Dishwasher leaking: what our engineers find
These figures come from NAC's own repair records: 255 dishwasher jobs our engineers attended for this fault. Here is what they found, what fixed it and what it typically cost.
When a dishwasher leaks, the cause our engineers find most often is a worn or damaged seal along the bottom of the door. Over time it can turn hard and brittle, warp, perish or tear, letting water escape from the front and pool on the floor under the door. The next most common cause is a split drain hose or waste pipe, which tends to leak from underneath or towards the back, often as soon as a cycle starts or while the machine drains. Engineers sometimes find that mice have chewed through the hoses. They also sometimes find that the seal around the sides of the door has lifted or isn't pushed fully home, or that the drain pump is faulty.
To track down the cause, an engineer checks the door seals and hoses closely and runs the dishwasher to see where the water is coming from. The right seal or hose usually has to be ordered, so the new part is often fitted at a second visit. Once it is in, the engineer runs a wash to make sure the dishwasher fills, heats and drains without leaking. If mice were to blame, putting traps down helps stop it happening again.
Written by our engineers from these jobs.
- Jobs attended
- 255
- Confirmed repairs
- 128
- This is not a success rate. Jobs inside their 60-day window, jobs still being classified, jobs held for review and visits that didn't end in a repair aren't counted.
- Fixed at the first appointment
- 20%
- about 1 in 5 of our repairs
- Typical total paid by customers
- £143 to £204
- including parts and VAT, from 121 repairs
What's usually behind it
The causes our engineers found and fixed, as a share of our 128 confirmed repairs for this fault.
-
Worn or damaged door seal: about 1 in 4 of our repairs, from 35 jobs.
27% -
Split drain hose or waste pipe: about 1 in 4 of our repairs, from 32 jobs.
25%
We only list causes with enough repairs behind them, so the shares won't add up to 100%.
Error codes we see with this fault
- Bosch E23: Drain pump fault: the appliance is not draining.
- Lamona E01: Anti-flood protection activated: water detected in the base.
- Miele F70: Anti-flood protection activated: water detected in the base.
- Samsung LC: Leak detected: water in the base.
- Bosch E15: Anti-flood protection activated: water detected in the base.
By brand
Brands with enough repairs of their own for this fault to show separately.
Bosch dishwasher leaking
51 jobs, 32 confirmed repairs. Customers typically paid £108 to £179 (from 31 repairs). 34% fixed at the first appointment.
This is not a success rate. Jobs inside their 60-day window, jobs still being classified, jobs held for review and visits that didn't end in a repair aren't counted.
No single cause has enough repairs behind it yet to show for Bosch.
Why the first-appointment figure differs by brand. Our engineers carry common parts on the van, so those repairs can be finished at the first appointment. Other parts have to be ordered in, and fitting them takes a second visit.
About the price. £143 to £204 is the typical total paid by customers, including parts and VAT: the middle half of what customers paid on 121 of these repairs. Repairs paid for by manufacturers and insurers aren't counted, because that work is charged at contract rates. It's a guide, not a quote. Your engineer confirms a fixed price before any work starts.
Before you check anything yourself
- Switch the dishwasher off and unplug it, or turn it off at the isolator switch, before you touch anything. Our guide to safely isolating an appliance walks you through it.
- If it involves the mains supply, sealed parts, or you're not confident at any point, stop and book a qualified engineer rather than risk injury or further damage.
Rather leave it to us?
- Fixed-price quote before any work starts
- Same or next-day visits where available
- UK-wide engineer coverage