Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA Troubleshooting Guide (everything you need to know)

Bosch dishwashers are a popular choice because of their efficiency and reliability. But even the best appliances can sometimes have issues. If you own the Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA and are having any problems at all, keep reading.

In this article we look at the most commonly reported issues with this particular model and the best ways to solve them.

The Most Commonly Reported Problems For The Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA

The most common issues with the Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA include;

• Dishwasher Won’t Start
• Water Keeps Filling Up
• Not Filling With Water
• Water Leaks
• Dishwasher Won’t Drain
• Fills With Dirty Water
• Buttons Unresponsive
• Dishes Not Drying
• Excessive Noise

In the following section we take a closer look at these issues and give you the best way to solve them.

Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA Dishwasher Won’t Start

There are several reasons why the Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA dishwasher fails to start which are;

• Child Lock Activated
  The child lock function is designed to prevent children from tampering with the cycles once they’ve been initiated. If the child lock has been activated, the dishwasher will not start until it’s deactivated. To fix this, consult your handbook for specific instructions on how to deactivate the child lock.
• Door Not Closed Correctly
  This model has a built-in safety feature which won’t allow the appliance to start if the door isn’t closed properly. The door needs to be securely latched before the machine will start.
• No Cycle Selected
  Just shutting the door firmly is not enough to get this appliance started. You need to actually select a cycle after shutting the door to get the appliance running.
• Delay Start Activated
  All Bosch dishwashers have a delay start feature which once activated the appliance will not start until the delay timer runs out. Check the handbook to find out how to override the delay timer.
• Problems With The Water Supply
  If the dishwasher doesn’t get a supply of water, it cannot run a cycle. Check the inlet hose for any twists or kinks and check that the water supply is turned on.
• No Power
  If there’s been a power cut or power outage, the dishwasher cannot function. Likewise, if the thermal fuse has blown it will prevent the dishwasher from running. If the plug socket is working properly and there’s no power to the appliance the most likely cause is that the thermal fuse has blown. This will need replacing before the dishwasher will work again.
• Mechanical Issues
  If the motor has developed a fault or has packed up, the dishwasher will not be able to start. This is a job best left to an expert, contact Bosch if your appliance is still under warranty or an electrical engineer if not.
• Electrical Problems
  Electrical issues can be caused by a loose connection, a burnt or shorted wire or an electrical component failure. All of which will prevent the dishwasher from operating. Unless you are sure you know what you’re doing, this is another job best left to an expert. If your appliance is under warranty contact Bosch, if not contact an electrical engineer.

Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA Dishwasher Fills With Water

If your appliance fills up with water even when it’s turned off it could lead to flooding in your kitchen and also increase the amount of your water bill. The main reason for this is that the water inlet valve has stuck in the open position. 

This is mainly caused by a buildup of limescale which is ever present in the water supply in areas of hard water. The only way to solve this is to replace the inlet valve.

Bosch Dishwasher Not Filling With Water

Obviously, if your dishwasher doesn’t fill with water, it cannot wash or rinse your dishes. There can be a number of causes for this which include;

• Water Inlet Valve Not Working Correctly
  The water inlet valve is the only way for water to enter the dishwasher. If it isn’t working correctly it can stop water from getting into your appliance. If this is the problem, it will need replacing.
• Problems With The Water Supply
  The main problem here is that the inlet hose has a kink or twist which is preventing water from flowing. This is easy to solve, all you need to do is check the hose and straighten any twists or kinks. The other obvious cause is that the water supply to your home has been cut off. This could be due to a leak in the main supply. Once this has been resolved the dishwasher should work again.
• Delay Start Activated
  If the dishwasher is set to delay, it will not start and therefore won’t fill with water. Check the handbook for instructions on how to override the delay start.
• Previous Cycle Not Finished
  If the last wash cycle isn’t finished, the dishwasher cannot start a new one. If you are sure that the previous cycle has finished, check in your hand book to see how to cancel a cycle and then try again.

Water Leaks

Bosch dishwashers have an anti-flood system which will kick in if it detects a leak and prevent the appliance from starting.There are several reasons why your dishwasher can develop a leak which include;

• Drain Pump Problems
  If the drain pump has developed a leak it is most likely coming from the impeller or the seal. If this is the case these can both be replaced. However, if you can’t find replacement components, you might need to buy a new drain pump.
• Faulty Pump Seal
  If the leak is coming from the area of the motor, you might need to replace the pump as well as the motor. This is possible by a DIYer but if you’re not confident in your abilities, we would recommend contacting an engineer.
• Excess Detergent Suds
  If you have used an inferior detergent or added too much detergent it is possible that your dishwasher has produced too many soap suds. These suds can find their way into the anti-flood system and prevent the dishwasher from operating. Always use a good quality detergent at the correct dosage to prevent this issue.
• Leaking Door Seal
  In some cases, the door seal could have become detached from the door track which could lead to water reaching the anti-flood system. You will need to inspect the door seal for any rips, tears or whether it has become detached.
• Blocked Drainage Hose
  The drainage hose could have become twisted or kinked which will prevent the waste water from draining away properly. This will eventually cause a leak which could stop the dishwasher from functioning. Check the drainage hose for twists or kinks and straighten.

Bosch Dishwasher Won’t Drain

If your Bosch Silence Plus dishwasher won’t drain it is probably caused by;

• A Clogged Filter
  To check the filter you will need to manually drain all of the water from the appliance before removing the bottom rack and then removing the filter from its housing. The filter prevents food particles from returning to the now cleaned dishes. Those food particles get trapped in the filter and unless cleaned regularly, they will clog the filter preventing water from draining away.
• A Twisted Or Kinked Drainage Hose
  If the drainage hose gets twisted or kinked, the waste water cannot flow away. Inspect the hose for twists etc and straighten if necessary.

Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA Dishwasher Fills With Dirty Water

If your Bosch dishwasher is filling with dirty water it is usually the check valve at fault. The check valve allows water to flow in one direction preventing dirty water from entering the dishwasher. If the check valve is faulty it will need to be replaced.

The check valve is located below the filter so to access it you will need to remove the bottom basket as well as the filter and the lower spray arm. Below the filter there is a lid that can easily be removed. The check valve can now be accessed, removed and replaced.

Unresponsive Buttons/Controls

If the buttons on your Bosch dishwasher have stopped working it is usually because something has blocked the sensors behind the buttons. If this is the case all you need to do is remove whatever is blocking the sensors and start the dishwasher again.

In some cases the selector knob could be at fault. If this is the case, you might need to replace this knob.

Dishes Not Drying On Bosch Dishwasher

If your dishes are coming out of your Bosch dishwasher still wet or damp it could be caused by several faults. These include;

• Problems With The Vent Or Motor
  To dry your dishes, your Bosch dishwasher uses a vent, vent motor or a heating mechanism. If any part of this system develops a fault, the dishes will not dry correctly.
  • Vent Issues – If the vent doesn’t open the dishes can’t dry properly. The solution is to replace the vent.
  • Motor Problems – The vent fan motor could be the cause of the problem. You can check the motor using a multimeter or just spin the fan by hand, if it is jammed you’ll need to replace the vent fan completely.
  • Heating Element – You can check if the heating element is faulty using a multimeter and if it is faulty it should be replaced with a new one.
• No Rinse Aid
  The rinse aid helps to dry dishes, if your dishwasher has run out of rinse aid, your dishes are less likely to dry. This is an easy fix, simply top up the rinse aid.
• Dishes Stacked Incorrectly
  If you have stacked your dishes too close together, the hot air cannot circulate properly to dry them. Take more care when stacking dishes in your dishwasher. It could also be that the material the dishes are made from can prevent them from drying. This is especially true of polythene or teflon coated dishes.
• Wrong Cycle Selected
  Some cycles don’t include a drying cycle, if you have selected an incorrect cycle this could be why your dishes are still wet at the end of the cycle.

Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA Dishwasher Making An Excessive Amount Of Noise

One of the main selling points on this particular dishwasher is its quiet efficiency. If it suddenly starts making more noise than is usual, it’s a sure sign that something is wrong.

There are a few issues that could cause this problem which include;

• Faulty Water Inlet Valve
  If the water inlet valve is malfunctioning, it will almost certainly need to be replaced.
• High Water Temperatures
  Excessive noise can sometimes be due to the water temperature being too high. This is most likely in summer time when the water feed is warmer than average.
• Worn Motor Bearings
  If the motor bearings are worn and begin to make an excessive amount of noise, it is time to replace the motor.
• Clogged Filter
  The filter on your Bosch dishwasher needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. If not the screen can become clogged which can cause excessive noise.
• Incorrectly Placed Dishes
  If the plates and dishes have been placed in the racks of the dishwasher in such a way as to prevent the spray arm from turning correctly, this can cause an excess of sound.

Other Less Likely Faults With The Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA Dishwasher (and how to fix)

Above we covered the most common faults reported on the Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA dishwasher. Now let’s look at some of the other less common faults and how to fix them;

• Screen Not Lighting Up
  If the screen is not lighting up, it could be because the door isn’t shut correctly, a wire is loose or a fuse has blown.
• Streaks On Glasses
  This is invariably caused by using the wrong amount of rinse aid. You should consult your hand book to see just how much rinse aid you should use.
• Trouble Closing The Detergent Dispenser
  If the detergent dispenser doesn’t close properly it is usually because there is still detergent left from the last wash cycle or you haven’t placed the detergent in correctly.
• Cycle Taking Too Long
  This could be caused by the water not getting hot enough, the rinse aid has run out, the dishes were heavily soiled and you used an unsuitable cycle or a lack of detergent.
• Bad Odours Inside The Dishwasher
  If there are bad odours inside the dishwasher it could be caused by a dirty filter, dishes left too long in the appliance before washing, the drainage hose is clogged or water has been left in the bottom of the appliance after the cycle has finished.
• Dirty Dishes
  This can be caused by a blockage in some of the nozzles on the spray arm, not enough, or too much detergent was used, the filter needs cleaning, an incorrect cycle was selected or the dishes were stacked too close together.
• Can’t Select The Cycle Wanted
  There are really only two reasons for this which are;
  • Child Lock Activated – If the child lock is activated, the control panel will usually be unresponsive. Before you can select another cycle, you will need to deactivate the child lock.
  • The Current Cycle Hasn’t Finished – Before you can select a new cycle, the current cycle has to be finished. You can reset the dishwasher by pressing and holding the “start” or “reset” button for 3 to 5 seconds. Once the dishwasher has been successfully reset, you will be able to select a new cycle.

How To Run A Diagnostic On The Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA Dishwasher

To run a diagnostic on your Bosch dishwasher all you need to do is press the “start” button and wait for a response. If that doesn’t work, press and hold the “start” button 3 times.

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Frequently Asked Questions