I have been washing up all day - dishwasher crisis - any advice, please?

[yogabird]

Bosch Classixx dishwasher had been fine until last night when it flashed its little red light and indicated that it needed its water checking. So I switched it off and stuck my head in the sand and went to bed. This morning I switched it on again and walked away. Nope - still broke! So I took out all of the dirty and now congealed and smelly pots and washed them in the sink - took an age! I then cleaned out the dishwasher and poked my hands into its murky depths in search of something! I then took a screwdriver to it and gave some of its parts a good unscrewing! Poked more and still nothing changed. There is water in the bottom reservoir bit. Anyone know anything useful about dishwashers?

I think it's more likely to be the outflow pipe that is blocked. Give it a wiggle - it's under the sink.

I have that dishwasher, but it doesn't have that light. Maybe mine isan older model.

Had it been working up until last night?

If it's had any length of time unused, priming it with a pan of hot water with a couple of capsful of vinegar added and running empty can help if a seal has dried out, or the water 'primer' has evaporated.

If it's not draining check the drainage pipe. Pull out the machine and check the (usually ridged) tube that comes out of the back. It might be clogged with food, congealed fat or scale.

If that's clear it might be the drainage pump which will need Someone Who Knows What They Are Doing to look at it.

Paper plates til the new one arrives

off to wiggle pipes now - will report back

try this forum

Ha!! Hurrah and huzzah! Many thanks you wise ones. I have wiggled the things pipes and dragged it out and jiggled it and pushed it back in and it's going! Marvellous!

Hurray!

I would run it tomorrow with a dishwasher cleaner to clean out any crud; they are expensive but apparently do the job. Make sure you run it on the hottest possible wash, and always make sure you scrape all pots and pans and clean the filters regularly.