Bosch Dishwasher Pumps Out Continuously

[Trucksavage]

Hi All. I have a Bosch Exxcel Dishwasher, about 6 years old (SGS43E08GB/43) which has developed a fault and I can't afford to replace it at the moment. With Christmas just around the corner, I'm dreading having no dishwasher so I was hoping I might get a little help on here.

The fault details are when you start any wash cycle, the machine continuously pumps out even if you open the door. If I give the door a little shake or a tap whn it's open, then it stops but as soon as you close the door again and the cycle restarts, after a few seconds the pump out begins. I did whip the cover off to check for any loose connections or anything obvious but no luck.

Anyone think it might be terminal?

TIA

Trucksavage

 

[Trucksavage]

Additional information to above:-

It's the drain pump that keeps running although there's no water in the machine (I can hear it sucking air) and there are no blockages or kinks in any of the pipes, in fact if I manually put water in and disconnect the outlet hose, it pumps water just fine.

 

[Leccy758]

Check the base for a leak.

the drain pump will start and not allow any programme to start if you have had a leak which has filled the base and activated the leak protection.

 

[Trucksavage]

Thanks for your reply from which (as well as from reading some other similar posts) I took the side panel off and tilted the machine to 45 degs. Some water came out although not a huge amount. But, when I reconnected the water supply I noticed that it was starting to fill and almost immediately filled the (anti-flood?) float chamber which activated the drain pump, then the float would drop and it'd start to fill again and so on all in the space of a second or two.

I reduced the pressure of the water coming in to almost a trickle and it seems to be working at last but this suggests to me there may be some kind of restriction to the fill-flow, perhaps causing back pressure to build up which then gets diverted to the anti-flood chamber????? Am I anywhere near correct do you think??

But I really appreciate your help.

 

[Leccy758]

Remove the left hand panel and check the brake tank (large plastic matrix) sometimes crud builds up in there (normally black deposits) which can prevent the water running through correctly

 

[Trucksavage]

Been pondering..... I'm in a hard water area, I wonder if limescale could've built up in the inlet piping? Anyone know the best way to de-limescale a machine???

 

[Trucksavage]

Yeah I can see 2 plastic tanks, 1 large flat multi-chambered affair which looks fairly clean and free-flowing, and a smaller one in the same housing as the (anti-flood?) float which looks mighty gunked up. Only trouble is, removing it looks like a complicated procedure. Any other way of de-crudding without removal? Is it possible to introduce Mr Muscle or some other drain-unblocker through the inlet piping?

 

[Leccy758]

sorry never found an easier way than removing it and cleaning fully.

I assume the water when you run it comes out of the float chamber (does sometimes when crudded up)

 

[Trucksavage]

Sorry, please forgive me being thick here but I don't entirely understand the question.

 

[Leccy758]

the small chamber that is gunked up is a float chamber (measures water into the machine, sometimes the red?? float does not go up as it fills (switches a micro switch to stop the water inflow) due to blockages. When running if blocked water can come out of breathers/vents round it.

Typical Bosch weak point for leaks though is the main circulation pump to sump (rubber seal wears at the bottom)

The anti flood is a polystyrene float underneath the machine in the base.

 

[Trucksavage]

Sorry, was having a 'senior moment' now I understand you. OK, the red float is what appeared to be lifting with the filling water and triggering the drain pump to start.

If I get you right, I probably have a leak from somewhere else (e.g. main pump) 'cos I can't see more than a drop or two around the 'red' float chamber area and I can't see any drips when the machine is in operation.

I'm assuming access to the main pump will be from underneath? Sounds like a weekend strip-down job to me? Or, would I have to call Mr Bosch?

 

[Bohlayah]

First hit on Google and this was the solution to my same problem. Anti flood was crudded so dishwasher kept draining. Took it out (minor spillage) and got some bathroom descaler on it. Fixed it! Took about 90 minutes in total as I cleaned the fill tank too.

Many thanks.

 

[KelvinPC]

Hi all, I had the same problem and issue and followed all the suggestions but to no avail. Call the service guy out. All he did was take out the PCB in the door, pushed all the connections and componets and re-assemble it all. This solved the problem and machine running again. IIt was a very easy task to do, just have to be very careful with all the plastic tabs and joints. Happy to share as I would be happy to do this again the next time the fault happens.