In one paragraph
On the Aviva ADBI dishwasher line, before anything is dismantled, find out whether the pump runs at all. A drain phase you can hear working against a blockage is a very different fault from one that is silent. What changes against the brand-generic answer is the order of the checks, not the list of causes.
What this looks like on a ADBI unit
- The drain phase is audible but nothing goes down — The pump is running against a blockage, which puts the fault in the path rather than in the motor. Read this one against the ADBI models listed below.
- Water comes back into the tub after it has drained — A siphon problem: the drain hose is not looped high enough and waste water is returning.
- A smell from the machine between cycles — Water standing in the sump for days, which dates the fault as older than the complaint.
- An error indication appears part way through the cycle — Many machines detect the failed drain and stop rather than carrying on washing in dirty water.
- NEAR MISS: water is on the floor rather than in the tub — That is a leak and it belongs on the leak page.
The ranking on the ADBI line
- A filter and sump packed with food debris — Ranked first, and it is the most common cause of every complaint this appliance produces. Debris that gets past a neglected filter settles in the sump, right where the drain path starts. On a ADBI unit this is still the first thing to eliminate.
- A disposal unit knockout plug still in place — Second, and the one that catches people out after a kitchen fitting. The connection looks perfect and the path is completely closed.
- A blocked waste trap or shared sink waste — The dishwasher is often blamed for a plumbing blockage that is not in the appliance at all. The tell is a sink that backs up alongside it.
- A control or timer fault that never calls for the drain phase — Last, and rare. It usually shows itself in other cycle behaviour as well.
What to check first, second, third
- Listen during the drain phase — Audible and straining means a blockage; silent means the pump or the control. This single observation splits the list in half. The ADBI layout is the reason it comes first here.
- Reach into the sump with a torch and a gloved hand — Glass, labels, olive stones and bones are all found here, and any of them will close the path.
- Pull the machine out and check the drain hose for kinks — A hose crushed behind the unit is invisible from the front and obvious from the back.
- Confirm the drain hose rises to a high loop before falling to the waste — Without it, drained water siphons back into the tub.
What to do before you start
Safety
Unplug the dishwasher or switch off its breaker before reaching into the sump — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is gone. Broken glass collects in the sump and the filter well, so wear gloves and use a torch rather than feeling about.
Models in the ADBI family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| ADBI245SS | aviva:dishwasher:adbi |
When to stop and call
Call when the drain phase is silent and the path has been proven clear. That combination is the pump or the control, and both are tested electrically. Call sooner if the machine trips a breaker when it tries to drain.
Related symptoms for the ADBI line
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Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
