The door is not catching or locking properly. Had a quick look and looks like the locking part in the door assembly has lost its spring but I cant get access to check fully. Do I have to remove the complete door or just the front of the door ? I tried to remove just the top front part where the controls are but couldn't get it off.

Dougie ( Glasgow), November 2008

I have just had the same problem. Firstly make sure that you unplug the appliance as the door switch is still live even when the machine is switched off at the control panel. I found out the hard way!!
If you remove the whole of the front panel by undoing all the screws you may find the broken spring and, importantly, the spindle that holds one end of the spring. These may be behind the sound-proofing or they may have fallen right through and be on the floor under the machine.
One hook end of the spring had snapped off so I pulled that end out and bent a new hook. I hooked the original hooh over the fixed hinge pin and put the loose pin through the new hook.
Screw the lock assembly back in place and then screw the top panel back into place. Lift the metal panel up to locate into the top panel and then screw it down.
Then go and buy a new spring!!

Neil, July 2011

I would agree with dougie, bar his comment on removal of bottom screws. suggest you srat on screws from the bottom working up evenly on both sides leaving the penultimate screw in on either side.

these and the top screws hold in the control panel.

once ou have undone the ones described in para one, the rest of the door panel and some foam comes away. remove this to replace later.

then take off the top panel - the reason I suggest this method is that the top panel is wired in and you dont want to risk any wires unconnecting.

once off could see the issue, in my case the pin bar that holds the spring had fallen out and one end of the spring was snapped.

I am off to hotpoint to order a new spring, but looks easy to fit. will post where I get spring from later

Thomas, April 2010

Eventually sussed it out. Remove most of the screws holding the front door on. No need to remove the bottom 2 screws. This then gets you access to the catch. The problem was that the spring had broken off. Re-ended spring sorted the problem. Saved myself £100 as this is what Hotpoint wanted as a call out charge to fix. Job done !

Dougie (Glasgow), November 2008