Post a Comment On: Ken Shirriff's blog

Thank you SO much for this post. You just saved me HOURS of waiting for the repair person and probably $150-200.

July 20, 2010 at 11:20 PM

Thank you SO much for this post. You just saved me HOURS of waiting for the repair person and probably $150-200.

July 20, 2010 at 11:20 PM

Thank you. Drain was plugged.

July 29, 2010 at 10:00 AM

Thank you for the information. Was about to go crazy trying to figure out why the dishwasher wouldn't complete a cycle.
Very helpful!!

August 3, 2010 at 7:40 AM

Thanks Ken! Whatever did we do before the Internet? My practically brand-new Viking dishwasher (maybe a year old) just stopped working with some odd lights blinking. I googled "viking dishwasher blink" and this blog post was the first thing that popped up. Blocked drain. The fine filter was "slimed up" (that's a technical term) with some kind of unidentified goop. 5 minutes of hand cleaning the filter with a sponge and I was back in business.

June 4, 2011 at 2:19 PM

thanks bud, we thought our viking was broken and bought a new dishwasher for $1300 and happened to come across your site before taking delivery. managed to cancel the order for the dishwasher in time and now our viking is working perfectly.

November 22, 2011 at 7:05 AM

Thank you! Ours is flashing too! However, I cannot get the horizontal filter unscrewed!? Help! Is there a trick to this I don't get??

February 2, 2012 at 1:22 PM

Anonymous: I don't think there was a trick to removing the filter and the dishwasher is 200 miles away so I can't check. The steps I wrote down before are: Remove and clean the coarse strainer. Unscrew and clean the fine strainer. Lift out and clean the fine filter. Beyond that, you're on your own, unless anyone else can provide tips.

February 2, 2012 at 8:05 PM

Thank you so much for posting this. Sometimes it feels like Viking makes it very hard to find such valuable information for their customers.

February 3, 2012 at 9:29 AM

What about when both the "Pots and Pans" and "Normal" cycle lights are flashing?

May 10, 2012 at 4:50 AM

I have the same lights flashing,Pots and Pans,and Normal cycle.I cleaned both filters,sill the same. Any answers?

July 5, 2012 at 6:52 AM

I cleaned both filters I hate this dishwasher and on top of that it never drys dishes at all

July 21, 2012 at 5:06 PM

Thank you so much for your post. the inner screen was totally white and obviously inpenetrable.

Thank you again

September 26, 2012 at 7:19 PM

My "light China" light flashes....Which is the water inlet. Valves are open, warm water in the bottom of the dishwasher but I can hear it start filing then stop. Any Ideas??

January 10, 2013 at 2:12 PM

My light china blinks all the time as well. I can her it filling with water, then it would drain after washing for about 15 minutes, then it would just stop and e dishes aren't even finished washing.. and also, the water doesnt seem as hot either when I open the door. After it stops after the first round I open it nd the light china along with faint lights of the other settings are blinking.

August 24, 2013 at 2:48 AM

Anyone with ideas please help... I realize there aren't any blogs since January... @jason.. Did you ever find any solution?

August 24, 2013 at 2:54 AM

Hi Christopher! Unfortunately I don't know anything beyond "light china" indicates "water inlet". Do you have good hot water pressure?

August 24, 2013 at 4:04 PM

I've got both the "Pots and Pans" and "Normal" cycle lights are flashing as well. I pulled out filters and cleaned everything. Now I can't get lights to stop flashing. No way is line kinked. I can't believe I bought a Viking dishwasher. Never again. I'm still working and will post if I find some success.

November 11, 2013 at 8:07 PM

Can anyone help me? I have the Viking DFB450. During the last 2 cycles, it started making a loud noise at about 20 minutes into the cycle. Today I ran a cycle with no dishes inside. At 20 minutes, the loud noise started. So the problem isn't related to how dishes are loaded...and I heave no idea what is causing the problem and how to make it stop.

December 5, 2013 at 9:19 AM

I hate my Viking dishwasher (301 Series). In the 18 months we have had it, we have had maybe 8 service calls. It hasn't worked for the past month, we've had 4 service visits in 3 weeks, and the last time after the fourth part replacement, it FLOODED our kitchen floor. Viking customer service is terrible - we obviously have a lemon, but their motto seems to be, even if a product is brand new and breaks down all the time, we would rather try to repair over and over and over rather than give this customer a new, working dishwasher. Terrible company.

July 28, 2014 at 6:50 AM

I was getting the failed pressure sensor code. Repair man could not get to me for 2 weeks- it was 2 days before thanksgiving at my house- oh no! I poured anout 16 oz of water in bottom of dishwasher. turned off then started it again... It worked. Will do this to get me by till he comes to replace the part.

November 29, 2014 at 11:54 AM

We cleaned both filters, as suggested, but still clogged, apparently. Is it safe to use Drano or the like in the dishwasher?

December 1, 2014 at 4:50 AM

After cleaning both filters, if still clogged, you can use a flat head screwdriver to remove the next piece, which will get you further down into the pipe. We had a lemon seed stuck there. Paid a service company $90 to remove it but he showed us how to do it if it happened in the future.

December 2, 2014 at 6:31 AM

Ken - Followed your instructions and found a toothpick lying on the bottom of the filter housing that would not allow the valve to cycle properly. BTW, we have had our Viking Professional 301 dishwasher for close to a decade and this is the FIRST issue we have ever had with it. Thanks, Leiv.

December 24, 2014 at 9:14 AM

Michael: I have cleaned all the filters,and cant get the lights to stop blinking. how do I get it back to normal?

December 29, 2014 at 5:43 PM

Hi Ken, do you happen to know what it means when the Viking on/off light is blinking? The one on the far right of the panel....
My dishwasher won't drain the water and I've cleaned all the filters. It also auto shuts off after about 30 seconds into the cycle. I imagine this is because something is blocking the drain but theres so much murky water, I can't see down into the trap...
Thank you!

February 10, 2015 at 8:17 AM

Hi Ken, your blog is very helpful. I have a 10 year old DFUD042 and the soap dispenser has stopped working. I don't mind adding the soap manually but need to know how long after it starts to wait before opening the door and tossing the soap in. In other words, how long does the pre-wash rinse cycle last? Thanks, tom

February 22, 2015 at 10:06 PM

Try unplugging the unit for 30 minutes.
This will deplete any memory of a problem code.

November 15, 2015 at 1:46 PM

WOW, Thank you Ken. My diswasher is from 2008 and we were told that the boards had to be replaced, we had a clogged drain. Thanks to you helpful instructions i was able to fix it myself. Canceling that apt for tomorrow.

Thanks so much

January 6, 2016 at 9:07 PM

Thanks. We had the lights blinking and there was continuous noise from the air dryer, I guess. We cleaned the filter. It started working.
A quick QUESTION - The dishes are not cleaning well in the top tray. SHOULD WE CLEAN THE SPRAYER? IF YES, HOW TO DO IT?

April 9, 2016 at 7:13 PM

Hey Ken, my machine is from 2005, DFUD141 and has been perfect, until now. 1st 2 lights are blinking "pots & pans, heavy". Into the cleaning cycle it shuts down. I have cleaned all filters and with fingers cleaned in the pump inlet as best I can. Can I remove something else down there, to see if something is blocking further in? Drain hoses are fine.

April 15, 2016 at 8:22 AM

OMG! Thank you so much for posts re: error messages. My husband did exactly what you said and now it is working again! So happy!

July 19, 2016 at 3:32 PM

Very helpful! Thank you!

In my case I had installed a new waste disposal and forgotten to punch out the inlet piece blocking water flow from the dishwasher.

Thanks for saving me a call to a repair service and a few days of doing dishes while I waited for them to show up!

August 24, 2016 at 2:16 PM

I've had my viking dishwasher for 6 yrs. all lights were flashing. cleaned the filer and drain casket and got repair men...they said I had a broken pump...$175.00 to tell me that. Pump quote was $325., labor $450. tax $68....total $843 and change, minus the $175 I initially paid them. ALSO old me there was a recall on my diswasher because the electrical wires can cause fires. OMG. I had to order the recall kit mysellf..And btw, doesnt dry the dishes well. Have to open the door right after washing to let it dry. HATE THIS dishwasher. I'm going to buy another rand and skip the $668 charge on this one.

September 14, 2016 at 2:21 PM

You just saved me a ton of money. I have the 301 Model which flooded my kitchen this morning and was blinking "Pots and Pans" and "Normal". I cleaned both filters thanks to this blog (never knew there a second one duh)and tried resetting. It still would not work. So I threw the circuit breaker for a few hours and now it is fine! Thank you so much!!!!

December 7, 2016 at 11:47 AM

Ive cleaned the screens and they were fine. There is about 3 inches of water sitting in the pipe under these screens. Is that my ? I dont see anything to unscrew. When I start the machine it gives 3 beeps then nothing.

October 22, 2017 at 11:27 AM

I cleaned the drains and found some standing water at bottom. Im not sure if this is the problem but when I attempt to start the dishwasher the start button beeps 3 times and nothing else happens

October 22, 2017 at 11:28 AM

I have a Viking 450 series. Pots/Pans and Light China are blinking together. I cleaned everything inside the cleared the drainage line. After I reset it (holding Start button down for 4 secs) and select Normal Wash (or any wash cycle), it sounds like it might start up, but after a couple of minutes, the two lights start blinking again. Does anyone have any ideas?

October 22, 2017 at 10:19 PM

My Viking Dishwasher has 1:ft on the panel which should say the time it takes to wash the dishes also the on button is jammed, any advice? Super annoying as we have just paid $680 to have our VIKING oven fixed I am beginning to think Viking appliances suck!!

February 12, 2018 at 3:17 PM

I have the DFUD041 as pictured. the machine gives the water inlet error. one I reset it id drains any water in the machine, then fills it with water, then gives the error again. any suggestions?

April 2, 2018 at 7:25 PM

I have a viking 450 model I've got two lights flashing it's the pots and pan light and the rinse hold light I don't see a reference to that that combination anywhere that I've looked can you give me a hint what that means

May 31, 2018 at 12:52 PM

Couldn't find anything wrong. Checked all the filters. Over and over, still E1 - drains, part fills and stops, beeping.
In the end I fooled it by letting it drain, then fill for half the normal time and opened the door. Left it for a few minutes and closed the door -
Now works like a dream !

November 22, 2018 at 4:33 AM

Our Viking dishwasher is not working AGAIN! I just want to add to this blog that I am sorry for anyone who owns a Viking anything. I wouldn't put Viking products in my dog's house!

To Lisa Gibson you are so right they all suck!!! We remodeled our kitchen February 2012 and did 3 Viking ovens, along with stove top, dishwasher and our Fridge literally just got thrown away after 3 years!!!! I would shout from the roof tops DO NOT BUY A VIKING SERVING SPOON!!!!

This one is not even getting looked at. Removing it finally after fighting with it literally since we got it.

Good luck everyone!

December 16, 2018 at 1:44 PM

mine is blinking 3 times om normal then 3 times on pots. I here humming and off, then humming then off. There is a couple gallons of water in the bottom and its not pumping out in those cycles.\

September 11, 2019 at 3:23 PM

We just bought a house with a Viking dishwasher. I can't get it to come on.
My temp light and drying light blinks and the start/stop button does nothing. I'm not sure what the problem is.

October 21, 2019 at 6:25 PM

Hello Viking fans! cough cough
The gasket on the bottom of the dishwasher door is torn and I need a replacement. Any tips that are cheaper than Viking original parts?
LK

May 2, 2020 at 7:00 PM

Our Viking dishwasher is about a year old. It blinks E01. We have cleaned both drains and even threw in a little Draino. It is draining fine. Keeps giving us an E01. Suggestions, please.

January 30, 2021 at 5:21 PM

thanks

January 8, 2022 at 11:42 PM