DI612CA9 Smeg Dishwasher fault - suspect door issue

[lifechooser]

We moved house recently and since we moved we've never managed to get more than 2 washes from our dishwasher without it stopping with an error. Can anyone help?

The dishwasher - No idea of the model code. It was built in May 2010, is integrated, and on the top panel there are just two buttons, one on the right for power, and one on the left to select the mode.

The fault - Mid cycle at a random point, the washer will beep about twice per second for about 5 seconds and stop, with the mode LED flashing until we change mode. Usually the base will be full, however changing mode and restarting will drain the machine as a first step with no problem.

Fault finding - The filters are clean and clear. The salt dispenser is overfull - removing the lid causes a small fountain of water from it into the base. It gets through salt very quickly. The door seal isn't perfect, there is often some water on the metal of the door next to the control panel - the part which is horizonal when the door is closed. The seal pushes against the edge of the main vertical section. I looked under the machine from the front, but couldn't work out any flood control float, or where water might fill up if there was a leak.

Please help.

 

[bhm1712]

how many l.e.d lamps doesthe dishwasher have? which mode light is flashing?

it would be much better if we knew the model number can you take a photo of the control panel?

 

[lifechooser]

One light for each mode - i.e. 5.

The one which flashes is whatever mode it was set to. So if we run a glasses wash and it fails, the glasses mode LED will be the flashing one.

Here's a photo, I'd love to know the model number too, it would help me search for common faults with it.

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• lifechooser
• 26 Nov 2012
• 1

 

[bhm1712]

can you try a washing cycle, and when it stops instead of opening the door and resetting, can you leave it for a few hours and see what happens? The fault codes for 5 LED smegs are all the same, but yours isnt showing any fault codes with the lamps as its just one LED lit up. Fault codes are minimum 2 LEDs.

 

[lifechooser]

Sure, I'll give it a go and report back.

 

[lifechooser]

I started it again straight after that post, and it failed after about 10 minutes. It's now ~10 hours later and I've opened the door to find it exactly as it would've been if I had opened the door straight away.

I'm baffled

 

[bhm1712]

i am now as well!

It sounds like its waiting for something to happen, but it never happens so it craps out without showing the correct fault lamps. Could be something to do with temperature - maybe its waiting for the temperature to rise but the heater element is broken and so it never does see an increase in water temp. However, if it stopped after 10 mins i wouldnt have thought that it was heating the water at that stage - normally the first part of the cycle is a cold wash down. It will be something like that though i would have thought.

The picture doesnt help me to find out the model number, i have had a good look round on the net but cant find one which looks exactly the same.

 

[lifechooser]

Progress! So my wife and I were discussing whether we would have to replace the dishwasher when it magically burst into life and started working. Part of me thought it was witchcraft and a machine's ability to know it is due to become tin cans, but deep down I knew it was because my wife was leaning against the door.

So it seems the door isn't closing hard enough, which also explains why water is getting past the seal. Is there a way to adjust them?

I rigged this up to hold the door shut;

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• lifechooser
• 28 Nov 2012
• 1

After running for a little while, it stopped again. I removed the bodge and the door popped open and wouldn't reclose. What's it doing now?

 

[zipper]

All Smeg dishwashers have a sticker on the RH side of the door lip with the model details on it (unless yours has been peeled off by someone). Once you have identified the model & S/N check if the latch receiver arm is loose/out of position. If necessary order a new door latch for it here http://www.servevastdirect.co.uk/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=120 or here http://www.espares.co.uk/parts?k=Smeg+Dishwasher+Door+Lock

 

[lifechooser]

Ahh, the side next to the wall. I managed to get my cameraphone in and it's a DI612CA9. I'll do some googling now to see if there are any common faults with the door / hinges, if not I'll pop over to espares.

Thanks for your help so far, I'll keep you all updated, and I'll edit the thread to show the model number.

 

[zipper]

It isn't a problem with the hinges.
Check the latch receiver arm first & if necessary change this http://www.buyspares.co.uk/interlock/product.pl?pid=2271607&query=DI612CA9

 

[lifechooser]

I'm back.

For the past month we've been putting up with the dishwasher issue knowing that a quick nudge of the door will kick the machine into life again when it stops.

Over the christmas period, I've had time to swap out the interlock on the door, however it hasn't helped - in fact it's a little worse as the door now opens spontaneously, however wedging it shut still works.

I haven't looked at the 'latch receiver arm' as I wasn't sure what I should be checking, or how I could adjust it. Can anyone give me some pointers?

Also, is there a limit to the weight that the door can take, I'm surprised by how heavy the wood is on the front of the dishwasher, however with it removed the door takes quite some pulling to open, so I guess that's fairly standard.