These are the faults we are called out for most often. Each one is a repair we complete regularly — in most cases in a single visit, with the part already on the van. If your symptom is not listed, describe it when you book and we will tell you what it is likely to be.
Dishes come out dirty or gritty
Likely cause: Spray arm jets blocked with debris, a filter nobody knew existed at the bottom of the tub, a worn wash pump impeller, or incoming water that is simply not hot enough to dissolve detergent.
What we do: Full spray-arm and filter service plus an inlet temperature check. Frequently fixed without any parts at all.
Typical repair: $110 – $290
Standing water in the bottom / will not drain
Likely cause: Clogged filter and drain hose, a failed drain pump, or — the one that catches out new garbage disposals — the disposal knockout plug never removed when it was installed, leaving the dishwasher draining into a sealed wall.
What we do: We clear the whole drain path and verify the disposal connection before condemning the pump.
Typical repair: $130 – $300
Leaking onto the kitchen floor
Likely cause: A perished door gasket, a loose or split hose clamp, or failed door springs letting the door drop and break the seal. Leaks under cabinets can run for weeks before they are visible.
What we do: Leak located under a live cycle, then sealed at source. Worth doing quickly — the cabinet damage costs more than the repair.
Typical repair: $140 – $340
Will not start or has no power
Likely cause: The door latch switch is the usual culprit — the machine will not run if it cannot confirm the door is latched. Beyond that, a thermal fuse, the control board, or a tripped breaker.
What we do: Latch and switch replacement is quick; we check supply first because that costs nothing to rule out.
Typical repair: $120 – $310
Dishes are still wet at the end
Likely cause: A failed heating element or vent flap, an empty rinse aid dispenser, or a condenser-dry model being judged by heated-dry expectations — many modern efficient dishwashers genuinely do leave plastics damp.
What we do: We test the element and vent, and tell you honestly when the machine is working as designed.
Typical repair: $120 – $290
Detergent door does not open during the cycle
Likely cause: A failed wax motor on the dispenser latch, or detergent caked around the mechanism from a previous cycle that never released.
What we do: Wax motor replacement plus a clean-out of the dispenser housing.
Typical repair: $110 – $250
Grinding or rattling noise while running
Likely cause: Something hard in the sump — glass fragments and fruit pits are the usual finds — a worn chopper blade, or wash pump bearings on the way out.
What we do: Sump is opened and cleared. Running it noisy risks scoring the pump, so it is worth catching early.
Typical repair: $130 – $320
Price bands are typical all-in figures for parts and labor on this type of repair and are not a quote.
Diagnostic starts at $89 and is credited against the repair if you go ahead. You always get a firm price before work begins.