The trick with the hot water helped - thanks!
We removed all filters from the bottom of the machine and the plastic cap on the left hand side of the machine. We poured in 1.5l of boiling water. The boiling water was poured into the hole in the left hand inside panel of the machine (the hole where the plastic cap was removed earlier) - from there, the hot water runs down and sits in the bottom of the machine. We also poured some boiling water into the bottom of the machine directly.
Then drained once by switching the machine on. You may have to press and hold the start button for some time in order to reset the fault first and every second time, the machine seems to go into the "I am finished state". Well - just hold the start button to reset the fault or to switch the program and maybe press again when the machine thinks it is finished already. At some point, it will start to drain as you'd expect.
We repeated this with more water and some vinegar: We poured in 4.5l of boiling water with 250ml of vinegar. We boiled the 4.5l in several batches in a 1.5l kettle. The first batch with 250ml of vinegar. This way, the vinegar and the hot water rests some time in the dishwasher and has the chance to remove lime-scale and degrease. Also, your kettle will be degreased ;) Then we drained again as described above.
In the meantime, we cleaned all filters in the bottom of the dishwasher. It all worked again afterwards and we put the filters back in.
What we should have done also is to listen carefully to the dishwasher whilst failing. It is possible to hear when it drains, then you can hear the pump still when water has been drained and finally, you should hear the water inlet opening and water being let in. This would have been good for the fault description and analysis - well next time ;)
Dennis, April 2011
