Bosch Dishwasher fuuuuuu

[sillysod]

Okay, so I have a bosch dishwasher that's about 4 years old now I bought when we built our house.

Spent over $1000 on this piece of crap and it struggles to wash dishes with even milk on them. :banghead:

I've had a tech look at it under warranty 3 times and evertime they replaced the pump and said it was plugged. It worked slightly better for a week then was terrible again.

I just completely tore it apart yesterday to see if I could find anything wrong. It isn't throwing codes etc and was clean as a whistle inside and the pump was nice and debris free.

I have the builders Maytag POS that came with the house int he basement that washes dishes perfectly, but this thing just can never ever wash even the most basic utensils.


Anyone have an idea what else I can look at before I scrap this thing? I am not interested in paying $300.00 to get the pump replaced again on this thing as it is clearly not the problem. Or if someone knows a good Bosch dishwasher repair man then I might consider fixing it.

I've already verified that the water temp is nice an hot, and the drain loop is 20" to prevent siphoning. Perhaps I need to use special detergent with these dishwashers? :dunno: I've been using just normal "finish" liquid detergent with jet dry for the rinse agent.


Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[sputnik]

What do your dishes look like when they finish a cycle?

Are there water spots on glasses and plasticware?
Are there still food particles on the dishes?
Are your dishes blocking the sprayers from turning freely?
Are you using enough rinse agent?
What brand of soap are you using?
Are your food catchers cleaned regularly?

I have a Bosch and it works just fine.

I use Finish JetDry rinse agent (set at 3) with Cascade Action Packs.

[sputnik]

Oh wait. Are you using those Finish gel packs?

http://www.stain-removal-101.com/images/finish-dishwasher-gel-packs-dont-clean-stains-21498432.jpg

If so, I bought a box of them and tossed almost the entire box after a couple of washes. Went back to Cascade Action Packs (cheap at Costco) and never looked back.

[sillysod]

Originally posted by sputnik
What do your dishes look like when they finish a cycle?

Are there water spots on glasses and plasticware?
-Yes


Are there still food particles on the dishes?
-Yes

Are your dishes blocking the sprayers from turning freely?
-No, not blocking sprayers. I can put 2 plates in there and run it on pot scrubber and they still come out shitty.

Are you using enough rinse agent?
-Tried all settings from 1 - 5, no help, at 5 it leaves streaks at 1 it leaves spots.


What brand of soap are you using?
-Using Finish liquid gel right now, also tried cascade gel. Am debating the "german" soap from Reliable parts, but it's kind of stupid to spend $20.00 everytime on special dishsoap. Especially when the shitty $400 Maytag can wash dishes amazingly with granulated no name soap.

Are your food catchers cleaned regularly?
-Almost after every wash. All plates are rinsed prior to loading and any food is scrubbed off.


I have a Bosch and it works just fine.

I use Finish JetDry rinse agent (set at 3) with Cascade Action Packs.

[sillysod]

Originally posted by sputnik
Oh wait. Are you using those Finish gel packs?

http://www.stain-removal-101.com/images/finish-dishwasher-gel-packs-dont-clean-stains-21498432.jpg

If so, I bought a box of them and tossed almost the entire box after a couple of washes. Went back to Cascade Action Packs (cheap at Costco) and never looked back.

Maybe I will have to try the action packs

I've been using this

http://www.mrcase.com/images/176138.JPG

[Tik-Tok]

Funny, we were just talking about dishwasers the other day at work. The consensus seems to be that dishwasher soap effectiveness seems to very with dishwasher brands. What works awesome in one dishwasher, works like shit in another, and vice versa.

Also, avoid any dishwasher that's "energy saving", they all seem to suck balls, because they're TOO conservative on the energy. Like my LG, which doesn't even have a heater to dry the dishes, it just uses a fan to vent the moist air out... except it doesn't do the job well, and my dishes are still soaking wet after the cycle is done.

[sillysod]

^^ I've determined that the effectiveness and reliability of an appliance is inversely proportionate to the price.

My old Frigidaire appliances in my 1st house never cost me a cent to fix.

This place we bucked up and spent $$$ and it seems that everything is constantly needing boards, burners or service of some sort.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
Like my LG, which doesn't even have a heater to dry the dishes, it just uses a fan to vent the moist air out... except it doesn't do the job well, and my dishes are still soaking wet after the cycle is done.

Rinse agent will make a big difference here.

Bosch dishwashers have heaters but don't vent the steam. They let it condense and run down the drain. If I don't keep the rinse agent filled my dishes come out soaking wet and covered in spots.

[JDMMAN]

My Bosch works awesome. Much better then the Maytag that was in my condo. I do have a water softener now as well, so that could be part of the reason? :dunno:

[HHURICANE1]

It's actually the soap. I read an article about this not too long ago. The manufacturers took the phosphates out of the soap and now they don't clean worth a damn. Some machines are affected worse than others but it is an industry wide complaint these days. I know our machine isn't cleaning worth a damn anymore and we've had to start hand washing more stuff than we ever did before.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by HHURICANE1
It's actually the soap. I read an article about this not too long ago. The manufacturers took the phosphates out of the soap and now they don't clean worth a damn. Some machines are affected worse than others but it is an industry wide complaint these days. I know our machine isn't cleaning worth a damn anymore and we've had to start hand washing more stuff than we ever did before.

Cascade works fine for me.

So if Cascade doesn't clean your dishes, then it is definitely your dishwasher that is the problem in the equation.

[benyl]

Originally posted by sillysod

This place we bucked up and spent $$$ and it seems that everything is constantly needing boards, burners or service of some sort.

Biggest reason I didn't go with Wolf / Sub Zero in the new place. You pay way more for the appliances and you pay more for service and they don't last any longer.

I did get the highest end Bosch dishwasher... Now you have me worried.

[masoncgy]

You must have something else going on with that dishwasher. It is not typical of a Bosch machine to have a washability issue. There is no way you can replace the pump, have it work for a couple of cycles and then it's back to square one again, that makes no sense.

Something is creating a blockage in the system that isn't allowing the water to move around as it should. Dishes with crap stuck on them, not washed properly, etc... that typically signals lower than usual water pressure. Even just a normal cycle without soap will take off most materials from the dishes just from the heated water & wash action alone.

Given the type of machine you have, I am going to assume that you have pulled out and cleaned the 3-piece filtration system on the bottom of the tub. If your dishes go in without a pre-rinse, that sucker will clog up over time, but I can't imagine you have left that unchecked, especially with service calls, etc.

Surprisingly, in my current place, I have a very low end Maytag machine and it washes dishes like a hot damn. I bought it purely to sell the house, paid under $200 basically for it's stainless steel finish, and got a pretty good machine out of the deal. It's noisy, but that's what delay start is for. ;)

[BokCh0y]

We use cascade, seems to do the job the best is what the broad says.

From what i've heard from peeps in teh South by you and me...it's the hard water. If you pick up a water softener system, you'll see the difference for sure.

[ExtraSlow]

My Electrolux is extremely picky about which soap I use. None of the powdered brands will work, has to be the Cascade all in one "action" packs.

Sucks that they are pretty expensive, but I buy the big tub at wal-mart or costco and it's not that bad.

[CanmoreOrLess]

You just need the right detergent and technique in dish placement. I know, you never needed this in the past decades, well at least I never heard my parents talk about it. Their Sears dishwasher worked fine... I guess.

According to Consumer Reports 2011 the best in their tests CASCADE-All-IN-1: http://www.cascadeclean.com/en_CA/completeallinoneactionpacs.do

Money back if not satisfied as well (open to customer abuse too): http://www.cascadeclean.com/en_CA/money-back-guarantee.do

Stupid I know, but read this just to get educated about dishwashers and what to do, takes less than a minute http://www.cascadeclean.com/en_CA/cascadedishwashertips.do

Not the cheapest for certain but the only detergent that works in my machine and I have tried at least six brands. Stopped "testing" once I read and tried the ALL-IN-1. I buy it at Safeway, 48 packs when on sale (buy three and good for months). Kind of hard to find really (avoid the cheaper Cascade substandard stuff). CostCo did not carry it last time I was there a month ago and WalMart never has as the price is too high I was told. Just look for the most expensive price tag... Really it makes finding it easier.

I used this all the time (works as advertised) Lemi Shine (Canadian Tire, see detergent area) before switching to Consumer Reports and their detergent http://www.envirocontech.com/item/lemi-shine-original.html

Every month or so I run some Lemi Shine through an empty dishwasher for a good cleaning, I have four bottles bought in a bulk binge. Each bottle lasts for a dozen washes or so.

[sillysod]

Filters etc are super clean. I have had every hose and connection apart on that machine more than once desperately hoping to find a piece of chicken or something plugging up a line. No joy though.

Anyways I picked up some Action packs (gayest name ever) and we will see how it works. I am really really hoping it gets them clean.



On a side note I was able to fix the ice dispenser in our LG fridge :thumbsup:

[masoncgy]

I still think this is related to a water pressure issue. If it can't even rinse milk out of a glass, that signals that you don't have a proper wash action in there.

Bosch dishwashers usually have a 'rinse & hold' program, set up to do what you normally do under the faucet, pre-rinse the dishes before the actual wash cycle. Have you tried loading with say your breakfast & lunch dishes and then running this cycle? Test it. See if it rinses the dishes off.

I had a guy who continuously had washability problems in a higher end Maytag that he could not understand, tried all different detergents, etc, and it turned out that he didn't have his hot water valve opened all the way. Not enough pressure. Opened it wide and it solved the issue.

I would assume, of course, that this has been examined on your part given you already mentioned service calls.

Let me know how this goes. Curious to hear the results.

[alloroc]

European dishwashers and cascade detergent just don't mix. We have a Bloomberg which is basically a bosch clone.

You are best using finish 'Quantum' - or for the best you can get buy Somat tablets from trail appliances.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by alloroc
European dishwashers and cascade detergent just don't mix. We have a Bloomberg which is basically a bosch clone.

What is the logic behind that? Cascade works awesome in my Bosch.


Originally posted by alloroc
[B]You are best using finish 'Quantum' - or for the best you can get buy Somat tablets from trail appliances.

Finish detergent was terrible in my Bosch. Nothing got clean and it left a horrible film on the stainless steel interior.

[J-hop]

Yea my parents have had a Bosch for over 10 years. Cascade action packs and jet dry = super clean everytime. Before that was cascade powder and jet dry.

[sillysod]

Well 2 washes with Cascade and it has made a dramatic difference....

I think there is still a lot of film inside the plumbing from the Finish, so we will see after a couple weeks but I am hoping that everything comes out super clean.

[ExtraSlow]

It's crazy how big of a difference the detergent makes.

[sillysod]

^^ no kidding.... i was ready to throw this thing in the skip at work