What F5 Means
WHICH MACHINES THIS APPLIES TO: F5 as a single character is a DW20 and DW70 platform code. On the DW90 and current platforms the same fault is numbered F40.
DW20 AND DW70 PLATFORM - WHAT F5 MEANS: the service manual reads "Valve leakage. Greater than 80 pulses detected when the inlet valve is deactivated. Certain models attempt to remedy the leak first. Any programme in progress is interrupted (drain pump activated)." In plain terms: the control switched the inlet valve off, then watched the flow sensor and saw water still moving through it. The valve is not closing.
WHAT THE MACHINE DOES NEXT: on some models it tries to help itself, opening the valve briefly and closing it again in the hope of clearing whatever is holding it open. If water is still passing after that, it stops whatever programme is running and starts the drain pump. That is the machine defending itself against a slow fill it cannot switch off.
CLASSIFICATION: fault, and the most water-sensitive one on this platform. A valve that will not close is connected to the mains supply whether the dishwasher is running or not, and whether it is switched on or not. Asko's own consumer wording on the text-display models says so without hedging: "Inlet Valve Leakage - Valve leakage. Shut off the water supply and contact a service technician."
Common Causes of F5
- Grit or scale trapped on the inlet valve seat so it cannot seal
- Inlet valve diaphragm perished or the solenoid sticking
- Flow sensor reporting pulses that are not really happening
- Wiring or control fault leaving the valve energised
🔧 One Safe Check You Can Try
Shut off the dishwasher's water supply tap. Do that first, before looking at anything, and leave it closed until the machine has been repaired - this is Asko's own instruction for this fault and not a precaution invented here. The valve has stopped responding to the control, so the tap is now the only thing standing between the mains and the inside of the machine, and the fault does not pause when the dishwasher is switched off. Once the tap is closed, the useful thing to do is look: check the cabinet floor around and in front of the machine and the underside of the worktop for damp, and note whether the tub had standing water in it when you opened the door. Then stop. There is no owner-level adjustment to an inlet valve, and Asko's instruction ends at shutting off the water and calling for service.
⚠ Why You Shouldn't Go Further Than That
- The supply is live at the valve at all times, so the tap has to be closed before anything is touched, and the machine isolated from power before anything is opened.
- The inlet valve is mounted at the back of the base, reachable only by drawing the built-in machine out of its cabinet, which strains the very connection that is already leaking.
- If water has already reached the base tray it is sitting alongside the pump motors and mains wiring, and moving the machine spreads it.
Opening a panel to inspect or repair something yourself doesn't automatically cancel your manufacturer's warranty — but it can risk accidental damage, and some manufacturers do have specific service conditions. Check your product's warranty terms, or ask us, before deciding.