Dishwashers not filling up with water is a very common problem faced by many householders. Running through a few simple checks can usually resolve the issue without needing to call out a repair engineer.
The 4 most common causes for a dishwasher not filling up with water are:
- A blockage in the water filter
- An Issue with the water supply
- Low water pressure to the machine
- A kinked or blocked inlet hose
1. Blockage in the water filter
The filter inside your dishwasher plays an important role in ensuring that your dishwasher can operate as intended. It is designed to prevent food debris, oil and greasy food deposits from clogging up your machine's internal parts and stopping it working properly.
The filter can easily become clogged up, particularly if you are in the habit of putting heavily soiled plates in to wash. A useful tip is to always rinse heavily soiled items before putting them in the dishwasher as many common problems develop as a result of a build-up of gunk in the machine through the introduction of too much food waste. Anything washing off into a dishwasher has to work its way through the machine and then escape through a very small drainage hose at the end of a cycle. It's all too common for things to get stuck somewhere along this process.
If it is the filter that has become blocked up then a quick bit of maintenance should help resolve the issue.
To clean the filter, you must first remove it. The filter unit is located in the base of the dishwasher, under the bottom spray arm. You can pull out or unscrew the filter cylinder and lift it out. It can then be cleaned under the tap before being replaced.
Many machines also include a second filter underneath or around the filter cylinder. If your machine has one, then this also needs to be removed, cleaned and replaced. Whilst the filter cylinder and the secondary filter are out of the machine, it is also worthwhile fishing around in the filter sump to remove anything that may have fallen down there (it is advisable to wear rubber gloves to do this as there may be broken glass in the sump which can easily cause deep cuts to bare skin). Here is a helpful video from Bosch to show you how to do this.
2. An Issue with the water supply
Check that the household and dishwasher water supply is turned on. If you have been on holiday, check that nobody turned it off before you left. Also check the inlet hose for any visible damage that may prevent water entering the machine.
3. Low water pressure to the machine
If the water pressure in your system is too low (it should be around 10 litres per minute) then the dishwasher will not fill with water quickly enough. You may need to ask a plumber to see if they can increase the pressure.
4. A kinked or blocked inlet hose
Check that the dishwasher water inlet hose is not kinked or twisted as this could stop your dishwasher from filling up with water. Whilst you are accessing the back of the machine, it is also worth checking that the drainage hose is not blocked and drains freely. To do this you need to remove it/disconnect it from the external drain and place the end furthest from the dishwasher in a bucket to collect any water that runs out when you select the 'drain program'. If there is water in the machine then the bucket should fill freely. If the water does not flow freely, then you need to also clean the drainage hose and the siphon that leads into the properties drainage pipes.