The short answer
On an AEG the first thing to check is the softener: salt level and hardness setting, matched to your actual water. That explains most film and most tired-detergent complaints. A loaded filter is second and recirculates dirt across the load. Blocked spray arms and loading that shadows the upper arm come third, and programme choice last.
What you observe
- A grey or white film on glassware — Hard water reaching the wash.
- The salt indicator has been lit for weeks — The softener has nothing left to work with.
- Grit redeposited evenly over the load — A loaded filter recirculating dirty water.
- The upper rack is dirty and the lower is clean — The upper spray arm is blocked or shadowed.
- NEAR MISS — drops left on plastics — Normal. Plastics hold no heat to dry themselves.
Causes, most likely first on this brand
- Softener out of salt, or set for the wrong hardness — First because this platform depends on its softener and the setting is almost never matched to the actual supply. Hard water then reaches the wash and everything downstream of it looks like a failing machine.
- Filter loaded with food debris — Second: the machine recirculates its water many times per programme, so a blocked filter turns every later spray into dirty water spread across the load.
- Spray arm jets blocked, or an item shadowing the upper arm — Third, and it has a clear signature: one rack clean and the other not. A tall item under the upper arm stops it turning at all.
- Programme or detergent choice — Last. A long cool eco programme is far less tolerant of a dirty filter, a poor load and old detergent than a hot fast one is.
Check in this order, and why
- Check the salt reservoir and the hardness setting — The top cause, and it costs only salt to correct.
- Pull the filter and look at what it holds — Decides between a water problem and a recirculation one.
- Spin both spray arms by hand with the racks in — A catch here names the fault without tools.
- Note which programme has been used — Left until here because it only changes the margin.
What an owner can safely check
- Fill the salt reservoir and set the hardness for your area — Use dishwasher salt only, and wipe up any spill in the tub.
About 20 min
- Twist out the filter, rinse it and lock it back in — Clear the fine mesh and the coarse screen under a hot tap.
About 20 min
- Load the racks, then spin each arm a full circle — Nothing should touch either arm at any point.
About 15 min
- Clear each jet in both spray arms — A cocktail stick and a rinse. Check both ends of each arm.
Tools: cocktail stickAbout 30 min
- STOP HERE if the next step means opening the machine — Pump and heater work sits beside live connections.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the machine or switch off its breaker before reaching into the sump or removing any panel; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Broken glass ends up in dishwasher filters, so wear gloves and look before reaching. Never run the machine with the filter removed, and never mix dishwasher detergent with bleach products in the tub.
When to call a technician
Call when the softener is charged and correctly set, the filter and arms are clean and the load still comes out dirty — the wash pump, the heater or the softener valve is then the answer and all need a meter. Call also if the tub is cold at the end of a hot programme. Stop and unplug the machine if it trips the breaker during a cycle.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page is written for the brand and the appliance class, not for one family or model line. Where a family- or model-specific page exists for your unit, that page is the more specific answer and you should start there. Deliberately absent: hardness scales, programme temperatures, pump and heater part identifiers and fault-code meanings, all of which differ between the integrated, freestanding and slimline families.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
