Dishwasher won’t close? Have you loaded the dishes, put in the detergent, started to close the door, but it does not fit snugly? Another situation: the lock is not blocked and the wash does not start. This means that a problem has occurred.
We will tell you how to find the cause of the breakdown and fix it yourself.
Causes of PMM malfunction
Unplug the appliance from the mains before troubleshooting.
To find out why the door broke, you need to open it and carefully examine it. Here are the most common reasons:
- The sealing gum, which is located around the perimeter, prevents tight closure. Perhaps it was deformed or jumped out of place.
- The dish container is not installed correctly, or a large object is preventing the closure. Check and install the elements correctly.
- The dishwasher is installed on an uneven surface, which is why the door is warped and does not fall into the fasteners. The correct installation is checked according to the instructions.
- The mechanical lock is faulty, the wiring from the lock to the module is broken.
If the dishwasher won’t lock the door open, the reason may be in the working mechanism: spring, cable, blocker.
How to do DIY repairs
If you cannot close a new Bosch, Hotpoint Ariston or other machine, contact the service center immediately. But if the equipment has been in operation for a long time, then start by checking the lock.
Installing the lock
Before taking in water, the dishwasher fixes the door not only mechanically, but also electronically. A characteristic click indicates that the lock has worked. The control module blocks the closure by giving an impulse to the lock. Therefore, it is not possible to open the chamber during the wash cycle.
The exception is PMM models with a reloading function. When you press the key, the water flow stops and the hopper opens. After loading the appliances, the door is locked again.
Sequence of work:
- If you notice that the lock is deformed, open the door.
- Loosen the screws around the perimeter of the front panel.
- While holding, remove the cover. Behind it you will find a lock and wires leading to it.
- Note or photograph the wiring location.
- Disconnect the wires.
- Remove the two screws at the top that secure the lock.
- To replace, you will need a repair kit, which can be bought at the store.
- Install the new element in place and attach the wiring.
- Replace the cover, secure the fasteners.
When the fixing “antennae” of the lock are damaged, they can be repaired with your own hands.
With a file, sharpen the sharp edges that have broken off. Take a tin plate 0,5 mm thick, 4 mm wide. Bend it around the edges and make holes for fastening (as in the photo):
On the sides of the lock, also prepare holes. They should match those on the plate. Attach the plate to the lock with self-tapping screws. Assemble the mechanism.
Replacing the seal
The rubber seal is easy to replace. The main thing is to choose the right replacement for your PMM model. Consider how to do the work on the example of the Ariston dishwasher:
- Open the hopper door.
- Remove the seal around the perimeter.
- Insert a new element into the seat, make sure that it sits tightly.
- If the elastic is too long, cut it with scissors.
It happens that the lower seal needs to be replaced:
- Loosen the side screws on the inner panel.
- Lift the door up to remove the front panel.
- Pull the lower basket out of the chamber.
- Pull out the bottom seal with tweezers.
- Install the seal so that its end is in line with the edge of the housing.
- Assemble the door in reverse order.
There are also such problems when the dishwasher door does not open. Look in the instructions for the time for which the lock is unlocked after washing. Perhaps you were too hasty with the opening. After the end of the program, the lock will not unlock until the water is completely drained from the tank.
If a lot of time has passed, but the door does not open, it is a malfunction. Maybe the water is not completely removed from the hopper. Sometimes the system displays an error code on the display, which helps the user to quickly identify the problem.
Water remains due to clogging of the drain system, pump failure.
When the door does not lock in the open position, tighten the adjusting bolts. In different models of machines, they can be located on top and on the side, at the end. This way you can adjust the spring tension to your liking.
Check the correct installation of the dishwasher, follow the instructions and problems will bypass you. How to properly install a dishwasher, read here. Also watch the video: