Bosch Dishwasher (5 years old) - Not cleaning very well all of a sudden

[iej]

I'm a bit baffled by this.

 

We've a Bosch dishwasher, fairly middle-of-the-line model, which is suddenly not producing very good results.

 

The rinse water doesn't look clean. It's white and kind of gloopy even though the dishes weren't particularly greasy or anything like that.

 

We're also using Finish Quantum tablets, which should be pretty effective and I've never had any issue with them before.

 

I've checked everything I can think of:

<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Filters - all OK and seated correctly.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I cleaned the spray arms (they seemed fine) and they seem to be rotating during the wash (I've opened the door and checked that each one is getting water.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Diverter valve seems to be working as it's alternating between top and bottom spray arms.</span></li>
<li>I have added rinse aid - made no difference.</li>
<li>Topped up the salt container (we're in a soft water area anyway).</li>
<li>Ran the machine on "Intensive" empty a couple of times to ensure it got a good clear out.</li>
</ul>
Did a normal wash and the sump was full of a weird emulsion again and the dishes don't look properly cleaned - bits of vegetables still on them, there was dirty water in the bottoms of cups etc.

 

It's not showing error messages, the pump sounds fine, the water is spraying and the heater is definitely heating, it's also filling and draining correctly. I can hear water going down the drain and it's emptying the tub.

 

It's cleaning things, but they're not as clean as they used to be and glasses look cloudy.

 

Any ideas?!

 

Also, the bottom spray arm seems very loose. It lifted out without a click, just seems to be sitting there. Although it is moving when the machine's washing.

 

Any suggestions?

 

The only thing I can think of is perhaps someone cleaned the filters and didn't put them back in right. There were a few people in the house over xmas who were using it.

 

[henene4]

This indeed sounds strange.
Which cycles are you using regulary? And has your model an Auto cycle?
If it really heats, it actually exchanges water completly, the pump sounds as usual and cycles really finish completly, I can only think of 3 things going wrong.
First, a bad drain valve. Now, this is not a valve as a water valve is, its more like a rubber flap situated on the flow-out side of the drain pump somewhere in the sump area (the actual location can varry). This keeps dirty water that was drained but remained in the drain pipe from flowing back. If something keeps it stuck open, a bit of waste water always flows back into the machine. This often happens when a glass broke in the machine and, as you said someone else might have used it, this sounds rather possible. But to locate that valve perfectly, we would need the exact E-number of your model. You can find it on the data plate situated on the metal door-edge, either on the top or on the right hand side.
The less possible faults could be a broken Auto-sensor due to aging or a damaged water-softner due to missuse (filling with something else than salt or not closing the cap properly allowing wash water entering the salt container) or aging.
Hope we can help you out and a otherwise good start of the year
Henrik

 

[mrb627]

Quantum + rinse aid

Probably adding to your problem. Quantum tabs contain a rinsing agent already.

Malcolm

 

[mysteryclock]

I have a Bosch model with a softener (in an extremely hard water area) and I use the Quantum Powerball tabs all the time with Somat rinse aid, and everything always comes out clean and shiny. So I'm not sure how that could cause any huge issues....?

While you are checking into mechanical / electrical issues maybe you could try running a cycle with a dishwasher cleaner product of some kind, to see if that helps? It probably wouldn't hurt, after all.

One warning about those though - the newly redesigned Finish-brand DW cleaner (not in the old wide bottle) has an ~unbelievably~ powerful stench now that lingers for days and days (and days) in the machine. So unless you want your DW to smell like a disposal truck from a perfume plant crashed into it, best to avoid that one. I've used the new Lemi-shine Machine Cleaner in both our DW and CW with good results.

Good luck and let us know what it ends up being!

 

[logixx]

I, too, use Quantum with extra rinse aid in the dispenser - no issues.

 

Is this one of the newer Bosch dishwashers (with the tab tray)?

 

[iej]

Yeah it has an Auto Daily cycle.

We mostly either use Auto Daily or Intensive most of the the time.
Rarely if ever use Eco or Quick wash.

I ran a couple Intensive cycles and added powder detergent and a couple of Pre Rinse cycles in between them

I am suspecting someone took the filter out and didn't reseat it properly. I've a few interfering busy body relatives you know the types who rearrange your cupboards without being asked...

 

[BoschExxcel]

How strange. My Bosch cleans well with Finish Quantum and extra rinseaid. And my old Bosch dishwasher which is 11 (about to be scrapped after being damaged beyond repair) has an auto option and that was always fine.

 

[iej]

It's washing a load at the moment, I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[mielerod69]

Drain pipe connection

Try removing the drain hose from the connection under the sink. Sounds like there could be a partial blockage there and not letting it drain properly.

 

[iej]

It drains into a stand pipe, much like a washing machine, so that's not a likely cause here.

Seems to be washing fine now. I'll put it down to someone playing around with the filter. A couple of long hot washes and plenty of rinsing seems to have solved it.

 

[jerrod6]

I had a similar problem with my DW when it was new and under warranty.  Every once in a while the dishes and the interior of the machine would be covered in white film.  It would take two to three washes to get rid of it, then everything was fine.  A few months later it would return.

 

I finally decided to keep a DW log.  What cycle I used, what the DW was doing and how long it took. Over several months of this I was able to see that the white film was a result of the water softener regeneration step, something the DW would sometimes do before the first fill.  I called for technical service, the tech came out and connected his laptop to the machine and it showed a water softener error, an error that was never displayed on the machine.  The tech had to replace the water path part that contains the softener and everything has been ok since.

 

The exact problem was never stated, but I think something was going wrong and instead of the ion exchange solution being flushed down the drain , it was being pushed back into the DW internal piping instead.  Just my theory, so maybe wait and see if this problem happens again.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Suddenly??? Mine didn't acceptably do that  since day one...but so did all the others  6 that followed the 1984 Rex that was purchased when apt was done..

So do the  Bosch of my uncles...
They don't even remove completely powder from the dispenser...maybe this is what happened to you, more than one time while using caps,  the film of hydrosuluble things would stick to the dispenser...and they wouldn't dissolve...water never reached it.. but I would see it melted just during rinse, drying the  compartment thing before putting powder or hydrosoluble film tabs always  worked, for powder too... what a joke.

I am so happy now with my vintage Indesit...

 

[this post was last edited: 1/2/2015-20:01]

 

[iej]

It's never done that before.
Working perfectly again now.

I used Persil Dishwasher cleaner on an intensive cycle to ensure it was very well cleared out

I ordered up new rack clips for it too and a new lower spray arm just in case. They were very reasonably priced and arrived in 24h directly from Bosch Ireland. Just ordered through their website.