The brush indicator light is flashing in my Bosch dishwasher.
Modern dishwashers have a variety of indicators that owners rarely, if ever, pay attention to. An indicator can quickly indicate a problem, especially if it's not just on but flashing. Let's say the brush on my Bosch dishwasher is flashing. What does this mean? Could it be a malfunction, a minor glitch, or just plain insignificant behavior from your "home helper"? We'll try to figure this out now.
Light on or blinking: what's the difference?
A glowing indicator light, indicated by a brush pattern, is usually no cause for concern, especially since a Bosch dishwasher is usually functioning properly. Under normal conditions, this light alerts the user that the wash cycle is in progress and goes out once the dishwasher is finished. On some Bosch dishwasher models, this light comes on at the beginning of the wash cycle and then goes out after a while. This is normal behavior and should not be a cause for concern.
The indicator with the image of a brush most often lights up after the start of the washing program and goes out after the washing phase has ended and the drying phase has begun.
This indicator can behave completely differently. It can suddenly start blinking, and the machine often stops and freezes until it restarts. What causes the blinking brush indicator? In some cases, a system failure is to blame. It cannot be fixed by simply turning off the dishwasher. You need to do the following:
- as soon as the indicator starts flashing, you need to press the program start button and hold it for 3 seconds;
- turn off the dishwasher (to be on the safe side, you can pull out the power plug to completely de-energize it);
- wait 15 seconds, and then turn the dishwasher on again;
- We set the desired washing program and start it.
If the indicator starts flashing again, don't bother with the dishwasher. It's likely not a system failure; something more serious has happened.
Troubleshooting
If the indicator light on your Bosch dishwasher is on, and there's a brush symbol to the right of it, this is normal. However, if the same indicator light is blinking, it's no laughing matter; it could indicate a serious malfunction. First, you need to ensure it's not a system failure by following the simple steps described above. Next, check the Aquastop sensor, which is located in the tray underneath the machine. This sensor is found in Bosch machines with full and partial leak protection, and we need to make sure it's not the one stopping the machine.
- Let's try to tilt the machine, having first placed a rag next to it.
- If there is water in the tray, it will spill out.
- If you have successfully drained the water from the tray, you can restart the machine and make sure that the indicator does not flash for a while.
There are two possible scenarios. In the first case, water will refill the tray and Aquastop will activate again. In this case, you'll need to look for a leak in the housing. In the second case, the malfunction may not recur if water entered the tray accidentally. Either way, it will be possible to determine that the leak was the cause of the problem.
If there's no water in the tray, the Aquastop sensor may simply be stuck. You'll need to turn off the dishwasher, remove the tray, and check the float position. Unfortunately, this problem is quite common, especially if the dishwasher has been moved or relocated.
Pay attention to when the indicator starts flashing. If the flashing starts when the machine tries to fill with water, it is possible that the inlet valve is faulty or the water supply tap to the dishwasher is simply turned off. The latter may seem trivial, but it's still quite common. Follow these steps:
- check the water supply to the machine;
- Listen again to how the machine fills with water (to do this you will have to restart the dishwasher again);
- If you hear a slight click, then a humming sound, but water still does not enter the machine, then the inlet valve or its relay is faulty.
In rarer cases, the fault occurs in the control module, which cannot give a command to open/close the intake valve.
The indicator light may start flashing after the tank has filled with water, approximately 10 minutes into the wash cycle. The symptoms are the same: first, the "Brush" indicator light flashes, then the dishwasher stops working completely. If this behavior occurs, you should check the debris filter and spray arms.
You need to remove and clean the filter, disconnect and inspect the sprinkler arms, as dirt can clog the holes. The dirt can be so thick that water won't even be able to get through the blockages, let alone under pressure. This often happens to DIY enthusiasts.homemade dishwashing detergent Mustard-based. The mustard mixture hardens and clogs every tiny hole in the machine, paralyzing its operation.
The control board is checked last, but we strongly advise against doing this yourself. It's best to call a technician who can quickly and expertly diagnose the problem. We also don't recommend replacing the control module yourself without first confirming it's broken. There's no need to make the problem worse.
Troubleshooting
The troubleshooting procedure will obviously depend on the nature of the problem you've identified. We, however, advise against fixing problems that require extensive and qualified repairs. In these cases, attempting to do something yourself can cause significant harm, so if you need to repair the control module or inlet valve, call a professional. In other cases, you can handle the repairs yourself. Finding a leak and fixing a stuck Aquastop sensor requires disassembling the dishwasher.
- To access the tray, turn off the dishwasher, pull it out, and tilt it to drain the water.
- We place the car comfortably so that you can walk around it freely.
- Unscrew the front panel located directly under the door and remove the plastic hinge covers. Remove the door closer hooks from the same hinges.
- From the inside, along the edges of the door, unscrew the screws holding the front panel in place. After this, the front panel can be removed by sliding it down slightly.
- Under the closed door, you'll see a thin metal plate called the inner plate. This needs to be removed.
- Next, unscrew the screws holding the base of the dishwasher.
The side screws are located at the corners of the main body at the top of the tray.
- We remove the lower basket and disconnect the spray arm, which is located at the bottom of the washing chamber.
- Unscrew the dust filter and remove the mesh. Under the mesh, you'll see the mounting screws that also hold the dishwasher base in place. Remove them.
- Place a large cloth behind the case and then carefully lay the dishwasher on its back.
- Disconnect the inlet hose, the connector with wires, and the pump, which is located on the side of the circulation unit, from the tray.
- Carefully pull the tray towards you and disconnect it from the body.
By disassembling it yourself, you can easily determine the location of the leak. In addition, you can easily eliminate the sticking of the Aquastop sensor by adjusting the float or simply completely de-energizing this element. We don't recommend the latter, as it leaves the dishwasher unprotected. Once the problem is fixed, you can safely reassemble the machine in reverse order.
Some of our readers have been asking: what does the blinking brush icon mean? It's impossible to answer this in just a few words, so we decided to provide a detailed explanation, which required an entire post. We hope we've helped you solve the problem. Good luck!
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I'll describe the problem. When I select a washing program and then press the Start button, the "brush" icon starts flashing, but the machine then washes everything without any problems. Online, I've read that in this case, you need to contact a service technician, as the machine's manual doesn't mention this issue. I've tried turning the machine on and off, and if I reset the program, the icon stops flashing, but when I select the program again and start the machine, the "brush" icon flashes again. Could you please tell me what could be wrong and if this is a serious warning?
Mine doesn't turn on at all. You're lucky.
We have the same problem: when I turn on the machine, the brush light blinks. I press start, it starts washing, and then the machine finishes. When it's done, it doesn't beep. I open the door and the drying light starts blinking. The dishes are wet and cold; I washed them in cold water.