Miele is a well known appliance brand. But, like all appliances they can have issues. Today, I will cover why a Miele dishwasher will not complete a cycle, and how to fix it.
In general, wait 10 minutes and see if it starts, there is a water softener reactivation program that runs automatically every few months. If you turn it off during the 10 minutes it will never start. Otherwise, the Power disk is empty, or the spray arms are clogged.
Most of the fixes to get it working again, can be done yourself. Below, I will cover how to do each of these fixes, as well as, what to do if you try each of them and your Miele dishwasher still won’t start.
Miele Dishwasher Not Complete Cycle (How to Fix)
There are multiple places during a wash cycle where a Miele dishwasher can stop completely, in other cases, it won’t do anything once you start a cycle. Here is why a Miele dishwasher does not complete a cycle, and the steps you should do to fix it when it happens, or it keeps happening.
As a general rule, start a cycle and wait 10 minutes. There is what is called a water softener reactivation program that needs to run every few months. If you cancel the program and start it again the water softener reactivation program will never run. Next, do the steps below.
There are other issues that can cause this to happen are the Power disk is empty, the spray arms are clogged, and a few others. In total there are 7 troubleshooting steps you should do when your Meile dishwasher will not complete a wash cycle. Below are step by step instructions for each of the steps you should do.
Reasons Why Miele Dishwasher Not Complete Cycle
A range of issues can occur that will cause your Miele dishwasher to stop mid cycle. Or, part way through the cycle. When this happens, it’s common to see an error code on the LCD display. If it doesn’t or if there is an error code, here are main reasons why this happens.
In general, the water softener reactivation program is running, the Power Disk is empty, the spray arms are clogged and need to be cleaned, there is an air gap in the waste water line, or one of the internal components has failed.
Below are steps numbered from 1 to 7. Do each of the steps in order.
If one step is too difficult, leave it for later. Below is a summary of how to do each step, as well as helpful videos so you can see exactly what to do to get your Miele dishwasher working again.
1. Water softener reactivation program is running
Miele dishwashers have what is called a water softener reactivation program. Every now and then your Miele dishwasher will need to run one of these before it starts a cycle. If it needs to run a water reactivation program it will take 10 minutes to run.
But, your Miele dishwasher will look like it’s not doing anything at all. Therefore, when you start a cycle, wait for 15 minutes. If the cycle still does not start then move on to the next steps.
2. Power disk needs to be installed (new dishwasher installs)
Many Miele dishwashers have what is called a Power disk. It’s a compartment that holds dishwashing powder. The amount of dishwashing powder in it will last about 20 washes.
On new Miele dishwashers the Power Disk is not installed, and you need to install it yourself. Check the Power Disk is installed using the instructions shown in the video below:
3. Power disk is empty
Another similar issue to the one above is the Power Disk is empty. Typically, there will be a message on the display that tells you when the Power Disk is getting low. As well as, when it needs to be replaced.
Inspect the Power Disk using the instructions in the video above to see if it’s empty. And if it is, how to replace it with a new one.
4. Fill channel was not reinstalled
There is also what is called a fill channel on Miele dishwashers. It can be removed and cleaned. And you typically need to do it each time you replace the Power Disk.
It does differ by model, and is easy to take in and out. Refer to the owners manual for your specific Miele dishwasher model to see how to check the fill channel is installed. An online version can be downloaded here from the official Miele dishwasher.
5. The spray arms are clogged and need to be cleaned
Virtually all dishwashers including Miele dishwashers have spray arms on the top and bottom of the dishwasher. They spray water on the dishes and clean them. The spray arms can develop clogs in the holes where the water sprays out.
If they are clogged then it will stop the spray arms from spraying water, which can cause an error code. Or, the dishes won’t be clean at the end of the cycle. To inspect and clean the power arms on your Miele dishwasher follow the instructions shown in the video below:
6. Rinse aid volume or water hardness are set incorrectly
Miele dishwashers have a Rinse aid setting and water hardness setting. If either of these are not set to the right levels, Miele says they can cause your Miele dishwasher to stop mid cycle. Refer to your owners manual to see how to adjust the settings for your specific Miele dishwasher.
You can download an online version of your Miele dishwasher on this page of the official Miele website. It requires you to put in your model number. On both freestanding and built-in dishwashers the model number is shown on a label that is on the right hand side of the door.
7. Air gap in drain hose (only if connected to garbage disposer)
If your kitchen has a garbage disposer then do this step. Otherwise, skip to the last step below. It’s common for the drain hose on a dishwasher to be connected to the garbage disposer.
As it drains the water goes down the same pipe that is connected to the garbage disposer. This part of the connection from your dishwasher to your waste water can develop a clog, or it can have an issue that prevents it from operating properly. The video below shows how to clean an air gap.
Air gaps are of a few different types. So, if you’re unsure how to unclog it, it’s best to contact a dishwasher repair person or a plumber.
Things to Try to Fix Miele Dishwasher Not Finishing Cycle
When your Miele dishwasher won’t finish a cycle, there are a range of ways that it can happen. For example, it can stop when it gets to the rinse part of the cycle, or the drain part of the cycle. Regardless of why it happens here are some things to try when your Miele dishwasher will not finish a cycle.
Overall, first begin a new cycle and then wait 15 minutes. Every few months a Miele dishwasher will automatically do a water softener reactivation program. It will run automatically at the start of a cycle for 10 minutes, but if you turn it off, it will never complete. After that do the steps below.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on December 4, 2022.
I have explained 7 troubleshooting steps you should do at the start of this article. Scroll to near the top of this article and look for the numbered steps. Start with step 2, which is to check the Power Disk is not empty, and shows how to replace it.
Overall, wait about 15 minutes after you start a cycle. There is an automatic water softener reactivation cycle that takes 10 minutes to run. It runs automatically every few months. If you cancel the cycle or turn it off during this time, it will restart the water reactivation cycle again.
Related Articles
Miele Dishwasher Light Flashing/Blinking
Miele Dishwasher Draining/Filing Problems
Miele Dishwasher Door Problems
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on December 4, 2022.
Miele Dishwasher Not Turning On (How to Fix)
Miele Dishwasher Not Heating (How To Fix)
Miele Dishwasher Spray Arm Problems (How To Fix)
Miele Dishwasher Beeping (How To Fix)
ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on December 4, 2022.