What this usually means
On the DW line a leak at the front is the door gasket or the detergent dose, and this platform seals along three sides with the base relying on the tub lip — so on the models listed in the table on this page a leak at the lower corners is a gasket-seating question rather than a torn-gasket question.
What the owner actually sees
- The floor is wet only after the drain step — A drain-side joint that leaks under pump pressure and is dry otherwise.
- Damp or lifting flooring at the front edge — A slow leak announces itself in the floor before it announces itself in a puddle. It is worth knowing that the models listed in the table on this page share this layout.
- Water appears under the cabinet at the side — Side water points at the service routing rather than at the door.
- The door gasket is hard, split or displaced — A gasket that has shrunk at the corners lets water past there first, which is why corner leaks are so common.
- The machine stops mid-cycle and shows an error — Many machines carry a float in the base tray and abort the programme when it lifts.
- NEAR MISS — water in the sump rather than on the floor — That is a drainage fault and belongs on its own page.
- NEAR MISS — steam escaping at the end of the cycle — Steam is not a leak. Judge it once the machine has cooled.
The ranking that matters
- A leaking drain hose or clip — Ranked first on this platform. A slackened clip at either end produces a short, sharp leak at the pump-out. Owners of the models listed in the table on this page describe this in almost identical words.
- A blocked or mis-seated filter forcing water over the door lip — Second, and common. With the filter blocked the level in the tub rises higher than the design allows and finds the door line.
- A base tray that has been filling for weeks — Third in the order. A dramatic puddle after a dry history is usually a tray reaching capacity. That much is common to the whole DW line.
- A fitting disturbed during other kitchen work — Fourth, and getting rarer. Inlet unions and waste connections are routinely knocked during worktop or plumbing work and not checked afterwards.
- A failed water inlet valve — Fifth, and uncommon. Overfilling is rare but unmistakable: the machine floods rather than drips.
Working through it in order
- Inspect the door gasket all the way round — Run a finger along the whole seal and watch for gaps when the door is closed.
- Check the filter and the level in the tub — Clear the filter before condemning the gasket. On the models listed in the table on this page this is the check that decides the job.
- Dry every fitting behind the machine and re-check — Dry-then-watch is the only reliable way to find a slow fitting leak.
- Watch a full cycle with dry paper laid down — Paper and a torch beat any amount of speculation.
Safety first
Safety
Power off, water off, and let a hot cycle cool before opening the door fully. The tub, the racks and the standing water all hold heat for a long time after the programme ends.
Models in the DW family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| DW11UBT32D129 | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW18PR | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW18S2IPV | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW18S2IXV | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24PR | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24S2IPB | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24S3IPV | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24T2IPB | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24T2IXB | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24T31PT/26 | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24T31XT/26 | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24T3IPT | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24T3IPT/26 | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24T3IPV | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24T3IXT | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24T3IXT/26 | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24T3IXV | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24XT | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW24XV | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
| DW60BI/24 | bertazzoni:dishwasher:dw |
When to stop and book a visit
Book promptly if water is reaching the kitchen units: the carcass damage outruns the appliance repair.
Related pages for this line
SC
Sarah Chen
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
EPA 608 UniversalNASTeC Certified
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
