Zanussi dishwasher ZSF6161 dishes cup cutlery not clean after washing Cycle.Have cleaned all filters and holes in blade arms . Salt ok has worked fine Since new wondered could it be water pump .

Hello

Water Inlet Valve

A dishwasher's water inlet valve is its most common part to fail. When your dishes are not being fully cleaned, quite often a faulty water inlet valve is to blame. Test your dishwasher's water inlet valve, and if it is no longer functioning as it should, you will have to replace it.

Upper or Lower Spray Arm


Your dishwasher has a lower spray arm. It may also have an upper spray arm at the top of the dishwasher. These spray arms are designed to shoot high pressure, high temperature water at your dishes. It is possible that the holes of the spray arms, where the water comes out, are blocked with debris, affecting wash quality. You should inspect your dishwasher's spray arms regularly. Clean out the spray arms as need be.

Heating Element

Water temperature is a key element in achieving clean dishes. A dishwasher's heating element is not designed to heat the water that enters it. Rather, the heating element is designed to maintain the heat of the water that enters the dishwasher. Its a good idea to run the hot water in your sink for a couple of minutes before you run the dishwasher. Just to make sure the water is nice and hot before it enters the dishwasher. If the water is unable to stay hot, it can adversely affect your dishwasher's cleaning ability.


Filter/Drain Grate

There is a filter in your dishwasher. Its function is to keep large particles of food and foreign objects away from the pump. Many of the newly-manufactured dishwashers have self-cleaning filters, and routine cleaning isn't a concern. However, some other dishw ashers need to have the filter removed and cleaned regularly. If the filter or grate is clogged or blocked with debris, it may interfere with the normal functioning of your dishwasher. Consult your owner's manual for specific directions for removing your dishwasher's filter and cleaning it.

Detergent or Detergent Cup

It could just be that you aren't using enough soap to completely wash your dishes. Your dishwasher may be designed to dispense soap at two different times during the wash cycle. If you don't fill all of the detergent cups, then the diswasher will lose a cleaning cycle. Also, if you use a gel-type detergent, try switching to a powered kind. Powders tend to dissolve better in hot water. And don't buy in bulk. Detergents are most effective in the first two weeks. After that, they decrease in potency.

Alternatively, your dishwasher's detergent cup could be defective in some way. It is possible that it is gunked up full of built up detergent, and a thorough cleaning may be enough to get it working again. If that doesn't do the trick, you probably need to replace the entire detergent cup assembly. If your cup isn't even opening, please see our section My dishwasher detergent cup won't open.

Hi bjw.... clean the dishwasher by putting 2 cups of vinegar into an empty dishwasher and running the longest and hottest cycle.

Repeat this washing as needed but generally at least once a month. Joe

Thanks for choosing Fixya!

Hello there:
There are 6 areas that could cause this to happen Please follow these simple steps ok
Investigate each of these six areas if your dishwasher is not completely cleaning your dishes:

Water Inlet Valve

A dishwasher's water inlet valve is its most common part to fail. When your dishes are not being fully cleaned, quite often a faulty water inlet valve is to blame. Test your dishwasher's water inlet valve, and if it is no longer functioning as it should, you will have to replace it.

• How to test a dishwasher water inlet valve.
• How to replace a dishwasher water inlet valve.



• Find a dishwasher water inlet valve.

Upper or Lower Spray Arm

Your dishwasher has a lower spray arm. It may also have an upper spray arm at the top of the dishwasher. These spray arms are designed to shoot high pressure, high temperature water at your dishes. It is possible that the holes of the spray arms, where the water comes out, are blocked with debris, affecting wash quality. You should inspect your dishwasher's spray arms regularly. Clean out the spray arms as need be.

• How to check a dishwasher spray arm.
• How to remove and replace a dishwasher spray arm.



• Find a dishwasher spray arm.

Heating Element

Water temperature is a key element in achieving clean dishes. A dishwasher's heating element is not designed to heat the water that enters it. Rather, the heating element is designed to maintain the heat of the water that enters the dishwasher. Its a good idea to run the hot water in your sink for a couple of minutes before you run the dishwasher. Just to make sure the water is nice and hot before it enters the dishwasher. If the water is unable to stay hot, it can adversely affect your dishwasher's cleaning ability.

• How to test a dishwasher's heating element.
• How to replace a dishwasher's heating element.



• Find a heating element for your dishwasher.

Filter/Drain Grate

There is a filter in your dishwasher. Its function is to keep large particles of food and foreign objects away from the pump. Many of the newly-manufactured dishwashers have self-cleaning filters, and routine cleaning isn't a concern. However, some other dishw ashers need to have the filter removed and cleaned regularly. If the filter or grate is clogged or blocked with debris, it may interfere with the normal functioning of your dishwasher. Consult your owner's manual for specific directions for removing your dishwasher's filter and cleaning it.

• Find a filter for your dishwasher.

Detergent or Detergent Cup

It could just be that you aren't using enough soap to completely wash your dishes. Your dishwasher may be designed to dispense soap at two different times during the wash cycle. If you don't fill all of the detergent cups, then the diswasher will lose a cleaning cycle. Also, if you use a gel-type detergent, try switching to a powered kind. Powders tend to dissolve better in hot water. And don't buy in bulk. Detergents are most effective in the first two weeks. After that, they decrease in potency.
Alternatively, your dishwasher's detergent cup could be defective in some way. It is possible that it is gunked up full of built up detergent, and a thorough cleaning may be enough to get it working again. If that doesn't do the trick, you probably need to replace the entire detergent cup assembly. If your cup isn't even opening, please see our section My dishwasher detergent cup won't open.

• Find detergent dispenser parts for your dishwasher.

Cycle Selector Switch

Sometimes a dishwasher's cycle selector switch is the reason why dishes are not coming completely clean. Test your selector switch to determine whether or not it has become defective. If it has, replace it.

• How to test a dishwasher cycle selector switch.
• How to replace a dishwasher selector switch.

The most common cause of film left behind is a broken heating element.

The heating element is not only used during the dry cycle, but also to raise the water temp. during the main wash cycle to activate the dishwasher detergent. Fixing the heating element should "clear" this problem right up!

If your dishwasher is a few years old and just started leaving a film on your dishes there is a filter under the bottom adjitator that you have to replace it can't be cleaned jf

Not knowing the make and model of your dishwasher makes it hard to be specific. But, depending on its age, your problem may be debris blocking both the holes in the wash arms and the filter that is beneath the lower wash arm.

Inspect the wash arm holes and get them all cleaned out.

Remove the screws that hold what ever filter assembly that lives beneath the lower wash arm. Use a flashlight to inspect the entire sump area, looking for debris. Inspect the impeller down there, making sure it can spin freely and is not damaged

Reassemble and test. Run a short cycle empty and wait for the dishwasher to fill and begin to wash. Open the door and pour in up to 2 cups of white vinegar. When the DW drains, inspect the inside and see if you want to add more vinegar the next cycle _after_ the washer refills and begins to wash or rinse.

Run a load of dirty dishes and check for cleaning improvement. If you still have problems, the wash pump/motor assembly will need to be replaced.

Good Luck!

Water Inlet Valve

A dishwasher's water inlet valve is its most common part to fail. When your dishes are not being fully cleaned, quite often a faulty water inlet valve is to blame. Test your dishwasher's water inlet valve, and if it is no longer functioning as it should, you will have to replace it.

• test a dishwasher water inlet valve.
• replace a dishwasher water inlet valve.
  
  
• dishwasher water inlet valve.
• 
• Upper or Lower Spray Arm
  Your dishwasher has a lower spray arm. It may also have an upper spray arm at the top of the dishwasher. These spray arms are designed to shoot high pressure, high temperature water at your dishes. It is possible that the holes of the spray arms, where the water comes out, are blocked with debris, affecting wash quality. You should inspect your dishwasher's spray arms regularly. Clean out the spray arms as need be.
  
  • check a dishwasher spray arm.
  • remove and replace a dishwasher spray arm.
    
    dishwasher spray arm.
  • 

Heating Element

Water temperature is a key element in achieving clean dishes. A dishwasher's heating element is not designed to heat the water that enters it. Rather, the heating element is designed to maintain the heat of the water that enters the dishwasher. Its a good idea to run the hot water in your sink for a couple of minutes before you run the dishwasher. Just to make sure the water is nice and hot before it enters the dishwasher. If the water is unable to stay hot, it can adversely affect your dishwasher's cleaning ability.

• test a dishwasher's heating element.
• replace a dishwasher's heating element.
  
  
• Find a heating element for your dishwasher.

Filter/Drain Grate

There is a filter in your dishwasher. Its function is to keep large particles of food and foreign objects away from the pump. Many of the newly-manufactured dishwashers have self-cleaning filters, and routine cleaning isn't a concern. However, some other dishw ashers need to have the filter removed and cleaned regularly. If the filter or grate is clogged or blocked with debris, it may interfere with the normal functioning of your dishwasher. Consult your owner's manual for specific directions for removing your dishwasher's filter and cleaning it.

• filter
• 
• . Detergent or Detergent Cup
  
  It could just be that you aren't using enough soap to completely wash your dishes. Your dishwasher may be designed to dispense soap at two different times during the wash cycle. If you don't fill all of the detergent cups, then the diswasher will lose a cleaning cycle. Also, if you use a gel-type detergent, try switching to a powered kind. Powders tend to dissolve better in hot water. And don't buy in bulk. Detergents are most effective in the first two weeks. After that, they decrease in potency.
  Alternatively, your dishwasher's detergent cup could be defective in some way. It is possible that it is gunked up full of built up detergent, and a thorough cleaning may be enough to get it working again. If that doesn't do the trick, you probably need to replace the entire detergent cup assembly. If your cup isn't even opening, My dishwasher detergent cup won't open.
  
  
  

Cycle Selector Switch
Sometimes a dishwasher's cycle selector switch is the reason why dishes are not coming completely clean. Test your selector switch to determine whether or not it has become defective. If it has, replace it.

• test a dishwasher cycle selector switch.
• replace a dishwasher selector switch. if bad
  
  

Hi

If your dishwasher is cleaning poorly, check these:
Water-inlet valve Most cleaning problems are caused by the dishwasher not getting enough wash water, so the water-inlet valve is often to blame. This valve is usually at the bottom left or right of the dishwasher, behind the lower access panel. It's the device with the main water line from the house, a rubber tube to the dishwasher, and two wires attached to it.

When a water-inlet valve is defective, you may hear the sound that's usually referred to as "water hammer." If the water-inlet valve is defective, you need to completely replace it.

Internal filters Every dishwasher has some type of filter to keep large food particles and foreign objects away from the pump assembly:

• Most modern dishwashers have self-cleaning filters that don't need any routine cleaning.
  
  
• Some have filters in the bottom of the dishwasher that you need to periodically clean. You don't need any tools to remove the filter, and cleaning it is easy. Consult your owner's manual to determine which type you have and its maintenance requirements.
  
  

If your filter is clogged, it may be causing the cleaning problem.

Drain valve Some dishwashers have a valve (or gate) that should open only during draining. If debris lodges in the valve, it can't close properly, so water drains out during the wash cycle. Most dishwashers drain into the garbage disposer. If yours does that, listen for water flowing into the disposer during the wash cycle. If you can hear it then, the drain valve may be clogged.

Spray arms There's a spray arm at the bottom of your dishwasher--it may have a tall spray tube mounted to the center of it. There may also be a spray arm located directly beneath the upper rack of dishes and/or above the upper rack.

If debris is blocking the holes in the spray arms where the water comes out, it could cause cleaning problems. Regularly inspect each of the spray arms and clean out the holes as necessary.

Water temperature To get the best cleaning results, the water entering your dishwasher needs to be hot enough. Try running the hot water in your kitchen sink for about 30 seconds before starting the dishwasher, to pre-heat it. Also, if your dishwasher lets you select a higher wash or rinse temperature, try that to see if it helps.

To check the temperature of the hot water that comes from your kitchen faucet use a waterproof thermometer. If the water isn't 120 degrees Fahrenheit, your dishwasher may have trouble getting your dishes clean. You could increase the temperature of the hot water to the whole house--and therefore the dishwasher--by adjusting the hot water heater thermostat.

Warning! To lessen the risk of scalding, don't set the hot water heater temperature higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Detergent cup Dishwashers don't perform their best if detergent is introduced only at the beginning of a cycle, so add detergent to both parts of the cup.

If the detergent cup isn't opening, see the "The detergent cup doesn't open" section, below.


Please do rate this solution as "FixYa" and revert for further assistance.

Thanks
Rylee

Internal filtersEvery dishwasher has some type of filter to keep large food particles and foreign objects away from the pump assembly:

• Most modern dishwashers have self-cleaning filters that don't need any routine cleaning.



• Some have filters in the bottom of the dishwasher that you need to periodically clean. You don't need any tools to remove the filter, and cleaning it is easy. Consult your owner's manual to determine which type you have and its maintenance requirements.

If your filter is clogged, it may be causing the cleaning problem.


Drain valve
Some dishwashers have a valve (or gate) that should open only during draining. If debris lodges in the valve, it can't close properly, so water drains out during the wash cycle. Most dishwashers drain into the garbage disposer. If yours does that, listen for water flowing into the disposer during the wash cycle. If you can hear it then, the drain valve may be clogged.

Spray arms
There's a spray arm at the bottom of your dishwasher--it may have a tall spray tube mounted to the center of it. There may also be a spray arm located directly beneath the upper rack of dishes and/or above the upper rack.

If debris is blocking the holes in the spray arms where the water comes out, it could cause cleaning problems. Regularly inspect each of the spray arms and clean out the holes as necessary.

Detergent cups
Dishwashers don't perform their best if detergent is introduced only at the beginning of a cycle, so add detergent to both parts of the cup.

If the detergent cup isn't opening, see the "The detergent cup doesn't open" section, below.

Note: Dishwashers are usually wired directly to the home’s electrical system. To disconnect the power, switch off the circuit breaker or remove the fuse for the electrical circuit the dishwasher is attached to. Try to turn the unit on after disconnecting the power to be sure you were successful.

CAUTION: If you’re not sure you’ve shut off the power properly, DO NOT CONTINUE. Call a qualified appliance repair technician to complete the repair.

I called a Zanussi engineer.