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Bosch Dishwasher Won’t Start, Stop, Drain, Etc.

Bosch Dishwasher Won't Start, Stop, Drain, Etc.

Your Bosch dishwasher is a workhorse that saves you from having to do the dirty dishes yourself. But sometimes it can run into problems.

The good news is that for most of these issues, there are quick fixes that you can do such as removing clogs and blockage, cleaning certain parts, or making sure that the door closes shut. For some problems, however, you might need to replace certain components, but these should be easy to do. For a very few times, you might need to call in a service professional.

So what do you do if your Bosch dishwasher won’t start, stop, drain, wash, or any other problems you might face with this appliance? Read on to find out what causes these problems and how you can remedy each one.

Bosch Dishwasher Won’t Start or Turn On: Why and How to Fix

Bosch Dishwasher Won't Start or Turn On: Why and How to Fix

One of the most common problems that owners have with their Bosch dishwasher is that it won’t even power on. So here are some of the causes and what you need to do.

See If the Dishwasher Is Getting Power from the Outlet.

The problem might not be with the Bosch dishwasher itself but with the plugs or the socket. Unplug your dishwasher and plug in something else to see if there is electricity at the outlet.

You should also check the plug’s fuse to make sure it hasn’t blown. This will require you to open the plug by taking the back panel off. Once it’s open, you should be able to see the fuse.

You will need a multimeter for this. Set the multimeter to the lowest resistance reading and put the probes at the opposite ends of the fuse.

Here’s how you replace a blown-up fuse inside a plug.

Check the Door Switch

The door switch can detect whether the door is open or close. If the door is open, this switch will stop your dishwasher from running. But when it’s broken, it may prevent your dishwasher from starting.

Check the door switch with a multimeter and see if there’s continuity. If not, you will need to replace the switch.

While you’re at it, you should also check the door latch. It might not be working properly and the dishwasher door might not be securely closed, which, in turn, triggers the door switch to prevent your dishwasher from running.

Here’s how you replace the door latch on your Bosch dishwasher:

Watch out for a Blown Thermal Fuse

The thermal fuse keeps your Bosch dishwasher from overheating. A blown fuse will result in a dishwasher that doesn’t start. 

Use a multimeter to check for continuity. A continuity test will let you know if there is a continuous electrical path within the fuse. 

And here’s how you do that:

If it’s really a blown fuse, you will need to replace it.

It Might Be a Defective Main Control Board

Your Bosch dishwasher’s main control board manages every function of the appliance, including draining, drying, and washing. As such, the control board also supplies electricity to almost every electrical part of your dishwasher.

A defective control board may result in it not sending the right voltage to the various components of your dishwasher so it doesn’t start. You will again need to use a multimeter to check if power is getting to the control board or not. 

If the control board does get power from the plug, but your dishwasher still won’t start, it could be a problem with the control board, or it could be something else. So, you might want to first check for a blown-out thermal fuse, door switch, and other components in this section before ordering a replacement control board.

If it is really the control board that’s the problem, then you should replace it. How do you do that?

1. You will need to open the dishwasher and take out both the outer and inner door panels. These panels will come off if you take out the screws that secure them in place.

2. Once the panels are taken out, you have access to the control panel and the main control board. Making sure that you take note of the wires and where they go, disconnect the wires from the control board.

3. Release the old control board using a flathead screwdriver and take it out. Replace it with the new control board by snapping the new one into place.

4. Reconnect all the wires and then reinstall the control panel, followed by the inner and the outer door panels.

Here’s a video showing all the steps:

Replace a Defective Timer

The timer on your Bosch dishwasher regulates the flow of power to the various components. If it’s defective, it might stop the electricity from flowing to the right parts, which will then prevent your dishwasher from starting.

Dishwasher timers are often located in the appliance’s lower kickplate at the bottom area or near the control components. Using an ohmmeter, place it to the x1000 setting. A perfectly working timer will have a reading of anywhere from 2,000 to 3,500 ohms. 

If the reading falls below this range, then it’s time to replace your Bosch dishwasher’s timer.

Bosch Dishwasher Won’t Stop Running: Why and How to Fix

Bosch Dishwasher Won't Stop Running: Why and How to Fix

Depending on your model and the mode that you select, a Bosch dishwasher should have a normal cycle that lasts anywhere from a little over two to 2.5 hours. That time is cut in half if you use your dishwasher’s speed cycle. But this mode is usually inefficient and can turn your dishwasher into an annoying noisemaker.

Your first step is to check your Bosch dishwasher’s normal cycle times and to see whether it is running far longer than it should. Read the manual to check for cycle times.

If your Bosch dishwasher won’t stop or has been running for hours, then here are the usual suspects.

Clogs

Your Bosch dishwasher might have a clogged drain hose, filter, or air vent. When obstructed, these can slow down your dishwasher when filling or draining water. As such, it will take a long time to complete a normal cycle.

To fix this, you can:

  • Clean the filters.
  • Check the drainage hose for kinks, clogs, and bends.
  • Clear obstructions from the air vents.

Build-Up of Lime

Lime can build up in your dishwasher over time and you will know this by the presence of debris, grit, and film of white or brown in the insides of your dishwasher or on your dishes. Your dishwasher is especially prone to lime build-up if you have hard water

This is when your water has a high concentration of magnesium and calcium, as well as other minerals, in it. You will know this when you wash your hands and there is soap scum left on your hands afterward. Soap scum, a film of residue, is the result of the calcium in your water reacting to the components of soap.

If you live in areas with hard water, you will need to clean it with CLR, a cleanser that gets rid of the calcium, dissolves the lime build-up, and takes away rust stains. It is a non-toxic product that is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for having safer ingredients and none of the harmful ammonia, phosphates, or bleach.

Another thing you can do is to pour a cup of vinegar into the tub and then run a cycle. If you want, you can also put some salt in the detergent cup to help the vinegar scour your dishwasher.

Clean Everything Thoroughly

While cleaning with CLR, vinegar, or vinegar and salt can provide quick fixes, nothing beats a thorough manual clean. You will need to use a long nylon scrub or brush and clean around the:

  • Filters
  • Screens
  • Water arm jets
  • Outside seals

Again, you will need to do more if you have hard water. And by more, we mean taking out every detachable component of your dishwasher and cleaning it. Fortunately, you only need to do a manual cleaning once or twice a year.

Other Products You Can Try

Aside from vinegar, salt, and CLR, you can also try cleaning your dishwasher with:

Your Bosch Dishwasher Won’t Heat Properly

Another reason why your Bosch dishwasher won’t stop running or takes too long to finish a cycle is that it can’t heat water properly. A heating issue with your dishwasher can result in your dishes not getting cleaned thoroughly or the drying process taking significantly longer. The dishwasher will wait for the heater to heat things up properly before it shuts down, but because something’s wrong with the heater, it just keeps on waiting and waiting while still running.

Note that some people might connect their dishwasher directly to their hot water supply. Some manufacturers do not recommend this. If you’re connecting directly to hot water, then check your dishwasher to make sure this is allowed with your particular model.

If this is the case, the thermostat and heating elements are probably the problems. The thermostat will help in regulating the water temperature, telling the heating element to heat up cold water. Check the thermostat with a multimeter to see if it’s faulty.

If the thermostat is working fine, then you might need to check the heating elements. The heating element regulates the water temperature as well as dries the dishes. Check the resistance level with a multimeter. 

Or all it might take is soldering the heater relay on the circuit board to get things heating up again, as shown in this video.

The Timer Is Defective

Lastly, if your dishwasher is taking a really long time to finish a cycle or if it keeps on running, then check to see if there’s a problem with the timer motor.

To do this, set your multitester to the x1000 setting and see if you can get a reading of between 2,000 to 3,000 ohms. If you can’t, then you need to replace the timer, as shown in this video:

Bosch Dishwasher Won’t Drain: Why and How to Fix

Bosch Dishwasher Won't Drain: Why and How to Fix

When it comes to your Bosch dishwasher not draining, the most likely culprit is that the filters are blocked. Cleaning the food debris from these filter tubes will allow the water to flow out more freely.

Another possible place for blockage is the drain pump itself. Clear away as much of the food debris as you can from the drain pump to see if that does the trick. The drain pump can also be blocked by a piece of glass or ceramics if something breaks while you’re washing it.

You can also check the waste pipe to see if there is congealed fat or grease that formed there. You can pinch and squeeze the waste pipe to break these hardened oils and run your dishwasher to the hottest setting to melt and flush it out.

If all these fail, then you might consider replacing the drain pump. And here’s a video to show you how to do that.

Bosch Dishwasher Keeps Filling and Draining

Bosch Dishwasher Keeps Filling and Draining

If your Bosch dishwasher keeps filling and draining, then you should look at either the impeller jug or the flow meters.

It can also be an indicator that water is getting into the base of your dishwasher where the anti-flooding mechanism is. When water collects at the base, the safety switch floats and this triggers the dishwasher to pump water out of the appliance. This will prevent your dishwasher from flooding your kitchen and destroy the electronics found at the base.

How do you remedy these? Here’s a video that teaches you how:

Bosch Dishwasher Won’t Fill

Bosch Dishwasher Won't Fill

If you have a Bosch dishwasher that won’t fill with water, then check to see if your water inlet valve is faulty. To replace the water inlet valve, follow the following steps:

Bosch Dishwasher Fills but Does Not Wash or the Dishes Remain Dirty

Bosch Dishwasher Fills but Does Not Wash or the Dishes Remain Dirty

When this happens, you should listen for humming that can indicate that broken glass or food scraps are blocking the wash motor. Remove the excess water and then check for and remove any blockage in the following components:

  • Impeller
  • Drain hose
  • Sump hose
  • Filter

If there are no clogs in these components, you may need to replace the wash motor. You can also check the spray arms to see if it needs cleaning.

Another cause for your dishwasher filling up but not washing is the printed circuit board. This main control board regulates all functions of your dishwasher. A faulty PCB will result in your dishwasher not working properly or not even knowing what you want it to do. You will need to replace a faulty PCB.

Bosch Dishwasher Door Won’t Close or Pops Open

Bosch Dishwasher Door Won't Close or Pops Open

Problems with your dishwasher door can stop it from running. This is because your dishwasher can detect if the door is open so that the water won’t spill out while it operates.

There are five things that you should inspect if you are having problems with a door that doesn’t latch properly.

Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on October 22, 2020.

  • Door hinge: Damaged door hinges will not latch correctly. Replace any broken or bent door hinges.
  • Door catch: Adjust misaligned door catches.
  • Door latch: Damaged door latches should be removed and replaced.
  • Door lock: Broken door locks need to be replaced.
  • Door strike: A broken door strike would need to be replaced. You cannot repair this part.

Bosch Dishwasher Won’t Clean Dishes

Bosch Dishwasher Won't Clean Dishes

According to the manufacturer, here are the things that you should try if your dishwasher won’t clean dishes:

Clean the Filter

The filter needs regular cleaning with a soft brush, soap, and water to clear out any food residue and other debris that may get stuck in it.

There Is a Correct Way to Load Your Dishes 

Be sure to put your dishes properly so that you leave ample room between them. This will ensure that each dish, glass, and other items will get thoroughly cleaned.

You should also make sure that the spray arms are not obstructed after you have loaded your dishes.

Scrape Food off Your Dishes

While you don’t need to pre-rinse the dishes, you will still need to make sure that you remove food scraps from them before you load them. The detergent will cling onto the smaller food scraps to clean your dishes properly.

Use Rinse Aid

Rinse aid helps the water to slide right off your dishes and that helps prevent watermarks. Watermarks can sometimes make your dishes look dirty.

You can add rinse aid such as the Cascade Platinum Power Dry Rise Aid like this:

Cleaning the Spray Arms

You can clean the spray arms to remove any blockage with a toothpick. Check out this video for more instructions:

If these do not work, then there must be something wrong with some components that are related to the cleaning cycle. What are these components?

  • A water inlet valve that is not letting water in. A clogged or defective valve will mean that your dishwasher will not have enough water to clean the dishes. Replace it.
  • A broken or worn-out water pump belt should also be replaced.
  • A broken wash arm assembly will prevent the water from flowing properly and this will result in the dishes not getting a proper clean. You should remove this part and remove any clogs. If the blockage is too much, you can just replace the part.
  • Circulation pumps are used to force the water up and if this part is broken, your dishes are bound to remain dirty. You should check if the motor is getting enough power and that the pump itself is debris-free. Circulation pumps are notoriously difficult to replace, so you might want to call in repair service for this one.

Bosch Dishwasher Won’t Dry Dishes

Bosch Dishwasher Won't Dry Dishes

If your dishwasher fails to dry your dishes properly, it might be because you’ve put the dishes too close together and they are overcrowding each other. This prevents the hot air from circulating freely and drying your dishes properly.

Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on October 22, 2020.

Also, make sure that you unload the bottom rack before the others. If you unload the topmost rack first, you will be shaking water down onto the lower racks.

Bosch dishwashers also use condensation to dry your plates. It gives your plates a hot rinse at the end and the hot water reacts to the steel interior, which is colder. The water will freely drip off, which makes for efficient drying. You might want to try a stronger drying setting such as the Auto-Cycle or the Extra Dry.

Rinse aid also helps to dry your dishes. Further, if you are washing plastic plates and dishware, then you should know that these items do not retain heat too well, so it will take longer for these items to dry. Again, you can use Extra Dry settings for plasticware.

If these do not take care of the problem, check out the vent. The dishwasher might have a vent that’s not opening properly so the steam cannot get out. The steam will stay inside the dishwasher, and leave moisture on the dishes. The vent fan blade might also be defective. 

Final Thoughts

Bosch Dishwasher Won't Start, Stop, Drain, Etc.

For some homeowners, their Bosch dishwasher is a godsend as it helps them free up the time they need to do the dishes so they can do something that’s more important. These machines are not perfect, however, and they do need some attention. If you find yourself with a dishwasher that doesn’t seem to be cooperating, don’t fret: there are easy ways to fix it yourself.

Have a different brand of dishwasher, checkout our dishwasher not starting article.

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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on October 22, 2020.

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