Run a cleaner thing through it when empty.

Don't overload it.


 
Posted : 15/11/2018 9:50 pm
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Turn it upside down.  Then back up the right way and try it. Theres a float valve that cuts off the water if the overflow is full.  Stops a flood if there's a leak.  An old one can gradually fill up the reservoir.  I cured mine by drilling a hole in the reservoir as we had a hard floor and only a tiny leak


 
Posted : 16/11/2018 12:12 am

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