KA dishwasher craps out for the 2nd time in 2 years

[petek]

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised only that it's barely 13 months since it quit running in its 1st eleven months after installation. Installed it in March 2012. This time there is no power showing on the control panel unlike last time when the light was flashing about a problem. There's power to that circuit and resetting it did nothing. I have an extended warranty but like last time it will probably be two weeks sans dishwasher till it's repaired. First they'll come out next week and declare it not working nor have the part, then the wait until the part comes in and they can get back to replace it...
To be honest I just feel like going to Lowes and buying a Bosch... end o rant

 

[frigilux]

If it's of any help: Consumer Reports ranks Bosch dishwashers as the most reliable brand, with only 7% needing a repair. Most Bosch models also score high in the overall ratings.

If you'd like me to check the scores of any particular models/brands, I'll gladly do that for you. CR isn't the Bible, but it can be a useful tool in making purchasing decisions.

Percentage of a brand reporting the need for a repair:

Bosch: 7%
Whirlpool 8% (although the overall score for the brand ranks at 64 and lower)
Miele: 9%
Kenmore: 11% (made by different brands, so reliability depends on source manufacturer)
GE; Maytag; KitchenAid: 13%
LG: 17%
Samsung: 22%

 

[petek]

Thanks for the offer but I get the mag and online as well... Have to wonder why the KA brand scores that much worse than the WP branded ones.. I can't see much difference between them other than the racks, everything else looks the same.

I detest doing dishes as does the other half (I know, we're princesses lol ) and having to wait for it to be repaired is going to seem like an eternity. I just feel like putting it to the curb and bringing a new Bosch home this weekend , screw the warranty and the constant wondering when it will crap out again, which I was doing all this past year and here it happened. It's not like it gets used a lot either, 3 maybe 4 times per week.

I'll say it again, never will a KA dishwasher grace our house in the future.

 

[tomturbomatic]

This is why having backups is so important--no joke.

 

[fisherpaykel]

2 year old Kitchenaid and backups

Petek two thoughts- if your model has the trouble-prone plastic pump hose clamps have the service tech also replace them with the new metal ones to prevent future water leaks, persevere with this DW, despite your bad experience so far others have had good performance from these, I presume yours washes well and is fairly quiet.
TOMTURBOMATIC,thanks for those important words to remember; it's not old, IT'S A BACKUP.!!!!

 

[passatdoc]

My Bosch DW (entry level Integra---with controls in door edge) was installed October 2001. It has never had a service call or anything whatsoever go wrong with it.

 

[countryguy]

Sorry to hear of your dishwasher woes Pete. I bought a KA in 2007 and so far no problems with it (touch wood!).

Gary

 

[petek]

I believe they replaced those plastic hose clamps as part of a recall and did the work while it was being repaired the first time which was something to do with the control board. I've always thought there was something not quite right with this diswasher the way it fills, clunking the solenoid on/off at least 15-20 times in near rapid fire succession for the first 30 or so seconds, stops and then does it again.. It just doesn't sound right.. You couldn't hear that happening if you were in the kitchen but I can hear it clear as a bell sitting at my puter directly underneath the machine in the basement. It sounds like someones taking a hammer to the pipes.

 

[petek]

I believe they replaced those plastic hose clamps as part of a recall and did the work while it was being repaired the first time which was something to do with the control board. I've always thought there was something not quite right with this diswasher the way it fills, clunking the solenoid on/off at least 15-20 times in near rapid fire succession for the first 30 or so seconds, stops and then does it again.. It just doesn't sound right.. You couldn't hear that happening if you were in the kitchen but I can hear it clear as a bell sitting at my puter directly underneath the machine in the basement. It sounds like someones taking a hammer to the pipes.

 

[kakidd]

Bosch

I love my new TOL 3 rack Bosch, best non-vintage dishwasher I have ever used It replaced a 5 year old TOL Bosch that I sold due to the fact that my new 12 inch dinner plates were too tall to stand up in the bottom rack. Great machine as well,no repairs or issues at all during that 5 year period.

 

[iheartmaytag]

The clunking fill valve is normal

It's part of the sensor wash, where it is sensing the right amount of water for the load.  

If  you choose the 1 hr wash where it just fills and sprays, there is a lot less chunking, however, the sensor cycles, Normal, Heavy, are supposed to use less water.   Don't know how true that is or not. 

 

[petek]

Actually it clunks away on the 1 hr cycle , we seldom use the other cycles. Called the warranty place this morning and the local repair co. is coming tomorrow between noon and 3.

 

[passatdoc]

re: priming the hot water line to help new model DWs

I spoke recently to the owner of our local appliance store. I am using a 2001 MOL Bosch DW and am sitting on a five year supply of phosphated detergent (Electrasol/Finish----some of the packages say Electrasol because they are THAT old! I horded it from Costco plus friends with a KA gave me three 100-ct canisters because the door of their KA would not close over a Powerball, the dispenser was too shallow), and it cleans just fine. But I wanted his take on the newest DWs, which use even less water, and whose chiefly use phosphate-free detergent, unless they horded like I did. 

 

His take:

 

1. Cycles on new DW are longer to compensate for lower water use. No way around that. Makes me wonder how effective a Quick Wash or "Party" cycle would be in a new machine. My Quick Wash cycle is pretty good but it's a 2001 model.

 

2. He reminded me that the initial rinse is generally NOT heat-boosted by the onboard heater, unlike the final rinse where the temp is generally booster by the heater. That is, whatever temp comes into the DW during the first rinse is what you get for the first rinse. Therefore, he recommended priming the hot water line, using the sink faucet, before starting the machine, in order to assure the highest temperature incoming water for the first rinse. He has a new model Bosch at home (they swap out floor model-dented machines regularly so he and his wife can assess/compare cleaning ability) and they get good results with phosphate-free Electrasol IF they prime the hot water line----and if they don't prime, they see the difference: inferior cleaning.

 

[petek]

Update

As I thought. The repair guy shows up today and pronounced it's the control board and naturally they don't have the part with them or in stock and it will have to be ordered. Just like last time. This isn't a small mom and pop service company either, they're a fairly large regional company . Maybe a small mom and pop company would be better.

 

[petek]

It just gets better

Today I received a call from the warranty co. that they erred. The repair service they sent out and diagnosed the problem no longer repairs WP products after warranty even though the circuit board is still covered by the limited 5 yr warranty.. They have to send in another repair company to diagnose it and this "new " company only works in this area every Wednesday. Meaning now I have to wait till next Wednesday for their guy to come (without the part) then order the part and wait 1 or 2 more weeks for him to come back and put it in. Geeze.. They won't even take the word of the other first company which part needs replacing.

 

[philr]

Can't be much worse... Unless the other guy wants to tell you the repair isn't covered by the warranty or something like that... It reminds me some experiences with Korean-brand TV sets and appliances of another Korean brand... To replace a friend's TV screen, one Samsung TV required 8 service calls and about 8 months of battle.

At first, the company refused to send a technician without seeing a picture of the screen, (so I sent one as my friend didn't have internet access at home. Then it took about a month and more calls from my friend and they finally sent a tech to verify. Then two times with a USB key and an "update" for the program that of course did nothing. After, they refused to repair as they considered the problem wasn't bad enough to correct (a flashing red pixel that was very annoying)... Then, another problem appeared, (black vertical bands in half of the screen). The problem worsened until only half of the screen would display something and the tech came one more time to verify that. He had to come back another time with two replacement modules of which one was defective and caused another problem with the sound, then with another set of the same modules which still didn't correct the situation. Then he came back with a replacement screen that he installed in the TV and he noticed it was scratched... Tested it and at least it was working fine but he took it off to send it back and a few weeks later he came back with another screen! The box to ship the screen alone was much bigger than the one for the whole 50" TV! 

 

The TV isn't mine but I was the one who had to go to my friend's place 8 times (20 minutes away from where I live) to wait for the technician... The tech told me that in most cases, companies don't even bother to try replacing screens, they just send a complete replacement TV after the first service call... 

 

[petek]

Well it's odd that the initial company that came only does WP warranty work during the first year. The parts like the tub, racks and circuit board which have a longer limited warranty of 10 and 5 years they don't do. Some outfit called Trans Global is supposed to come on Wednesday to re diagnose it.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Being without a dishwasher for weeks

is B A D.....Especially if you HATE washing dishes by hand.

I'm trying to remember with my Duet (the first year) when the control board went out......how long it took to actually fix.

I think if I'm remembering correctly........I was getting F D L error.......which was the door lock mechanism.. Tech came out, diagnosed as it being the door mechanism needing replaced. He didn't have the part.....ordered it......came a few days later and put the new door mechanism in.....it didn't help.....Then, he ordered a new control board....Few days later he put that in and told me to keep machine plugged into a good surge protector and I haven't had any problems since. I'm thinking the entire process ended up being maybe 2 to 3 weeks. Luckily, with my Duet, it would still wash about 10 loads of clothes before giving an error. So I wasn't without a washer during the process.

 

[petek]

Well the Transglobal guy came two Wednesdays ago and re diagnosed the problem as the circuit board,, power in, no power out. Said they would order the part and left. I called them last Monday to make sure the part had been ordered and was told it was and that they would have it on the 25th. The very next day , Tuesday, I get a call from them they have the part and can come the next day (Wednesday) and install it.. Good.. He came last Wednesday and installed the part and left. I ran a one hour load. After about 20 minutes I go upstairs and the kitchen floor is covered in water so I shut the machine off. Dry the floor off.. Get on the phone to Transglobal and of course get someone in India who says they will try and get ahold of the repairman. Then I remembered the last time he had come he had phoned me from his cellphone and I still had the number stored in my phone so I got him directly and he came back about 30 minutes later. Otherwise I would have had to wait another 7 or 10 days till he was back in town. While Im waiting Im looking at why the machine was leaking and I spot one of the screws on the inner door that hold the door casing on he had not screwed in completely. When the door would be closed it was pushing on the door seal allowing the water to escape along the side of the machine opening and pour down the side of the door.. So now the clock has been reset to see when it breaks again.