The short answer
A DWT machine that does nothing is far more often unlatched, locked out or unpowered than broken. A built-in is fed from a switch behind a cupboard, so power is harder to confirm here than on any other kind of dishwasher. Four of the five checks below take a minute each and need no tools at all. There is one number under the DWT label in the table below, so nothing here depends on which variant you own.
What you observe on these models
- The panel lights but nothing happens when you press start — The latch has not made, or a lock is set.
- It starts and stops again within a minute — A fill or drain fault reported as a no-start.
- It has been dead since other work was done in the kitchen — A closed valve or a switched-off spur, not the machine.
- Nothing at all, and other sockets nearby are dead too — A tripped circuit, and the machine is innocent.
- NEAR MISS — it runs but never fills — Read the supply and coupler checks rather than the power ones.
Causes, most likely first on the DWT family
- The door latch not making — First on this platform: no latch, no cycle, and no error either.
- A delay start, a control lock or a cycle already in progress — Second: all three present as a dead machine and all three clear from the panel in seconds.
- Power at the switched supply under the worktop — Third, and the one people miss on a built-in: the machine is fed from a switch or a fused spur behind a cupboard, not from a visible plug.
- Power at the outlet and the cord itself — Fourth: try the outlet with something else before anything else.
- The tap not on, or the coupler not seated — Last: a portable that cannot fill often sits and waits.
Check in this order, and why that order
- Open the door and close it firmly, listening for the latch — A rack standing proud is enough to stop it making, and there is no error to tell you.
- Look at the panel for a lock symbol, a delay or a cycle already running — Seconds to check, and it explains a dead machine surprisingly often.
- Look for a lock symbol and try holding the lock button for a few seconds — The lock is designed to make the panel ignore you.
- Check the consumer unit for a tripped breaker or RCD — Kitchen circuits trip as a group, and the fault may be another appliance entirely.
- Find the switch or fused spur that feeds the machine and check it — On a built-in the supply is behind a cupboard, not on a visible plug.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Treat that as the first step of every check below that involves a panel, a grille or a cover.
Models in the DWT family — The numbers this page covers.
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| DWT18V3S | avanti:dishwasher:dwt |
When to call a technician
Latches, locks, sockets, taps and supply valves are all owner checks on a built-in dishwasher, and together they explain most dead machines. On these models the line falls at the drain pump, the door switch and the control board. Call without working through anything at all for water arriving from under the machine with every visible joint dry.
Nearest pages of this class
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
