Miele Dishwasher Drain Pump

As in any dishwasher the drain pump is essential for the dishwasher to work properly. If it doesn’t work properly some of the obvious signs will be.

• Inlet/Dain light coming on, mentioned in a previous post,
• Water in the dishwasher above the filter after the dishwasher has finished the cycle.
• Dishes not washed clean.

The most common reason for this is a blockage in the drain pump. Miele dishwasher drain pumps have been built to be easily serviced. Steps to check a drain pump.

1. Open the dishwasher and remove the bottom roll out rack.
2. Lift out the sump filter by turning the handle 90 deg. and lifting out.
3. It’s easier at this stage, if you remove the water out of the dishwasher sump with a small container and then a sponge.
4. Once the water is out of the dishwasher you should have a clear view of the pump cover on one side at the bottom of the sump.
5. To remove the drain pump cover will depend on which model dishwasher you have.
6. Some model have a wire clip and others have a vertical standing plastic clip.
7. Once you remove the clip the pump cover will lift up.
8. When you do this a small amount of water will gush out of the non return valve.
9. Mop the rest of the water out so you can get a good look at the pump.
10. Check the non return valve is free for the ball to rattle around inside and there is no obstructions.
11. Now check the pump impeller turn freely and there is nothing stopping it from turning.
12. The new style of drain pump will have a slight magnetic pull in a couple places as you turn it.
13. Be careful of possible sharp glass or metal pieces in the drain pump.
14. Once it is all clear reassemble in the reverse order. Then test the dishwasher again.

If the diswaher now drains out youshould be good to go, but if you still have a problem, then it is time to call a Miele Serviceman. He has the tools and knowledge to repair your dishwasher promptly and efficiently. If you live in the Mackay area of Queensland call me Rod Swan of Andergrove Appliance Service. 0408776405

Miele Dishwasher have a huge range of Fault codes.

Miele dishwashers all have electronic controls with sophisticated software, the dishwashers have a number of sensors in various rolls. Measuring amount of water coming in, water clarity while washing, temperature, water pressure in the pump, motor speed, and others. Because of this, a Miele dishwasher is able to tell a repairer a fair amount of information if the repairer has the right tools. This makes repairs by the home handyman almost impossible.

With this particular fault, the machine was draining initially, then filling with water as it is supposed to. Then when the wash pump was supposed to start there was nothing. The pump motor was seized and not washing. For this job the dishwasher has to be dismantled and the wash pump motor removed. The wash pump motor assembly has to be dismantled and then if the impeller can be turn and freed the motor assembly should be able to be reassembled and refitted to the dishwasher. This can happens if the dishwasher has not been used for a long time, say 6 months.

This may sound fairly simple service but not recommended by the home handyman. The wash pump motor is in a confined space with 4 hose connections, water heating elemnt wiring, pressure switch connection and wiring, capacitor fitting multiplugs for the motor and diverter valve all have to be removed and reitted to the wash pmp motor assembly.

For the cost of a service call and an hour,s labour it is worth calling your local Miele service agent to carry out this type of repair.

If in Mackay area call me, Rod Swan on 0408 776 405

Washing machine will not drain

Electric Drain Pump

A washing machine full of water and will not drain is one of the most common problems with washing machines. This is usually caused by things that have been left in the pockets of clothing. There are a large variety of things I have pulled out of washing machine pumps, from tooth picks, nails, bobby pins, earrings, chains, shoe laces, plastic bread clips and the list goes on. Not as common now but the old style Hoover washing machines were a common hiding place for frogs and they are not pretty to pull out of a pump.

Woollen seat covers or blanket, bath mats and old blankets can fall apart and then the lint and fluff from them can become caught around the impeller of the pump. The other common article that can cause a problem are under bra wires. These articles of clothing are best washed in a wash bag.

Pumps

Whirlpool Mechanical Pump

On machines older than 20 years many of the machines had mechanical pumps that were driven by a belt. If the pump became jammed, the belt would stretch and burn out. There are still a couple brands that have mechanical pump and are directly connected to the main drive motor. These include the Whirlpool and Speed Queen Machines. All the rest of the washing machine including front loaders and twin tub washer have electric pumps. All the modern washing machines have a button trap attached to the pump. This traps most objects from entering the pump. It is a good idea to check the button trap on your machine every six months to make sure nothing is blocked in it. If the pump is not blocked and still will not turn you will most likely need a new pump.

Hoses

If the pump is not blocked and is working Ok, the problem must be in the hoses. Check for blockages and kinks. The modern drain hoses are usually corrugated giving them extra strength and they are very hard to kink. For service to your washing machine call your local White Goods repairer.

In the Mackay area, Queensland, you can call me Rod Swan, Andergrove Appliance Service.