Dishwashers are essential home appliances that simplify doing dishes for most owners. Improper working of the device is a major inconvenience to kitchen efficiency.
Like all electric gadgets, dishwashers can stop working for various reasons. A common mishap is when the washer fails to fill up with water.
For a long time, this phenomenon made no sense to me. I would get frustrated and either resort to hand washing or leave the dishes for later.
It took a while to discover this as a problem with older appliances. Since my dishwasher is quite old, I quickly figured out how to cope.
Try to troubleshoot before calling the service department or professional technician to help.
Why is Your Dishwasher Failing to Fill up with Water?
Several reasons explain your dishwasher is not filling with water as it should. It may be a case of incorrect positioning where the drain hose is poorly placed.
Other possible causes include the following:
- Shut off the water supply
- Defective water inlet valve
- Unlatched or open doors.
- Obstructed overfill protection float
- Damaged drain solenoid
- Broken The door switch.
- Malfunctioning float switch
Understand each of the potential causes and tackle them individually. Only engage professional handymen when all troubleshooting endeavors fail.
Improper Positioning of the Drain hose Pipe
Ensure the dishwasher’s drain hose loop end is 20 inches from the floor or subfloor. Failure to do this, the dishwasher may siphon.
Fix this by locating the drain hose and connecting the part to the disposal inlet/ waste tee. Find it in the house above the plumbing drain trap.
Typically, it is approximately 20 inches or more from the floor. This guarantees proper tub filling.
Open or Unlatched Dishwasher
Your dishwasher will not fill with water if the door is not closed properly. You will likely see a start or resume flash on the gadget, indicating a potential issue.
Confirm/ recheck to ascertain that the door is correctly locked. Click on the start or resume button to continue the wash cycle.
Closed Water Supply Valve
Confirm that the water supply valve is in the right position. If not, turn it on by finding the kitchen water supply and twisting it open.
Allow water to flow freely into the unit from the supply line. Only then can the dishwasher fill up with water and operate normally.
Obstructed Overfill Protection Float
The protection float prevents your dishwasher from overfilling. However, it only works when in the right location.
The float may be in the front right corner depending on your washer’s model. Newer models struggling with filling challenges must be professionally inspected.
Find the float and check for potential obstruction. Move it up and down to see whether it moves freely. If not, remove all obstructions needed.
Defective Inlet Valve
The dishwasher mostly fails to get water if the inlet valve has a defect. This valve is responsible for filling the dishwasher with sufficient hot water amounts.
An electronic or timer controls it depending on the washer’s model. In case of defects, the dishwasher fails to open; thus, no water fills up.
Usually, the valve’s location is at the front of the appliance or behind its bottom access panel. It has a hose connecting it to the water line and another from the valve to the dishwasher’s tub.
Try to inspect the water inlet valve if you can. Start by first unplugging the dishwasher and then disconnecting the water supply. To fix the issue:
- Find the water inlet. It is often located on your dishwasher’s lower left side. Remove the access panel to find it.
- When visually inspecting the water inlet valve, watch for damage, cracks, and wear.
- Replace the defective valve if it shows the signs mentioned above.
Malfunctioning Float Switch
The overfill protection float plays a significant role. Whenever it malfunctions, chances are that there will be power interruptions. This small plastic component often floats whenever the dishwasher fills with water.
Below the float, at the dishwasher’s tub bottom, is a float switch that signifies water inlet. When this switch breaks or lacks connectivity, no water inlet occurs as the inlet valve won’t open.
- To fix it, unplug the dishwasher and inspect the float arm.
- Ensures the washer’s float switch gets mechanically triggered
- This happens when the float rises to the water heater’s top height.
- Also, ensure that the wires from the float switch are not loose.
Broken Door Switch
A broken door switch can also prevent the dishwasher from filling with water. The door switch may be an on-off mechanism, but it is crucial to the washer’s overall functioning.
When the two switches malfunction, your washer’s doors won’t open. Consequently, the dishwasher will not fill with water.
Grab a millimeter to test the probes of your washer’s door switch. To fix this:
- Unplug your dishwasher
- Unscrew your washer’s inner door panel after opening the door
- Remove the panel and locate the latch assembly on top of the door. Using your hand, insert the catch into the washer’s assembly and close the door. Observe if the latch activates the on-off switches
- Using the millimeter, check for continuity
Broken Drain Solenoid Drain Valve
Your dishwasher’s drain valve works only if a drain solenoid controls it. If the solenoid breaks down or becomes faulty, the drain valve will fail to operate normally.
Water will, in turn, not fill the dishwasher.
Always test the solenoid to confirm that it is in perfect working condition. If the solenoid is bad, replace it with a new part.
Opt for the OEM part (the original manufacturer’s part for the equipment).
Damage to Water Supply Line
A damaged water supply line affects the water filling capacity in your dishwasher. Consider the water inlet hose located under the sink.
Make sure its tap is in the right position. Do this with the dishwasher running to confirm the correct position when the hose is open or closed.
Users Also Ask
How do you fix a dishwasher that won’t fill with water?
Identify the cause and address it accordingly.
Can you fix the water inlet valve?
If broken, the best cause of action is to replace it with a new part.
How much does it cost to replace a dishwasher valve?
Depending on the dishwasher’s model, it may cost $80 – $125.