Dishwasher loads water but does not start washing causes and remedies

There is nothing worse than deluding yourself into thinking that something is something it isn't. An example situation? The dishwasher that loads water but doesn't start.

Think about it: you've just loaded your appliance after a long day at work. You can't wait to lie down on the sofa and relax in front of a book or the television before sinking into a long, restful sleep. You feel the water entering the appliance, everything seems to be going as it should, you sit down and... you hear an alarm coming from your dishwasher. You run into the kitchen and an error code appears on the display or you see some of the buttons flashing. The wash cycle is blocked.

This situation is definitely worse on a mental level than when the dishwasher does not load water. At least right away you understand that something is wrong. Beyond the psychological impact, let's look at the problem. What happened? Why does the dishwasher load water but not start?

Summary

• The dishwasher loads water and then stops
  • Dishwasher fills with water and then stops? Maybe it's the air trap
  • Dishwasher stops mid-wash: the most serious causes
    • The electronic board or flow meter turbine
    • Blocked electric pump

The dishwasher loads water and then stops

When activated, the dishwasher fills with water until the pressure switch blocks the inlet.

Once the appliance is sufficiently filled with water, the motor – or electric pump – is activated, pushing the liquid into circulation.

Well, when your dishwasher starts and then stops, there is a problem that occurs in one of these phases. It could be a dirty sump air trap and, in this case, you would be very lucky because it is easy to fix, just a little cleaning. When other components have suffered damage, the interventions are a little more complex and it may be necessary to intervene by a professional technician to identify the damage.

Dishwasher fills with water and then stops? Maybe it's the air trap

The pressure switch may not correctly detect the presence of air inside the appliance if the sump air trap is dirty and/or the filter is clogged. As a result, the safety system is activated, blocking the appliance to prevent it from filling with water.

In this case, you just need to clean the air trap to see your dishwasher work properly again. To do this, you can choose between two methods. The first is simple and fast but not always effective against the most stubborn dirt; the second, however, is more thorough. You can try starting with the simple method and see what happens.

Get a bendable pipe cleaner and insert it into the sump air trap hole. Scrub it a bit to remove grease and dirt. Try starting the dishwasher again and see what happens. If that doesn't work, you need to reach into the air trap and clean it more effectively.

Remove the side panel of the dishwasher from the air trap (see the instruction manual to see where it is located in your appliance), disconnect the pressure switch tube that is connected to the air trap of the sump. Blow into this tube or use a screwdriver to clean the hole as best as possible.

Once everything is reassembled, the dishwasher should work again. Remember that it is important to regularly run empty washes to sanitize your appliance.

Dishwasher stops mid-wash: the most serious causes

The problem of a dishwasher that stops in the middle of a wash cycle cannot always be solved with a good cleaning operation. Sometimes, the fault concerns some of the components that are fundamental for the correct functioning of the appliance. It could be the electronic board, the turbine that counts litres or the electric pump. In these cases, it is always advisable to replace the damaged parts with new ones and contact the out-of-warranty assistance to be sure to identify the right problem.

The electronic board or flow meter turbine

The electronic board and the flow meter turbine can fail and cause the wash to stop after the water has been loaded. They are particularly delicate components of the appliance and in both cases a replacement is necessary.

It is easy to understand if the problem is the electronic board because by looking at it you should notice some burns. A little more difficult is to understand by eye if the turbine is faulty. Resolve the dilemma by calling a professional. He will himself take care of ordering the spare part and installing it correctly.

Blocked electric pump

If after the dishwasher stops working you also hear a dull hum coming from the appliance, then the problem is probably the blocked motor (or electric pump) . You can be sure of this by using a wattmeter to check the current absorption during the water loading. If the wattmeter remains silent and indicates an increase in absorption, you must replace the electric pump. If, however, there is no increase, the problem could be the circuit board or the wiring.

You could also try to unblock the electric pump with a screwdriver, but it all depends on its state of wear. If there is rust on the motor, you should give up and buy a new component. By asking for assistance from Coimbatore Service repairers for your Whirlpool, Hotpoint/Ariston, Indesit, Ignis, KitchenAid, Bauknecht, and IFB dishwasher, you can count on original spare parts.

When your dishwasher loads water and stops and you don't know what to do, trust the professionals!