Dishwasher water in base: what our engineers find
These figures come from NAC's own repair records: 78 dishwasher jobs our engineers attended for this fault in the last 12 months. Here is what they found, what fixed it and what it typically cost.
When water collects in the base of a dishwasher, the machine's flood protection usually stops it and shows a warning. Engineers sometimes find worn, softened or warped door seals, either along the bottom of the door or around its sides and top, letting water escape as it washes. They also sometimes find a leaking seal where the pump sits in the bottom of the tub, a leak from the pump that heats the water, or a leak from the valve that lets water in or the tank beside it. Now and then the water fills slightly too high because the part that senses the water level has failed, so it spills over into the base. Overfoaming can cause the same warning, for example after washing up liquid has been used instead of dishwasher detergent.
An engineer will usually remove the water from the base, then run a quick wash and watch it fill, wash, heat and drain while checking where the water escapes and whether the level is right. Where foam was the only problem, clearing the water and testing can be enough. Otherwise the faulty seal or part is replaced and the machine tested again, and the new part often has to be ordered and fitted at a second visit.
Written by our engineers from these jobs.
- Jobs attended
- 78
- in the last 12 months
- Confirmed repairs
- 42
- 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
- 17%
- about 1 in 6 of our repairs
- Typical total paid by customers
- £150 to £271
- including parts and VAT, from 41 repairs
No single cause has enough confirmed repairs behind it yet to show for this fault.
Error codes we see with this fault
- Bosch E15: Anti-flood protection activated: water detected in the base.
- Bosch E24: Drain fault: the appliance cannot empty.
- Caple E4: Anti-flood protection: internal leak or water detected in the base.
- Miele F70: Anti-flood protection activated: water detected in the base.
- Neff E15: Anti-flood protection activated: water detected in the base.
- Samsung LC: Leak detected: water in the base.
- Siemens E15: Anti-flood protection activated: water detected in the base.
About the price. £150 to £271 is the typical total paid by customers, including parts and VAT: the middle half of what customers paid on 41 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