How to fix Your Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA Issues [Detailed troubleshooting Guide]

In this Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA troubleshooting guide, I will guide you on how to easily fix most issues your Bosch dishwasher might run into.

So, read on to know how you can solve your Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA problems.

How to fix Your Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA Issues [Detailed troubleshooting Guide]

Since each problem has its own set of solutions, we shall look at the problems (and potential solutions) individually…

Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA not turning on / Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA won’t turn on

From what I have seen, Bosch dishwashers mostly fail to turn on due to a problem with the electrical connection.

And, I have found that doing the following quickly fixes the problem:

• Confirming that the power cord is properly connected to the power outlet. And, while still on the cord, carefully inspect it. If you note that it is damaged, be sure to get a similar replacement cord (shop Bosch dishwasher power cords on Amazon).
• Checking and confirming that the circuit breaker hasn’t tripped. If it has, you will want to reset it.
• Testing the voltage from the power outlet. In general, you will want the outlet to be supplying around 120v AC for your Silence Plus Bosch dishwasher to turn on.

Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA not starting / Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA won’t start / Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA will not start

From what I’ve seen (while servicing Bosch dishwashers), most of them fail to start if the door isn’t fully closed. And, when this is the case, you might note that your display is also flashing.

To fix this, start by removing any obstructions that might be preventing the door from closing fully.

And, if the problem persists, refer to the section below (Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA won’t close) for more solutions.  

Other than that, confirm that you have not activated the control/child lock.

If you have activated it, deactivate it by locating the button that has a padlock/key icon inscribed below it. Next, press this button for three to five seconds to deactivate the control lock.

Other than that, below are some other likely suspects and how you can quickly fix them:

• The voltage might be low – in this case, the appliance will display the error code E:27. And, to fix this, simply change the power outlet connection (or have an electrician fix the current one).
• The washer might not be getting any water – to fix this, refer to the section below on Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA no water.
• It is also likely that there might be a break in the machine’s wiring. As such, also check the wiring for any potential breaks. Note that you can quickly fix any broken wire connection by patching it using electric tape.
• The heating element might be bad. As a result, your Bosch dishwasher will be stuck in an endless loop as it waits for the water to get hot enough to run the cycle.

Quick tip: If the heating element is bad, your unit will display an E:12 error code.

To fix this, start by cleaning the element with a dishwasher cleaning agent (or descaler) to remove any calcium deposits that might be on the element.

If this does not fix it, it means that the element has gone and you should replace it. But, if you want to be sure, you can measure the resistance between its terminals. If the element is healthy, the terminals should have a resistance of around 11 Ω.

• The control board could be bad – check it for burn marks and replace it if burn marks are present.

Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA won’t close / Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA door won’t latch

From what I have seen, this is usually the case if utensils are protruding over the basket. And, this is what is preventing the door from closing.

Now, to solve this, rearrange the protruding dishes. And, this includes making sure that the racks are going all the way into the unit.

Something else I have seen to work is closing the door with slightly more increased force.

Quick tip: If the dishwasher is brand new, chances are that you have not properly installed the unit.

Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA no water

If your dishwasher is not getting any water, then it will not work as it should.

Now, to troubleshoot this problem, start by confirming that the water faucet is fully open.

Next, confirm that there are no kinks along the water inlet hose. If you can see any kinks back there, be sure to straighten them out and see if this fixes your dishwasher.

If the hose is all good, there is a chance that the hose filter is calcified. But to be sure, remove the filter and clean it using a soft brush and warm water and see if this does the trick.

Finally, if all the above check out, it is likely that the inlet valve is bad. If you want to be sure, you can test it for continuity (no continuity means it’s bad).

For this, I recommend ordering an OEM Bosch water inlet valve.

How to fix Your Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA Issues [Detailed troubleshooting Guide] – additional solutions

Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA not draining / Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA won’t drain

Another problem you might encounter with your 44 DBA Silence Plus Bosch dishwasher is the appliance not draining.

And, below is how you can fix it…

Quick tip: Remember, you might want to manually remove the trapped water before trying to fix the unit.

Confirm that you have properly connected the drain hose

For starters, confirm that there is at least one position (along the hose) that is at least 20” from the ground as shown:

On the other hand, if you are using an air gap, confirm that it’s in the right position as shown:

Something else: Remove any clogs that might be inside the air gap.

Other than that, I have come across people extending their dishwasher’s drain hose.

While this might be good, you do not want to overextend it. This is because it might result in poor or no drainage occurring.

Bosch recommends the maximum length of the drain hose (including the hose leading to the air gap) be 150 inches.

Clean the sump filter

For the most part, if some debris have been trapped inside the filter, your Bosch dishwasher will display the error code E:22.

Bearing that in mind, be sure to remove and clean the filter.

And by the way, Bosch recommends that you clean this filter after each wash cycle.

Quick tip: When removing the debris, be careful as there might be some sharp debris such as aluminum can tabs.

The waste water hose might be blocked – so, clean it

And, this will result in your Bosch dishwasher displaying the error code E:24.

With that in mind, start by straightening out any kinks that might be along the drain hose.

Other than that, carefully check for signs of clogs along the drain hose.

If you can spot any clogs, be sure to remove them.

Inspect the waste water pump (Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA e25 error)

Here, start by turning off the dishwasher.

Next, remove the drain motor cover (in the sump) and clean the impeller – some food particles might have been trapped there.

And by the way, in some Silence Plus models, you might have to remove the motor when cleaning the impeller.

Also, I have found that clogs are not always to blame. You see, it could also be that the drain pump motor is bad.

Now, to test the drain motor, remove it from your washer and measure the resistance between its terminals.

If the motor is healthy, you should get a resistance reading of approximately 16.5 Ω.

Again, if the motor is bad, be sure to replace the drain pump assembly – shop for Bosch Silence Plus drain pumps.

Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA not cleaning well

When your Bosch dishwasher is not cleaning well, it might leave you red-faced especially if you have a special guest.

Now, from what I have seen, this might be due to several reasons. And, each of these reasons has its own fix(es).

With that in mind, to solve this problem, do the following…

Confirm that you are using the right detergent

When it comes to washing dishes, be sure to use a detergent that is meant for that purpose.

Nonetheless, it does not matter whether it is liquid or powdered detergent as long as it is a dishwasher detergent.

An excellent detergent choice is Cascade detergent – shop it on Amazon.

Clean the spray arms (and make sure they are not being obstructed)

Other times, I have seen clogged spray arms resulting in Bosch dishwashers not cleaning well.

This is because clogs prevent the arms from rotating fully. And in turn, this will leave some dishes partially clean or just dirty.

Now, to clean the spray arms, simply use a toothpick to dislodge any food particles that might be trapped in the nozzles.

Other than that, it could also be that the arms are getting obstructed by the utensils. This makes it hard for the arms to evenly spray water around the dishes.

So, be sure that when arranging your dishes, you are doing so in a manner that does not obstruct the spray arms.

Inspect the filter

Generally, you want to confirm that you have properly inserted and engaged the filter.

Otherwise, it might result in some food particles finding their way back to the dishes.

The best way you can fix this is by first twisting and removing the filter (and removing any debris that might be in the sump).

Next, insert the filter and make sure to twist it till it locks securely into the sump.

The circulation motor impeller might be bad – inspect it

And, this might be resulting in a poor rinse cycle.

To solve this problem, start by removing any clogs that might be in the impeller.

Something else: If you note that the impeller is faulty, you will need to replace the entire impeller assembly.

Otherwise, the impeller will not seal adequately and the problem will persist.

The dishwasher might be having a poor drainage

Other times, I have come across dishwashers whose drain hose does not have an adequate loop or whose air gap is clogged.

In turn, this results in dirty water (from prior washes) flowing back into the circulation pump during the rinse cycle.

In such a case, the best way to fix the dishwasher is to ensure proper drainage system installation.

For a better guide on how to do this, refer to the above section: Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA not draining.

How to fix Your Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA Issues [Detailed troubleshooting Guide] – other fixes to try

Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA not drying / Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA won’t dry

A typical complaint that I frequently get from a good portion of my Bosch dishwasher clients is that it is not drying the dishes fully.

And, in such cases, I normally do the following to quickly fix the dishwasher…

Check and confirm the rinse aid level

Here’s the thing, your dishes are likely not to dry if you are not using a rinse aid.

So, if your rinse aid has run out, be sure to refill it.

Something else I have found to occur is the rinse aid dispenser being clogged. So, be sure to check yours (and remove any clogs that might be trapped in there).

Finally, I have come across clients who like to use an eco-friendly rinse aid.

Now, I am not against them or anything but, these rinse aids are known to have a limited drying performance.

So, if you are using an eco-friendly rinse aid, try switching to another rinse aid.

From my experience, I have found Jet Dry Rinse Aids to do a good job – order one on Amazon.

 

Additionally, you might also try the below tips and tricks to increase the drying effectiveness of your dishwasher…

Hacks to boost the drying effectiveness of your Bosch dishwasher

• Be sure that you are selecting a program that has a drying cycle.
• To avoid water from collecting along the depressions of your dishes, be sure to arrange the dishes in a sloping manner as shown:

• For optimal drying, confirm that the rinse aid is set to r05.
• Try activating the extra dryness setting.
• There’s a chance that you are removing your dishes before the drying process is complete. Generally, Bosch recommends that you let them sit for an extra 30 minutes (after the cycle completes) before removing them.
• Try using the sanitize setting when running your dishwasher. And, if your model has the crystal dry option, select sanitize and crystal dry.

Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA won’t change cycle

Here, start by checking the float switch – there could be some food particles stuck in there.

And, this would result in the dishwasher “thinking” that there is still some water in there.

The best route you can take to solve this is by vacuuming around the filter to remove any stuck particles.  

Another thing, there is a chance that child lock has been activated hence why you are unable to change the cycle.

To fix this, you will need to deactivate child lock by following these steps:

1. On the control panel, locate a button that has a padlock (or key) symbol below it.
2. Hold down this button for three to five seconds. Upon successful deactivation of child lock, your machine will beep.

Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA blinking red light

If you are not in diagnostic mode, the display might flash to indicate that you’ve not properly closed the door.

And, to solve this, start by confirming that the door is closing fully – follow the steps above (Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA won’t close).

Also, I have seen a few models flashing repeatedly when the Pause button is pressed.

So, if you had paused the cycle, press the Start button to resume the program.

How to fix Your Bosch Silence Plus 44 DBA Issues [Detailed troubleshooting Guide] – final words

If your 44 DBA Silence Plus Bosch appliance is still under warranty, it is best to have a Bosch technician come and have a look at it.

This is because you might end up saving on part replacement and labor costs.

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