BOSCH EXXCEL DISHWASHER DE-ACTIVATING THE CHILD LOCK

[Olliethecat]

I've noticed a little yellow stick has appeared under the door handle recess of my dishwasher (which I can't remember being there before), and I'm led to believe it's a child lock lever to prevent easy opening of the door. It has to be manually moved to the right using a finger to allow the easy opening of the door. There is some mention of it at the back of my user manual, together with a means of de-activating/switching off its action which involves inserting a pin (?) into the hole alongside the lever. I have tried to see how this would work but for the life of me can't see how to get anything in the hole because of the overhang of the door itself! Any ideas - or a youtube vid - would be most welcome please...

 

[novaf4]

My goodness - I have exactly the same problem with my Bosch dishwasher. Last week I pulled on the door as per usual and it broke a small lug behind the front panel at the far left, which made the whole panel pull forwards a bit. It's not surprising seeing the amound of effort needed to open the door that the whole front panel bends forwards. After much investigation it was only then I noticed the same yellow stick thing tucked up and under the handle and worked out that if its moved over to the right then the door opens so much easier. I couldn't believe it. So much easier! I've had my dishwasher for 10 years and I never knew about this! So this is VERY annoying. There's something right at the back of the manual that mentions a child lock but its so vague. There's nothing in the set up instructions that mentioned it. It's ridiculous as on mine it was on by default. I've always found it odd that I've had to tug real hard to get the door open.

Yesterday I used strong tape to fix the front panel back in position at the far left side and then pushed the yellow stick thing over to the right and put strong tape to the left of it therefore keeping it 'open'. This worked for a while but today the tape moved and the lever 'closed' again. Arghh! My next idea is to super glue a piece of plastic to the left of it and see if that holds it in place. Although I will first try the suggestion of poking something in the hole, moving the stick thing to the right and then removing the something. Or a permutation of that. You're right though - how to get something in that hole when the front panel's pull panel is covering it up! Oh dear Bosch. This is a serious cock up on your part.

 

[novaf4]

I've looked online and found these. Seems like we aren't the only ones with the issue. Hope it helps. The diagram on the second link is the same one on my manual but it isn't helpful at all because it shows a different front panel with a small overhang which makes it possible to stick a matchstick in horizontally. Like you said on our dishwashers the front panel hangs down much lower and totally obstructs the hole. What a joke. I'm now going to try find something short and thin to poke in the hole. Maybe a match stick cut to reduce it's length...

https://www.justanswer.com/appliance/6uwws-child-lock-bosch-dishwasher-flips-time.html

https://www.justanswer.com/appliance/9i1bx-bosch-dishwasher-she47c05u-locks-can-t.html

 

[Olliethecat]

Thanks for the replies - I thought I had a problem that no-one else had yet experienced! I did remove all the little torque-headed screws to allow the bright metal inner plate on the front loading door, but then was foxed again by seemingly not able to do the same with the final bit at the top which holds/covers the lock mechanism (and yellow lever) itself. So, quite frustratingly, I put it all back together again and left it for a rainy day...

There appears to be some way of getting to the lock etc (as mentioned in the response in the second link you kindly posted), but it really is a bit vague too. I did phone a local appliance dealer who put me in touch with the engineer he uses to service the white goods he sells, but he (the engineer) said he'd come and fix it for me for his 'standard' fee (£65 + VAT). I asked him how long it would take, and the reply was 'Oh not long... I'll either fix it or remove the mechanism, if you don't want that feature in your machine'.

The jury is still out I'm afraid. Did you get your yellow lever the lock back in the 'off' position yet? I did manage to poke something thin into the inaccessable hole, but it didn't keep the lever held back (to the right) when I withdrew it and reclosed the door. As you also said, it's a pretty poor child proof lock mechanism from Bosch in an otherwise really good quality machine...

 

[novaf4]

Hi there. Great to see your quick reply. I cut a match stick down in length and carefully poked it into the hole which wasn’t easy considering where the hole is. It was almost impossible to push it horizontally. It tried to go in at an angle upwards. Depending on the angle it either did absolutely nothing i.e. didn’t appear to press on anything and certainly didn’t turn the lock off, or I was in danger of loosing the match stick all the way inside as there was nothing to stop it! So I’ve abandoned poking anything in the hole. Tomorrow I’m going to find or make a strip of hard plastic I imagine about 5mm wide by 10mm long and super glue it next to the yellow stick when I’ve forced it into its off position. I’ve found out that when its in the off position it easily returns to its on position when the whole front panel flexes forwards, which as we know is when opening it. To get it into the off position easily is a case of flexing the panel forwards and sliding it to the right. I reckon mine works as intended but the problem of it not staying off is because the front panel is flexing so much - due to 10 years of me opening the door with the unbeknown child lock to be on! Grrrr...

 

[canefrog]

I have same problem. I have found the flexing of the catch is the big issue. I can disable the lock after inserting a match or cocktail stick but next time I open it the lock comes back on. After a bitvof playing I realise if you pull on left hand side of catch after disabling lock then it is ok and lock does not come back on. Pulling on right hand side however causes the lock to come back on again and I can see that it is the flexing on this side over the lock mechanism that is causing the lock disabling mechanism to be disabled. Have found that I can now disable the lock by doing same in reverse. When locked I pull on the right hand side of door, move yellow catch to right, stop pulling and lock stays on, then open normally pulling on left side of catch, voila. Not a great lasting fix but it works. Problem is poor design from Bosch!

Update. If you pull door open by inserting fingers to top of catch and pull from tips of your fingers then lock for me does not engage, catch is not flexing too much. If you pull the catch from the bottom lip then you get lots of flex and lock keeps engaging.

 

[Beancounter7000]

BOSCH EXXCEL DISHWASHER DE-ACTIVATING THE CHILD LOCK -SOLVED

Hi

I had the same problem. Child lock was set and I couldn't unset it. What you need is a very small Allan key. Slot the short length of the Allan key into the hole to the left of the plastic "stick". This must be inserted at 90 deg to the door. Hence the need for the small Allan key as nothing else can do this. With pressure applied to the plate behind the hole slide the "stick" to the right. You will hear a series of clicks as you move it. You can now remove the Allan key leaving the plastic stick firmly to the right. All should now be fine!
Good Luck.