Washing machine or dishwasher broken down: what should you check before calling customer service?
A machine that shows an error code or won't drain is often less serious than it seems. Many 'breakdowns' can be fixed in ten minutes with a filter, a hose or a setting. Here's what you can check yourself, safely, and how to decide between repair and replacement.
- Safety first : unplug, turn off the tap, never open the appliance
- Draining, smell, poor washing: the filter in most cases
- Error codes : the manual or the brand's app gives the exact meaning
- Under 2 years : this is the statutory guarantee, contact the seller
Above all: safety
According to Test-Achats reliability surveys, the most commonly cited faults are, for washing machines, the controls or display, the door and spinning; for dishwashers, the circulation and drain pump comes clearly top. Yet a pump that 'struggles' very often has a clogged filter. Hence the value of checking the simple things first.
Washing machine: symptoms and first steps
| Symptom | What you can check |
|---|---|
| Won't start | Plug, circuit breaker and RCD; child lock on; delayed start set; door properly closed (you should hear it click). |
| Door locked | Wait 2 to 3 minutes after the cycle ends (thermal lock). If there's still water, run a 'drain' cycle; otherwise, use the emergency drain via the filter. |
| Water won't drain, drain error code | Clean the pump filter; check that the drain hose is neither kinked nor blocked, and that the trap isn't clogged. |
| No water supply | Is the tap on? Is the inlet hose kinked? Is the small filter at the solenoid valve inlet clogged with limescale (see the manual)? |
| Doesn't spin | Often an unbalanced load: a single heavy item or bunched-up laundry. Add more laundry or spread it out. Also check the drain. |
| Leak | Find where the water is coming from: door seal, detergent drawer (too much detergent, suds), inlet hose, filter not screwed in properly. Turn off the tap. |
| Strong vibrations, machine 'walks' | Level the machine using the adjustable feet; check that the transit bolts have been removed (new or moved machine). |
| Bad smells | Hot empty maintenance cycle, clean the seal and drawer, leave the door ajar. |
| Endless cycle | Normal on Eco 40-60 (over 3 hours). Otherwise: repeated unbalance, blocked filter, overloading. |
Dishwasher: symptoms and first steps
| Symptom | What you can check |
|---|---|
| Water pools at the bottom | Clean the filter; check that the drain hose isn't kinked and that the trap or the connection under the sink isn't blocked. |
| Dishes not cleaned properly | Blocked filter or spray arms; loading that blocks the arms; detergent and salt; programme too short for the soil level. |
| White marks | Not enough salt or water hardness set incorrectly; too much detergent. |
| Wet dishes | Plastic (normal); rinse aid empty; open the door at the end of the cycle. |
| Water inlet error | Is the tap on? Is the hose kinked? Is the inlet filter blocked? |
| Leak error (aquastop triggered) | Switch off the power and turn off the tap. Often caused by too much suds (hand washing-up liquid added by mistake): let it dry and restart. If the fault comes back, call customer service. |
| Won't start | Door firmly closed, child lock, delayed start, power supply. |
Before calling customer service, take a photo of the rating plate (on the door frame or the door seal area) and note the error code displayed. With the exact model number, serial number and code, the engineer often already knows which part to bring.
Error codes: a few examples, with caution
Each brand has its own language, and the same code can mean something different from one model to another. Here are some examples commonly documented in manufacturers' manuals and help pages. They're there to guide your checks, not to make a diagnosis.
| Brand | Device | Code | Usual meaning | First step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung | Washing machine | 4C | Water inlet problem | Tap, inlet hose |
| Samsung | Washing machine | 5C | Drain problem | Pump filter, drain hose |
| Samsung | Washing machine | UE or Ub | Unbalanced load | Spread out the laundry |
| Samsung | Washing machine | DC | Door | Close the door properly |
| LG | Washing machine | OE | Drain | Filter, drain hose |
| LG | Washing machine | IE | Water inlet | Tap, inlet hose |
| LG | Washing machine | UE | Unbalanced load | Spread out the laundry |
| LG | Washing machine | dE | Door | Close the door properly |
| Bosch, Siemens | Dishwasher | E15 | Water protection system triggered (often water in the base) | Switch off, turn off the tap, let it dry; call customer service if it comes back |
| Bosch, Siemens | Dishwasher | E24, E25 | Drain: pump or filter blocked, hose kinked | Filter, drain hose |
Sources: manufacturers' help pages and manuals cited in our brand fact sheets. For Whirlpool, Beko, Haier, Hisense and other brands, codes vary a great deal between generations: rely on the manual or the app's diagnostics (HomeWhiz for Beko and Whirlpool, hOn for Haier and Candy, ConnectLife for Hisense, Smart Diagnosis at LG, SmartThings at Samsung, Home Connect at Bosch and Siemens).
A code that returns after a restart, a burning smell, a circuit breaker that trips or a leak that doesn't come from a visible hose: switch the appliance off and call customer service.
Guarantee: who pays for what?
- Under 2 years : this is the Belgian statutory guarantee, owed by the seller. The seller must prove the fault didn't exist at delivery, and you must report the fault within 2 months. Repair or replacement is free of charge.
- Long manufacturer guarantees : motor or compressor 10 years with several brands, dishwasher tub 10 years at Bosch and Siemens, 10 years parts at Haier for purchases registered from 2022 to 2026. Do read the terms carefully: often parts only, labour and call-out charges apply.
- After a repair : the EU directive on the right to repair provides for an extension of the statutory guarantee when repair is chosen; its transposition into Belgian law is yet to be confirmed. Some brands already apply it: Bosch extends its 12-month guarantee once for appliances bought from 31 July 2026 and successfully repaired by its customer service.
Details for each brand (customer service contacts, service plans, extensions) are in the Bosch, Siemens, Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, Beko, Haier and Hisense.
Repair or replace?
Repair is often the best option, for your wallet as well as the planet. EU ecodesign rules require manufacturers to keep essential parts available (door seals and hinges, door locks, detergent drawers, spray arms, baskets, filters...) for at least 10 years for washing machines and dishwashers, with a 15-day delivery time for dishwasher parts. A 6- or 7-year-old appliance is therefore not ‘beyond repair' as a matter of principle.
| Situation | Our benchmark |
|---|---|
| Appliance under 5 years old, common fault (pump, seal, door lock) | Repair |
| Appliance 5 to 9 years old, repair costing less than half the price of an equivalent new one | Repair most often |
| Repair costing more than half the price of a new one, or repeated faults | Replace more likely |
| Appliance over 10 years old and energy-hungry (older resistance-heating tumble dryer, old dishwasher) | Replace : the energy saving helps offset the cost |
| Main electronics or motor out of warranty on an entry-level appliance | Ask for a quote, then compare |
To give you an idea of costs, some brands publish their prices in Belgium: a call-out and diagnosis fee of €99.99 at Bosch and Siemens, a single all-inclusive repair price of €219 at Whirlpool after 2 years, and flat rates of €219 or €249 depending on age at Haier (2026 prices published by the brands, subject to change). As a reminder, the average lifespan observed by Test-Achats is around 12 years for a washing machine and a dishwasher.
Prevention is better than cure
Most of the faults we see in store could have been avoided with a cleaned filter or a machine levelled properly. Keep to hand our maintenance calendar. And if replacement is unavoidable, our guides washing machine and dishwasher help you choose. Good to know: when you buy a new appliance, the seller takes back your old similar appliance free of charge (Recupel obligation), even if it is a different brand.
If the time for replacement has come
BOSCH WAN2827AFR Series 4 Washing Machine€529.00
Washing machine LG F94R50WHS€611.00
Washing Machine HAIER HW100BP14357EU1€549.00
Washing machine SAMSUNG WW90CGC04DAH€507.00
Bosch SMS6ECC12E Dishwasher€1,239.00
Dishwasher HISENSE HS672B90B€433.00
Fully integrated dishwasher BOSCH SMV6ZCX03E€1,239.00
Built-in dishwasher SIEMENS SN75EX23CE€1,279.00Prices and availability: the product page on nimestore.com is the reference, and Nimesclub members often get a reduced price. For a question about an appliance bought from us, contact the Temploux store or our expert sales adviser.
Frequently asked questions
My washing machine is less than 2 years old and has broken down: who should I contact?
The seller. In Belgium, the statutory 2-year guarantee is owed by the seller, and since June 2022 it is up to them to prove that the defect did not exist at delivery, for the whole period. Report the defect within 2 months of noticing it. If you bought from us, contact the store.
The door stays locked after the cycle, what should I do?
Wait 2 to 3 minutes: the safety lock releases once the temperature and water level allow it. If there is still water in the drum, run the drain or spin programme. As a last resort, drain the water through the pump filter, then use the emergency release if the manual provides for one.
Are error codes the same for all brands?
No. Each brand has its own system, and the meaning can change from one model to another. We give a few common examples, but the manual, the brand's website or its diagnostic app are the reference.
Is it worth repairing an 8-year-old appliance?
Often yes for a simple fault (pump, seal, door), especially as the European Union requires manufacturers to keep essential parts available for at least 10 years. If the repair costs more than roughly half the price of an equivalent new appliance, or if the appliance is very energy-hungry, replacement becomes the more sensible option.
Come and see the appliances in person
At our Temploux shop, we open the doors and compare drums and finishes. Or ask our expert sales adviser online, right now.
Read next
PracticalMaintaining your washing machine and dishwasher: the habits that make them lastA well-maintained washing machine or dishwasher cleans better, uses less energy, smells fresher and lasts longer. Good news: a few minutes a month is all it takes. Here are the habits, appliance by appliance, with a simple schedule to keep handy.6 min read
Buying guideChoosing your washing machine well in 2026: the complete guideA washing machine runs around two hundred times a year for a dozen years or so, so it's worth choosing it well. Here, criterion by criterion, is what really matters, what is just marketing, and the models we recommend in the shop according to your budget.8 min read
Buying guideChoosing your dishwasher well: freestanding, integrated, 45 or 60 cmThree in four Belgians have a dishwasher, and it lasts nearly twelve years on average. Before choosing one, you need to know where it will go, how many place settings you need and what noise level you can accept. The rest, drying and options, makes the difference in price.5 min read