Dishwasher stuck in wash - fix it or cark it?

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joker97

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Topic # 113940 2-Feb-2013 09:09
Got an old dishwasher that's probably on its last legs. Fisher and Paykel "Select" Washing dishes in Eco mode and it starts with about 6 lights and goes down to zero and it's done ... something like that It progresses past the first couple of lights and gets stuck from there .... so i could potentially wash forever to the end of time ... What is the problem and can i fix it? (I know it is probably no if i have to ask but ... hey this is what GZ is for right)

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Reply # 754700 2-Feb-2013 09:32
I had the same problem and Google pointed me to the controller board which is at the bottom. Part of a solder joint had burnt out due to the dishwasher door being opened during cycle. I resoldered the joint and it was good to go.

Niel

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Reply # 754706 2-Feb-2013 09:49
Based on the previous reply, there are similar issues with car fuel pump relays which contain a safety circuit. The issues with them started around the 90's when manufacturers had to change to lead free but did not understand what is involved. They did a bad job of the soldering and even from new you could have cracked solder joints causing the car to randomly cut out. Another issue was when they mixed lead and lead free, which solidifies at different temperatures resulting in a brittle solder joint. The routing fix for home mechanics is to resolder all the joints. Depending on the age of your dishwasher, if it uses lead free solder then you need to resolder with lead free solder, but if it uses lead solder you need to solder with lead solder. Unless you do not plan on keeping it for longer than a couple of years, or willing to redo it in a few years. Don;t know when they introduced lead free in appliances, guessing late 90's, but might be early 2000's. You can never have enough Volvos!

jamesrt

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Reply # 754715 2-Feb-2013 10:00
We had an F&P dishwasher that got "stuck" on the wash cycle - the problem was an sensor inside the door had come unglued and was no longer attached to the inside of the door, but free-floating instead. Taking off the outside door skin (which was fairly simple) made it quick to repair. Different model however, so YMMV.

timmmay

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Reply # 754718 2-Feb-2013 10:07
If you do buy a new dishwasher my new Bosch is awesome. I got the one with the cutlery rack at the top of the thing, so three sliding shelves, huge capacity and does a great job. Asus eee pad transformer iPod 2G Windows 7 PC Lots and lots of Nikon camera gear

joker97

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Reply # 754720 2-Feb-2013 10:12
jamesrt: We had an F&P dishwasher that got "stuck" on the wash cycle - the problem was an sensor inside the door had come unglued and was no longer attached to the inside of the door, but free-floating instead. Taking off the outside door skin (which was fairly simple) made it quick to repair. Different model however, so YMMV. How do i isolate the problem / diagnostic steps?

joker97

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Reply # 754722 2-Feb-2013 10:12
Ok got it for bosch. We are selling the house and moving on so not this time but thnaks. Our bosch washing machine is not bad

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Reply # 755253 3-Feb-2013 22:15
our bosch d/w has a cut out switch in the bottom that would leave the machine sitting constantly on the 'drain' cycle if the bottom filled with any water. tilting the d/w to empty the water made it come right, then fixing the damanged door seal sorted the problem so it wouldnt happen again. Need help implementing Microsoft CRM? Give OA Systems a shout. Winners of CRM Solution of the Year at the 2010 Microsoft NZ Partner Awards

joker97

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Reply # 755256 3-Feb-2013 22:20
i guess it could be a list of a few issues ... our dishwasher isn't leaking ... must be something simple ... but i'm not electrician educated and don't know squat ... hmmm anyone has any diagnostic steps for "dishwasher stuck in cycle" from electrician 101 ?

mattwnz

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Reply # 755266 3-Feb-2013 22:44
timmmay: If you do buy a new dishwasher my new Bosch is awesome. I got the one with the cutlery rack at the top of the thing, so three sliding shelves, huge capacity and does a great job. I have a bosch, and they are okay. However I have found their soap dispensers fail after a few years, although there are videos showing how to replace quite easily if you can get parts, so looks like a common problem. Also I have had a few piece of wire in the racks fail at the welding, and have rusted through and fallen off. Never had that happen with other brands I have found Asko ones to be fairly durable

Geekamouse

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Reply # 755964 5-Feb-2013 10:49
If you've got a faulty dishwasher that's on its last legs, why would waste time and money on it when a new one is so cheap?

timmmay

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Reply # 755965 5-Feb-2013 10:50
Dishwashers can be quite expensive too, ours was around $2K. Asus eee pad transformer iPod 2G Windows 7 PC Lots and lots of Nikon camera gear

NonprayingMantis

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Reply # 755973 5-Feb-2013 11:01
we've had our old DW repaired a couple of times in the last few years. no repair cost more than $150, so definitely a damn site cheaper than buying a new one.

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Reply # 755974 5-Feb-2013 11:03
timmmay: Dishwashers can be quite expensive too, ours was around $2K. you get what you pay for and $2k buys you a great dishwasher. Our one at home (bosch) cost around that and is awesome. Easy to stack, great at washing and super quiet - can watch tv while the dishwasher runs and it doesn't intrude. Our one at work cost $600 and its the biggest piece of c**p ever made. It barely washes dishes - works if you pre-scrub everything only and use tablets, its really awful to stack, its noisy and heavy on the water use (though i'm not sure what it does with the water, as washing stuff with it seems unlikely!) Need help implementing Microsoft CRM? Give OA Systems a shout. Winners of CRM Solution of the Year at the 2010 Microsoft NZ Partner Awards

surfisup1000

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Reply # 756002 5-Feb-2013 11:56
Niel: Don;t know when they introduced lead free in appliances, guessing late 90's, but might be early 2000's. Yes, lead free solder is the reason behind so many device faults , including my PS3. It annoys me they change for environmental reasons but probably the decision results in more equipment failures and subsequently the environment may not be much better off. Regarding the dishwasher -- to replace a controller board (they don't usually fix'em if you can even source one at all) will run into 300 or 400 dollars . Maybe you could muck around and find a 2nd hand one and DIY which probably isn't too difficult either.

surfisup1000

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Reply # 756005 5-Feb-2013 11:58
Regs: timmmay: Dishwashers can be quite expensive too, ours was around $2K. you get what you pay for and $2k buys you a great dishwasher. Our one at home (bosch) cost around that and is awesome. Easy to stack, great at washing and super quiet - can watch tv while the dishwasher runs and it doesn't intrude. Our one at work cost $600 and its the biggest piece of c**p ever made. It barely washes dishes - works if you pre-scrub everything only and use tablets, its really awful to stack, its noisy and heavy on the water use (though i'm not sure what it does with the water, as washing stuff with it seems unlikely!) My mum bought a bosch and she hates it. Something to do with it not stacking as well as her prior dishwasher. But I largely agree -- bought an expensive Asko and it is great (apart from breaking down twice under warranty).

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