A dishwasher that starts but takes in little or no water has a supply problem. In order of likelihood, it is a closed or half-closed tap, a kinked or crushed inlet hose, a blocked inlet screen, a stuck float, or a failed inlet valve. The first three can be checked at home with nothing but a torch and a towel.
This is a different fault to a machine that will not start at all. If the display is dead or nothing happens when you press start, work through the dishwasher won't start checklist first. If it fills but then leaves water sitting in the base, see dishwasher not draining.
How can I tell the dishwasher is not filling?
Listen at the start of the cycle. A dishwasher takes in water for the first minute or two, and you can hear it running in. If you hear a long hum with no rushing water, or a short burst of water and then silence, the machine is starved of supply or the valve is not opening.
Then open the door mid-cycle (the machine pauses when you do) and look at the base. A shallow film of water around the filter is normal. A dry base after several minutes means it did not fill. Wash arms that spin with no spray also point to low water, and so do dishes that come out with dried detergent still in the dispenser.
Is the water tap fully open?
Check the tap first, because it is the most common cause. Most dishwashers connect to an isolating tap under the sink, and it gets knocked closed or part-closed when the cupboard is cleaned out or a plumber has been in. Turn the handle until it stops. If it is a lever, it should sit in line with the pipe.
If the tap has been closed, the dishwasher may have shown an error code as well. Our guide to what an appliance error code means covers what to note before you reset it.
Is the inlet hose kinked?
Pull the dishwasher forward a few centimetres, or look behind the kickboard, and trace the inlet hose from the tap to the machine. A hose that has been squashed against the cabinet or folded when the dishwasher was pushed back in cuts the flow. Straighten it and make sure it sits clear of the back panel.
If you can see the hose is a braided or flexible type with a bulge, a leak or a tight bend that does not straighten out, it needs replacing. Turn the tap off before touching it.
Is the inlet screen blocked?
Where the inlet hose connects to the dishwasher there is a small mesh screen that catches grit and scale before it reaches the valve. A blocked screen starves the valve of water, and it is more common where the supply carries scale or sediment.
To check it, turn the tap off, disconnect the hose at the dishwasher end with a towel and a shallow tray underneath, and look into the connector. Rinse the mesh under a tap and refit the hose, hand-tight plus a small turn. Do not use tools on plastic fittings.
Could the float switch be holding the cycle?
Most dishwashers have a float that rises with the water level and tells the control board when the machine is full. If the float sticks in the raised position, the board believes the machine is already full and never opens the valve. A float that is jammed with a bit of label or debris is a cleaning job. A float that is tripped because there is water in the catch tray under the machine is a leak lockout, and the machine will not fill until the leak is found. We describe that lockout on the Bosch brand page, and the same idea applies on most brands.
When is it the inlet valve?
If the tap is open, the hose is clear, the screen is clean and the float moves freely, the inlet valve is the next suspect. It is an electrically operated valve that opens when the board calls for water. Two things go wrong with it: the coil stops responding, or the valve body clogs or scales up so it cannot open fully.
A valve that has failed does not fill the machine at all, and one that is partly blocked fills slowly and the cycle runs short of water. Valve replacement is a standard repair, and it is one of the cheaper parts on a dishwasher. It involves mains water and mains power at the same time, so it is a technician job.
What can I safely do before booking?
- Open the isolating tap fully.
- Check the inlet hose for kinks behind and under the machine.
- Clean the inlet screen with the tap off and a towel under the connection.
- Check that the float moves freely and the tray under the machine is dry.
- Switch the machine off at the wall for two minutes, then run a short cycle.
If none of that restores the fill, stop running the machine. A dishwasher that heats and washes without enough water can damage the heating element and the pump seal.
Is it worth repairing?
On most machines, yes. A valve or an inlet hose is a small part and the Australian Government's household appliances guide says most dishwashers can last up to 10 years, so a repair on a machine well inside that range usually makes sense. On an older machine, how we decide between repairing and replacing sets out what we weigh.
Dishwashers from Bosch, Asko, Electrolux, Fisher & Paykel, Beko, Smeg and Westinghouse are all within what the technicians are authorised to repair, using genuine parts, in or out of warranty. The service area is Shellharbour City and the Lake Illawarra suburbs, domestic appliances only. The $125 fee is payable on every visit, and any repair is quoted before work starts.
Book online or call 02 4229 3777 with the make, the model number and what you heard at the start of the cycle.