Your Dishwasher Goes into Safe Mode

When you run a washing programme, does your dishwasher go into fault mode (it's also called safe mode)? It refuses to close and won't start... If an error code appears, please refer to your instruction manual to find the cause of this malfunction. If not, to find out what is happening and fix it, please see the possible reasons for this malfunction below.

THE POTENTIAL CAUSES FOR THIS PROBLEM:

• Human error

• A leak is triggering the overflow safety mechanism

• The filter is clogged up

• A spray arm malfunction

• An electrical fault somewhere

• A Badly cleaned, bent or damaged door seal

• The drain Pump has a mechanical fault

• Other Possible causes triggering the dishwasher's safe mode

WARNING 

Before carrying out any work on your appliance, make sure you properly disconnect it from the mains electricity supply
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

Human error

Before you imagine the worse, you may want to check if it's not just a simple human error! Don't worry, it can happen to the best of us... Sometimes when you're in a hurry, you just automatically press buttons without realising it... For example, lots of people press the Start/Stop button while involuntarily managing to hit the delayed start button at the same time.The appliance will then refuse to start before the time that you have accidentally set it to. Or, in the same way, you may have inadvertently activated the child safety mechanism, which is stopping any programme from starting

A leak is triggering the overflow safety mechanism

This leak may come from the inner spray arm which could be partially clogged or cracked. If it turns very slowly, the jets of water will leak out between the door and the door seal around the door. If there's too much water, little waves form and overflow out of the main body of the dishwasher. In both these cases, the overflow mechanism will start up and shut off the water intake for safety reasons.To get your machine to start again, you need to empty your appliance and disable the safety mechanism.Check the state of your spray arm and replace it if needed.

Purchase spray arms for a dishwasher

The dishwasher's filter is clogged up

When it is obstructed by morsels of food and cleaning product residue, the filter will no longer prevent impurities from getting into the dishwasher. You are advised to clean the main filter after each cycle and clean the finest filter once a week.

Purchase a filter for a dishwasher

A spray arm malfunction

The spray holes in the spray arm (wash arm) may be obstructed by limescale or dirt, meaning the water can no longer exit them properly. The arm could also be blocked by part of your dishwasher or may not have enough water pressure to spin properly. Clean the spray arm using white vinegar and try again. Additionally, the lower spray arm in your appliance may not be able to turn as it is blocked by a utensil. Usually it's the tip of a knife which is sticking out of the cutlery basket. This is likely to cause a chain reaction... The arm won't be able to spin freely so the water jets will no longer be facing in the right direction and are likely to cause water to get through the door seal. This leak then ends up triggering the dishwasher's safe mode.

Purchase spray arms for a dishwasher

An Electrical Fault Somewhere

Electrical faults can appear in many component parts of your appliance. The main parts you should check are: the heating element, the solenoid valve, the pressure switch, the flowmeter, the drain pump, the wash pump, the turbidity sensor, the door sensor and the alternate wash valve, etc. Also the wiring in your dishwasher could be damaged, or may have snapped or burnt through. And last but not least, there may be a false contact on the connectors.There are in fact a lot of possible electrical faults.

A Badly cleaned, bent or damaged door seal

A dirty, damaged or worn out door seal will no longer keep the appliance watertight. This will result in a leak running down from the door. This water will be collected by a water trap (drip tray), then will be directed towards the safety float switch which will activate the drain pump to prevent the machine flooding.

Purchase a door seal for a dishwasher

The drain Pump has a mechanical fault

The drain pump may also be clogged up and thus may no longer be draining the waste water from a wash. The safety device then switches on and leaks may appear. You can check the state of the drain pump by dismantling it and checking there is nothing in it (bits of glass for example).

Purchase a dishwasher drain pump

Other Possible causes triggering the dishwasher's safe mode

The triggering of your dishwasher's safety (or fault mode) may be caused by a fault in the way your appliance is plumbed in. For example, if the water intake tap is faulty, it will lead to a drop in water pressure or may not even let any water into your dishwasher, which could cause an error code to appear. In the same way, if the water intake filter is obstructed by sand, which can happen as a result of works to the local water supply, there may also be a drop in pressure and the flow meter will no longer receive enough pulses to work properly. If your drain hose is connected to the drain for your sink, and this has been clogged up by accumulated waste, your dishwasher will no longer be able to drain properly, or may not drain at all and a drain error code will normally appear. Last but not least, sometimes the drain hose can be plumbed too far into the standpipe, which is likely to result in siphoning, meaning the water back flows into the drain hose and causes it to overflow and thereby triggers the appliance's safe mode.