Help! Very Urgent Dishwasher Problem

fluffymuffy

We're moving house tomorrow. We're leaving the dishwasher because it was the key selling feature which made our buyers fall for the house (really ). It's a Bosch Clasixx.

A few weeks ago it stopped working - on the very last day of the two year warranty. Bosch sent a man out and it seemed to be mended. But we haven't used it since - and now we're just tidying up the last things we find it doesn't work.

Can anyone advise on a DIY repair we might manage ourselves. We know vaguely what the problem is - it keeps pumping out and doesn't fill with water at all. It was a stuck "float valve". The symptoms are the same so I'm guessing it's the same cause.

I wonder if something dried out with it not being used? and maybe got stuck with a lot of limescale? Should we try filling it with a bucket of water? Any suggestions welcome. Is there an all-night dishwasher repair man anywhere?

silvercar

Really Bosch should fix it if their repair failed within such a short time.

You really should tell your buyers what has happened, contact Bosch tomorrow and tell them their repair has failed and make an appointment for them to fix it. Then leave the buyers change the appointment if it is not convenient.

rosekitten

definatly get back onto Bosch as
mentioned above

thursday

I have had the identical problem with my old as well as (now newish) Bosch dishwasher.
Each time the dishwasher fixed itself...i know this sounds mega stupid but it is as if the "floating valve" needed time to readjust itself.
Each time by the time I'd find a spare moment to call for repairs, I'd try it and it would start work as if there were no problems ever much like going to the dentist for toothache..:eek:
having said all this - have you checked that your water supply valve is on? :rotfl:
but as you are pressed for time, maybe it is best to be open with your buyers and leave your details in case the machine needs further repairs..always be nice...tricky in your situation though

whitegoods_engineer

thursday wrote: »

I have had the identical problem with my old as well as (now newish) Bosch dishwasher.
Each time the dishwasher fixed itself...i know this sounds mega stupid but it is as if the "floating valve" needed time to readjust itself.
Each time by the time I'd find a spare moment to call for repairs, I'd try it and it would start work as if there were no problems ever much like going to the dentist for toothache..:eek:
having said all this - have you checked that your water supply valve is on? :rotfl:
but as you are pressed for time, maybe it is best to be open with your buyers and leave your details in case the machine needs further repairs..always be nice...tricky in your situation though

I love the thought that the "floating valve" needs time to reset itself!!

Well there's no such thing as a floating valve but there is a float switch which is quite simply a polystyrene float connected to a microswitch.

Your dishwasher has a slow leak which means that the water leaks into the base of the dishwasher until the float rises, then the switch makes contact which then either directly, or through the 'computer on board' switches on the drain pump! (this is an anti-flood device)

That is why you hear the constant draining sound from the pump. After a while, (24 hours or so), the level of water in the base tray which has been leaking slowly drops very slightly (due to evaporation) which then releases the float switch and hey presto, it all works again! That is until the water again leaks into the base.

It is simple to test for an internal leak, simply pull the dishwasher out and tip it back a bit. If any water comes out, you've definitely got a leak! Also, you'll find that the machine will now start a programme as the float switch is now released, rather than constantly draining!

So, basically, you have a leak which needs fixing. However, if you tip the machine back steeply to allow the base water to come out, if it is a slow leak, you may find you can do a complete wash, providing the leak is not too large to allow the float to rise during the wash.

If successful, it is a slow leak and you can repeat the process until you can get it repaired professionally. You'll soon get fed up of doing this!

Oh and by the way, the Bosh dishwashers are not a DIY job, they are horrendous to work on (well the old models at least)

Unfortunately, unscrupulous service engineers will simply tip the water out, claim it was a jammed float switch, show the customer it is working, then takes the 'repair' money! It may well work for a few washes, particularly if used infrequently, until the base fills up again!

thursday

Sounds like great expertly advice.
I would not pay for it though.

fluffymuffy

Thanks for the replies.

We did manage to find an emergency 24hr dishwasher repair man who came and had a look in the early hours for £20. (wow! - I googled "24hr dishwasher repair")

He pulled it our and tipped it back, saw a pool of water and told us it was a leak.. and everything whitegoods-engineer just said.

We asked our solicitor and he said we can appeal to Bosch to come and mend it - but we can only rely on their goodwill. We're a bit busy today (what with moving house) and will have to ring Bosch later... but if Bosch won't mend it then the emergency repair man has a reconditioned one for £90, or we could just give the buyers some cash to buy the cheapest possible new one.

On the bright side, we do now know a nice repair man who comes at the drop of a hat and gives acurate advice for £20.

whitegoods_engineer

fluffymuffy wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

We did manage to find an emergency 24hr dishwasher repair man who came and had a look in the early hours for £20. (wow! - I googled "24hr dishwasher repair")

That's amazing! To get an engineer who will come out in the early hours, as an emergency AND only charge you £20 is exceptional!

I can't really understand how he can make a living at that price, but well done for finding somebody who must be the cheapest whitegoods engineer in the universe!

fluffymuffy

I suspect it's not his day job.

shandypants5

fluffymuffy wrote: »

I suspect it's not his day job.

So you think he might be a "Dark goods engineer":D

olias

fluffymuffy wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

We did manage to find an emergency 24hr dishwasher repair man who came and had a look in the early hours for £20. (wow! - I googled "24hr dishwasher repair")

He pulled it our and tipped it back, saw a pool of water and told us it was a leak.. and everything whitegoods-engineer just said.

We asked our solicitor and he said we can appeal to Bosch to come and mend it - but we can only rely on their goodwill. We're a bit busy today (what with moving house) and will have to ring Bosch later... but if Bosch won't mend it then the emergency repair man has a reconditioned one for £90, or we could just give the buyers some cash to buy the cheapest possible new one.

On the bright side, we do now know a nice repair man who comes at the drop of a hat and gives acurate advice for £20.

I'm sorry, but my view is that if this was a major influence in them buying the house (sounds crazy, but there you go!), and it was sold as being in working condition and included in the F&F list, then I think you have a moral, not to say legal obligation to replace it with an equivalent value Bosch model.

If I was the buyer and had been palmed off with a cheap recon unit or 'the cheapest possible new one', then I would be getting my solicitor to send out a pretty stern letter to you demanding an equivalent model or threatening legal action as you will have effectively breached your contract)

Olias