Thanks for the tip CK. I unplugged the machine and tipped it backwards and water ran out from the plastic tray that is at the bottom. I mopped that up, plugged machine back in and tried the machine and it ran OK. Next thing was to find out where the water was coming from. Couldn't see any drips inside the bottom area but finally found some white powdery deposits at the back, right, top (looked at from the front of the machine) on the outside of the washing chamber where the clear plastic pipe takes the water up to the top spray bar and goes through the steel wall. I could only see this pipe after removing the screws holding the right hand side panel on to the chassis. Gentle sideways pressure on the pipe caused drops of water to leak out past the o-ring and run down the outside of the machine and down into the bottom tray.
I let the machine pump out and then removed the top dish-rack - swing those caps on the end of the channels that the wheel run in inwards and then the rack comes right out. Then I saw that where the outside pipe comes through and joins the short pipe across the top of the washing chamber there is a big plastic nut which I could turn by finger pressure. That needed tightening up but first I slackened it off completely and removed the little stainless steel nut on the outside of the washing chamber that holds the short inside pipe in place so I could give the o-ring and the parts it touches a gentle cleaning before putting it all back together with a smear of silicone grease on the o-ring.
I then plugged the machine back into the power socket, turned on the water and let it fill. It started fine and there were no leaks from the o-ring joint so I pumped it out again and - machine unplugged - put the casing screws in and replaced the lid.
As I speak, machine is catching up on a weeks worth of dishes.
Total cost of repair : nuppence.
Baffled No More, May 2013
