What F12 Means
WHICH MACHINES THIS APPLIES TO: F12 belongs to the DW90 platform and to the current machines. On the older DW20 and DW70 boards the water intake fault is F4.
DW90 PLATFORM - shown as F:12 on the DW90.1 display. The service manual reads "Water inlet fault. Less than 80 pulses within 60 seconds or correct number of pulses not achieved within 255 seconds. Program stops." Asko counts the incoming water in pulses from a flow meter, so the control is judging speed and quantity, not just presence.
CURRENT DBI, DFI, DSD AND DW60-SERIES MACHINES - shown as F12. The user manual names it "Water inlet fault 1" and gives the owner a real instruction rather than a referral: check that the water supply valve is on, and it states the water pressure the machine needs as 4.2 to 140 psi. The Australian edition of the same manual adds two further owner checks - whether the inlet hose is connected through a pressure limiting valve, since some of those restrict the supply enough to starve a dishwasher, and whether the outer filter on the inlet hose is blocked.
WHAT IS COMMON TO BOTH: the machine asked for water and did not get enough of it fast enough, so it stopped rather than washing with a part-filled tub.
CLASSIFICATION: fault, but the documented first checks are outside the appliance and belong to the owner.
Common Causes of F12
- Supply valve to the dishwasher closed or partly closed
- Outer filter screen in the inlet hose coupling blocked
- Inlet hose kinked or crushed
- Mains pressure below the range the machine needs, or a pressure limiting valve restricting it
- Inlet valve not opening fully
- Flow meter miscounting, or damaged wiring to it
🔧 One Safe Check You Can Try
Close nothing and open nothing yet - start with the check Asko puts first, which is whether the supply valve to the dishwasher is actually on, and whether some other valve upstream has been closed during plumbing work. Then look along the inlet hose for a kink or a crush point behind the cabinet. If your machine's inlet hose has the outer filter screen in the coupling - the current DBI, DFI and DSD manuals name that filter as an owner check, the older DW90 manual does not - close the supply tap first, let the pressure off, put a towel underneath because the hose holds water, and only then unscrew the coupling to rinse the screen. Refit it, open the tap and check for drips before running a programme. If the machine is fed through a pressure limiting valve, that is worth mentioning when you call, because Asko names it as a cause in its own troubleshooting and it is easy to miss.
⚠ Why You Shouldn't Go Further Than That
- The inlet hose is under mains pressure at all times, so the supply tap is closed and the pressure released before any coupling is undone.
- The inlet valve and flow meter are behind the base panel and need the machine isolated from power and drawn out of the cabinet.
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.