Anti flood system has been triggered on esl 6251 dishwasher

The anti-flood system has been triggered means that water remains in base because leakage or overflow. In this case, in order to prevent flooding, drain pump running continuously.
Remedy: you should first remove the water from the bottom of the dishwasher and determine leakage.
If you work around the dishwasher, you always take care that appliance must be disconnected from the power supply.

Dado

Turn the water back on at the wall.

Check to see if water at the base of the washer has caused the "anti flood system" to trigger. The anti flood device is a polystireene float and micro switch that does trigger (and puts the washer in pump out mode) once water via leak or spill is detected. You can tilt the washer to 45 degrees and check if a small amount of water comes out of the bottom. As you indicate that the washer emptys after 5 sec I do think that the anti flood system is causing this.

Thanks to all.
What we couldn't work out is what is actual mechanism of anti-flood triggering, and how therefore to reset it - and why all these other fixes work - but then it occurred to us, that problem is when water gets into the base and can't get out.
Our problem was that water inlet at top of washer came loose so water ran down outside the drum but inside the dishwasher, into the base. We tried the tipping method but this just moved water around and I think there must be sensor there which, if it stays wet, leaves anti-flood triggered.
This makes sense because other high level overflows from drum discharge into base - so if it was to overflow, it goes into sealed base only, wets the sensor and triggers anti-flood.
Our solution was patience - tipped it fully on its side, pointed a hot air blower into it for hour or so, then left it overnight. Tipped it back next morning, water which had run into side panel ran out, so it was upright with its base dry - and (touch wood) it worked like a charm.

The anti flood system could have triggered (due to water on the base of the washer via leaky pipe) This device shuts off the water supply and puts the pump out motor on and nothing els happens until you clear the water on the washer floor and rectify the leak.
The anti flood device is a polystireene small plate with a micro switch on the bottom floor of the washer.

The problem was solved by opening the machine and finding that the bottom "Y" pipe that has 3 inputs is of extremely poor quality and perforates with pin holes allowing a small amount of water to squirt out. This triggers the anti flood and error status lights flash. The outlet pump is activated and machine does not do anything. You need to replace this hose or like I modified it to work from a 32mm Y plastic junction available from most hardware shops. The wire clamps for this was replaced by "jubilee" screw tight clamps.
I worked on a table and also removed the "Brick" placed at the bottom for balance purposes by cutting the back plastic down with a saw. This made the job very easy...

The bottom "Y" 3 point hose at the bottom connected to main motor is of poor quality and does have 3 wire clamps. The hose does perforate and small pin hole causes water at the bottom to trigger the anti flood system with warning lights flashing and pump motor on ...

Got this tip from another board. Unplug and disconnect machine. Take machine out and tip 45 degrees to empty water in base of unit. Put everything back together. Thats it. Worked for me.

Anti flood system triggered that puts the machiene in pump out mode. This machiene has a poor quality "Y" pipe at the bottom that is prone to pin holes in the pipe due to poor quality and extremely thin. The pin holes cause a small amount of water to activate the Anti flood micro switch on the polystireen float at the bottom of the washer.

PROGRAM WONT RESPOND MACHINE NOT STARTING