The short answer
A Caf CDD dishwasher that leaves grit is telling you the spray is not reaching the soil. The matrix below lists two model tags that differ only in their trailing revision characters, so a part that suits one usually suits its neighbours, and the tag still decides. Three checks — arms turning freely, filter clear, hot water at the tap before the cycle — settle most of these before any part is suspected, and they belong in that order on these models.
What you can observe on these models
- Gritty residue on the underside of bowls and cups — Soil that was washed off and then redeposited, which means filtration rather than spray pressure.
- A white or cloudy film on glassware — Hard water and insufficient rinse aid. Permanent etching looks the same but does not wash off with a vinegar rinse.
- The top rack is noticeably dirtier than the bottom — The upper spray arm is not turning or is not being fed, so pressure is going to the lower arm alone.
- Detergent left caked in the dispenser cup at the end — The cup opened into a cycle with no water flow, or an item in the rack blocked it from opening at all.
- NEAR MISS — dirty water left standing in the tub — That is a drain fault, not a wash fault, and the drainage page covers it. Cleaning cannot be judged until the tub empties.
Causes, most likely first on this family
- Spray arms blocked or unable to turn — Ranked first because it is the one cause that is both free to check and visible: spin each arm by hand and hold one up to the light.
- Filter and sump screen fouled with soil — Second, and the cause behind almost every complaint that developed gradually over months.
- Wash water not hot enough — Third: detergent needs heat to work, and a long run of cold pipe between the heater and the machine means the first fill is effectively a rinse.
- Detergent type, dose or an empty rinse aid reservoir — Fourth, and the first thing to change when the complaint is film rather than grit.
- Wash pump, diverter or heating element — Last: a genuine part failure usually announces itself suddenly, and it is a poor explanation for a slow decline.
Check in this order, and why
- Read the pattern on the dishes — Uniform film is water and rinse aid; patchy grit is spray coverage; wet plastics alone are the drying system. Each sends you somewhere different.
- Run one load with a rinse-aid top-up and a fresh detergent — Two consumables changed at once is poor science, but it is the fastest way to clear the cheapest causes.
- Inspect the filter and the sump area for retained soil — What you find here predicts whether the next load will come out clean better than any other observation.
- Check the dispenser cup at the end of a cycle — Caked detergent means the cup never met flowing water, which is a loading or a dispenser fault rather than a wash one.
Before you open anything
Safety
Switch the dishwasher off at its breaker before removing the filter housing, the sump cover or any panel — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Broken glass in the sump is the real hazard on the Caf CDD family: use a gloved hand or a wet-vac rather than fingers, and never run a cycle with the filter removed.
Models in the CDD family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| CDD220**W*** | caf:dishwasher:cdd |
| CDD42***T*** | caf:dishwasher:cdd |
When to call a technician
On the Caf CDD family the owner side is the filter, the spray arms, the loading, the detergent and the rinse aid. Call when the arms turn freely, the filter is clean, the water is hot and the load still comes out dirty — at that point the diverter, the wash pump or the heater is the remaining candidate and each needs the machine pulled and a meter. Call sooner if you find glass in the sump you cannot remove safely.
Other faults covered for this family
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
