What To Do When Bosch Dishwasher Won’t Finish The Cycle?

Dishwashers are essential in every home.

Therefore, homeowners tend to get a little worried whenever their dishwasher starts giving them problems.

One common problem most comes across is the appliance not finishing the cycle. 

There are three reasons why your dishwasher may stop mid-cycle. We will discuss those a little later.

But, the solution usually involves ensuring the door latches properly, replacing the thermal fuse or the electronic board.

Let’s look at why and how you can do that.

Why Is My Bosch Dishwasher Not Finishing The Cycle?

Bosch is one of the more reliable home appliance brands.

But, that doesn’t mean their dishwashers are problem-free.

If yours is having trouble finishing a cycle, it could be due to any of the following:

  • Loose door latch: A loose door latch will prompt the dishwasher to stop mid-cycle. As the appliance goes through the cycle, the force of water movement can force the door to open slightly. The moment it does, the dishwasher will stop because they are designed not to work with the door open. Otherwise, they would leave your kitchen in water and suds. 
  • A short thermal fuse: Think of the thermal fuse as a switch, the moment the circuit board or motor gets too hot it prompts the dishwasher to shut down. A faulty thermal fuse can short at any time, resulting in the dishwasher shutting down mid-cycle. 
  • A short, burnt control board: As the name suggests, the control board controls the functioning of the dishwasher. Any erratic behavior due to a burnt wire will result in the dishwasher stopping. 

You need to figure out which of the three reasons is behind your dishwasher stopping mid-cycle before you can fix it.

Let’s look at how you can fix the issues. 

What To Do When Your Bosch Dishwasher Won’t Finish The Cycle?

Once you’ve tested out the dishwasher and identified the problem behind the incomplete cycle, you can take the following measures to fix it:

1. Loose Door Latch

The door latch ensures that the dishwasher remains closed throughout the cycle.

Most dishwashers come with a hooked latch that latches on to a pin when the door is closed.

If either of the two components is damaged, the door won’t latch. 

You will need to replace it. You can do that in the following way:

  1. Find a replacement door latch for your Bosch Dishwasher. 
  2. Using a screwdriver, unscrew the latch and pin currently in the dishwasher. 
  3. Put the replacement in place and make sure it is locked in tight. 
  4. Screw the replacement into the dishwasher. 

This should resolve the issue your dishwasher was having due to the door unlatching. 

2. Short Thermal Fuse

The thermal fuse keeps check of the temperature inside the mechanical components of the dishwasher.

It cuts the power when the temperature gets too hot, to avoid any electrical issues that may result in a fire.

A loose, damaged, or burnt thermal fuse will result in the dishwasher not functioning as it should, typically stopping mid-cycle.

To fix it, you will need to assess the thermal fuse and replace it, if damaged. 

You will need to take the control board apart to gain access to the thermal fuse.

It is connected to the circuit board. With a multimeter, you can check the status of the thermal board.

If the reading shows infinity, it means you need a replacement.

Otherwise, make sure that the fuse is properly in place and doesn’t move around. 

3. Short Electronic Control Board

The control board serves as the heart of the dishwasher.

It connects to all the components, ensuring the appliance works smoothly.

Any loose or burnt wiring across the board can result in the dishwasher stopping mid-cycle.

To check, you will need to open up the dishwasher and evaluate the control board. 

To evaluate the board, you will need a multimeter.

You can test wires that may appear burnt to see.

Any wire or component that is burnt will need to be replaced. 

You don’t want to fiddle around too much with the control board.

Any mistake can result in the dishwasher not working at all. Replacing the board can be costly. 

Therefore, if you feel that you may not be equipped enough to look at the control board yourself, get a technician to do it.

They can diagnose the problem and tell you the best possible solution. 

You can also reset your dishwasher to fix the issue.

We have a detailed guide on how to do that below.

What To Do When Your Bosch Dishwasher Won’t Start Or End The Cycle?

If you are facing any technical difficulties with your Bosch dishwasher, the first thing you want to do is reset it.

There are different ways you can do that, depending on the model you have. 

  • In newer models, you can hold the start button for 5 seconds, and it will automatically start resetting. 
  • On older models, you can hold down the drain or cancel button for 5 seconds to reset it. 

Resetting the dishwasher resolves any operating system issues.

If it doesn’t start or end due to a hardware issue, you will need to identify the issue and then resolve it. 

Final Thoughts

You can easily resolve issues linked to your Bosch dishwasher stopping mid-cycle.

But, only if you are comfortable taking the task on yourself.

Dishwasher components are delicate, and you don’t want to break another part trying to fix one. 

We have highlighted how you can tackle the problem.

Now the only decision you have to make is whether you want to do it yourself or seek professional help. 

I’ve been working with technology in one way or the other all my life. After graduating from university, I worked as a sales consultant for Verizon for a few years. Now I am a technical support engineer by day and write articles on my own blog here in my spare time to help others if they have any issues with their devices.