You expect your Bosch dishwasher to change its wash cycle once you command it to do so, right? Well, sometimes a Bosch dishwasher can’t change cycle, and you’ve to find out why, lest you won’t get the desired results when washing the dishes.
A Bosch dishwasher won’t change cycle due to a previous interruption, locked control panel, wrong setting, water outage, an unlatched door, stuck key, incorrect water temperature, poor drainage, or a defective float switch.
So, determine which of the nine issues relate to your Bosch unit and try troubleshooting it. The reason for trying to troubleshoot it yourself is because the fixes are not that complicated. You most likely don’t need expert input, and I’ll show you how to do it.
This Bosch dishwasher troubleshooting guide will walk you through the nine issues, indicating the applicable fixes. Ultimately, that should save you money if you fix the dishwasher yourself.
Let’s jump in!
In a hurry? Below is a quick guide to troubleshooting a Bosch dishwasher that stays in the same cycle:
Bosch Dishwasher Can’t Change Cycle – Quick Troubleshooting Guide
| – | Likely Cause | Quick Fix |
| 1. | Interrupted Cycle | Rest the dishwasher |
| 2. | Locked Panel | Turn off the Child Lock |
| 3. | Wrong Setting | Double-check the setting to ensure you select the correct one. |
| 4. | Water Outage | Check the water supply. Ensure the dishwasher has water. |
| 5. | Unlatched Door | Firmly latch the dishwasher door. Replace a faulty door latch, switch, hinge, or spring. |
| 6. | Stuck Key | Try to release the stuck key, but if that doesn’t work, replace the control panel. |
| 7. | Incorrect Water Temperature | Adjust the dishwasher water temperature to 120-1400F |
| 8. | Poor Drainage | Unblock the drain hose. |
| 9. | Defective Float Switch | Replace the float switch if it fails the multimeter electrical continuity check. |
Why Can’t I Change the Cycle On My Bosch Dishwasher?
You cannot change the cycle on your Bosch dishwasher for several reasons. Here are the most common:
1. Interrupted Wash Cycle
Bosch dishwashers are pretty sensitive. They come to an automatic pause when someone intentionally or unintentionally opens the door, and even though you may still close the door, the cycle will stay on pause mode until you restart it.
So, consider that you might have interrupted the cycle without knowing or when adding the dishes. And if so, then that’s the reason you cannot change the cycle.
Fix
In case of an interrupted wash cycle, you should reset your Bosch dishwasher.
But you may ask:
How do I reset the cycle on my Bosch dishwasher?
Well, here are some ways you can do it:
Option 1 – Using the Reset Button
If your Bosch dishwasher has the reset button on the control panel, press it. But before you do, ensure you firmly latch the dishwasher door.
Option 2 – Using the Start Button
Some Bosch dishwashers don’t have a visible control panel. You’ve to open the dishwasher door to access it. If that’s the case, you should follow these steps:
- Open the door, and once you access the control panel, first press Start
- Quickly close the door
- Then, allow the washer to run briefly before pressing ‘Reset’ to begin a new cycle.
Remember, you most likely won’t find the reset button if it’s an older dishwasher. Instead, you’ll discover Cancel or Drain. You can press them instead.
Option 3 – Using the Start-Reset Button
If your Bosch dishwasher has the start-reset button, you can use it to reset it as follows:
- Open the dishwasher door
- Press start-reset for about 5 seconds or until the LED goes off
- Shut the door and wait for about 5-10 minutes before starting the dishwasher
Option 4 – Manual Reset
You can also manually reset the dishwasher, which we call a hard reset. That requires you to:
- Unplug the dishwasher for 5-7 minutes
- Alternatively, turn off the circuit breaker for the same period (5-7 minutes)
2. Locked Control Panel
Is the Child Lock setting on? If so, then that’s the reason you can’t change a cycle on your Bosch dishwasher.
Generally, Child Lock locks the control panel, meaning you cannot operate it (the control panel) until you turn it off. This safety feature is intended to keep kids away from running the dishwasher.
Fix
Turn off Child Lock if it’s on. You can press it for a few seconds (about 3). If that doesn’t work, check your manual on how you can turn it off and do it.
3. Wrong Wash Setting
If you enter the wrong key combinations on the control panel, your Bosch dishwasher may fail to respond. For example, the washer won’t start running (immediately) if you press Delay Start. It does it at a later (preset) time.
Fix
Double-check your Bosch dishwasher setting to ensure you have the correct setting.
4. Water Outage
Your Bosch dishwasher won’t change a cycle if it lacks water. So, you’ve to ensure the unit has water. If it doesn’t, check for any of these issues:
- Water interruption
- Drainage issue
- Kinked inlet hose
- Water leakage
- Clogged water inlet valve
Fix
Ensure it’s not an interruption. If it is, then you’ve to wait. Fix any drainage issue, including cleaning the drain hose, and unkink the inlet hose if it’s kinked. Also, clean a clogged inlet valve and fix any leakage, or call a plumber if you can’t do it.
5. Unlatched Door
You can expect your Bosch dishwasher to have a problem running if it detects an open door. That could be due to damage to any of these parts:
- Door latch
- Door switch
- Hinge
- Door spring
Fix
Check for a damaged latch, door switch, hinge, or door spring, and replace it if that’s the case.
6. Stuck Control Panel Button
Is there a stuck key on the control panel? If there is, it could stop the dishwasher from changing a cycle. Overall, it could be that you forcefully pressed the button, and that’s why it’s stuck.
Fix
Try to gently tap the stuck key on the side to release it. If that doesn’t work or the key is damaged, replace the dishwasher’s control panel.
7. Incorrect Water Temperature
Usually, the Bosch dishwasher requires a water temperature of about 120-1400F to run normally. If that’s not the case, the dishwasher may be non-responsive when you try to change a cycle.
Fix
Adjust the dishwasher’s water temperature to about 120-1400F if that’s not the case.
8. Bad Drainage
Your Bosch dishwasher must drain if you want to operate it without hiccups. So, check the drain hose for clogging, as it could be why your Bosch dishwasher won’t drain and, in the long run, stop you from changing the dishwasher’s cycle.
Fix
Clean the drain hose, possibly with a drain snake, to remove possible blockage.
9. Float Switch Malfunction
Lastly, your Bosch dishwasher might not change cycles because the float switch is malfunctioning. The small button measures the water the dishwasher receives; once it fails, it remains stuck in its current cycle.
Fix
Check with a multimeter if the float switch has continuity and replace it if it doesn’t.
Bosch Dishwasher Stuck in Wash Cycle
Ideally, the Bosch dishwasher should stay in the wash cycle for the selected time, typically 30-60 minutes. However, if the dishwasher won’t go past the wash cycle, something must be wrong, and it could be any of these issues:
- Paused process (due to opening the door mid-cycle and failing to restart the dishwasher)
- Unlatched door (perhaps due to a damaged door latch, hinge, door switch, or door spring)
- Lack of water
- Active Child Lock
- Wrong cycle selection
- Unheated water
- Stuck key
- Clocked drain
People Also Ask
1. How Do You Cancel a Bosch Dishwasher Cycle?
It’s generally easy to cancel a Bosch dishwasher cycle. Here are the steps to follow:
- Open the dishwasher door
- Hold Start/Reset for a few seconds
- Close the door and wait for the dishwasher to beep
- Open the door once more and press on/off to cancel the existing cycle
2. How Long Is a Bosch Dishwasher Normal Cycle?
A regular wash cycle on a Bosch dishwasher takes about 60 minutes. It can, however, take a little longer if the dishes are too dirty or if you use the Extra Dry setting, which extends the time by about 25 minutes.
3. Why Is My Bosch Dishwasher Cycle So Long?
Though you expect your Bosch dishwasher to take 30-60 minutes or slightly more, the cycle sometimes takes longer. That may happen due to any of these reasons:
- Wrong cycle – Some cycles take much longer than others
- Poor drainage – If the drain hose or filter is clogged, the dishwasher will struggle to drain, forcing it into a long wash cycle.
- Extra dirty dishes – Normally, the messier the dishes, the longer the wash cycle. Therefore, it’s advisable to rinse off extra-dirty dishes before running a wash cycle.
- Mineral deposits – If there’s mineral deposition on the spray arms, filter, or heating element, it’ll lengthen the dishwasher’s wash cycle until you descale it.
- Wrong water temperature – The dishwasher water temperature should be 120-1400F. The cycle may take longer than usual if it’s under this range.
- Defective heating element – You cannot expect the dishwasher to attain the correct water temperature if the heating element is faulty. Once that happens, the dishwasher will take much longer.
- Defective timer – A faulty timer will relay the wrong signal, which may affect the length of the wash cycle
4. Why Is My Bosch Dishwasher Not Starting?
Your Bosch dishwasher might not be starting because it lacks power. However, if that’s not the case, it could be due to an enabled Child Lock, an unfastened door, a water outage, or wrong cycle selection. So, go through all these checks and fix what’s amiss to get your dishwasher back working.
Concluding Thought:
Above are the nine reasons why your Bosch dishwasher can’t change cycle. As shared, it could result from an interrupted process, locked control panel, wrong setting, water outage, or unlatched door. And if that’s not it, it could be a stuck key, wrong water temperature, failed drainage, or a float switch malfunction.
So, go through all these issues and attempt their troubleshooting, just as I have shared. You should call a dishwasher expert or the manufacturer only after you are unsuccessful with the DIY troubleshooting.