Miele blinking intake drain light

Hi All,

Thx for all the tips. Combining your thoughts provided a solution for me.

I had the same problem (with a ***** of thanksgiving dishes to do). Turn on,
tries to drain, then that RED blinking "INTAKE/DRAIN" light, like you described.

Spent hours, checking/clearing the (grey) drain hose (The other white hose is the water input to the dishwasher). Also took out metal filter, impeller cover, poked a coat hanger in both ways to/from the drain hose connection. All seemed clear. But still the same.

But when I unhooked the grey drain hose from the air gap unit (that part going to the 4th hole in the sink surface), the dishwasher worked fine. So the air gap unit seemed plugged. The black hose from the garbage disposal to the air gap unit is free flowing (blew through it - yuch!). But the drain connection through the air gap unit was NOT as free flowing.

Replaced it with a new air gap unit ($5.00 at Home depot).
All works fine now. I feel I got lucky.

Well this worked for me. Sorry for all of you who spent big bucks with no solution on those service guys that tried but did not help. I hope this helps some of you.

John

yup, check that the aitgap is not plugged up before taking out the dishwasher!

I suggest that you first check inside the dishwasher and clean out the screen per the manual, and then check the airgap.

Make certain that the airgap is not plugged or obstructed at all. The airgap is the plastic thing that screws into the sink that the grey drain hose is connected to. I had an almond jammed into mine and it prevented the diswasher from draining properly. I took it out and cleaned it all out with a wire and then put everything back together. Problem solved after 10 minutes!!!

If you checked the intake water filter and drain filter and still have this problem -- Try this...

1 - You need to take the diswasher out.
2 - Turn it on its side so you can access the bottom panel.
3 - Unscrew the bottom panel
4 - Take off the electric circulation motor (big electric motor with a bunch of hoses going into it (it is the biggest motor -- not the small motor at the front of the machine (this thing actually screws in place from the back of the machine). To take the motor off - just unscrew the bolt from the back of the machine and wiggle the thing out from the seal.
5 - Unscrew the 4 screws (need a one of those special star screw drivers) that hold the motor to the pump mechanism
6 - Turn the wheel to unseize the motor -(it takes very little pressure to do this) and reinstall it -- it will very likely work again (if it does not - you need to replace this motor)

There is apprently an easier way to do this from inside the machine - but meile technicians have a special tool to go in and turn the motor blade to unseize this. It takes very little pressure and I think it would be a crime to pay someone else to do this -- it is so simple....

So, in summary, first check to make sure there are no blockages in the filters - then try this...

good luck!