Smeg DI613ATP Dishwasher Cleans Some Dishes Poorly

Use only checks that match the exact appliance or system and its official guide.

1. Check 1

   Before changing parts or detergent, map the result: note whether the same rack, corner, dish face or soil type remains dirty. With the appliance off and safe to open, reload plates vertically with soiled faces exposed, leave gaps between bowls, place cups and bowls facing down in the upper basket, and keep long items away from the upper spray arm.

   Expected result: Dirty dishes are clustered behind one another, face away from the water jets, under an overpacked rack, or the same area is dirty despite open loading.

   Next step: Run the exact-model program suited to the load and soil level once after correcting the layout. If the same area remains dirty, continue with the spray-arm and filter checks rather than ordering a part.

   Why this matters

   Why: A clustered or shielded result is consistent with the manual's loading and water-jet exposure guidance. The same localized result after open loading points to a spray-arm, filter or service branch, but does not identify a pump or heater.

2. Check 2

   Disconnect the dishwasher from electrical power before maintenance. Remove the upper and lower spray arms only as the opened Smeg manual describes, wash the nozzles under running water, refit each arm carefully and confirm by hand that the arms turn freely without a dish, rack support or residue obstructing them.

   Expected result: A nozzle is blocked, an arm is not seated, an arm cannot turn freely, or the arms are clear and rotate freely after refitting.

   Next step: Correct only the visible blockage or seating issue and run one suitable cycle. If an arm remains damaged, cannot be seated or still cannot rotate freely, leave the dishwasher out of service and request Smeg service rather than forcing it.

   Why this matters

   Why: A blocked nozzle or restricted rotation can leave specific dishes or rack areas unwashed because the water pattern is not reaching them. Freely rotating, clear arms make that user-level cause less likely; they do not prove a circulation pump or heating fault.

3. Check 3

   With power disconnected, inspect the centre filter and micro-filter. Remove them by the manual's tabs and lifting sequence, wash them under running water with a suitable brush, ensure no food falls into the sump, and reinstall every filter in its seat before restoring power.

   Expected result: The filters contain food residue or are not seated correctly, or they are clean and correctly seated while the wash result remains uneven.

   Next step: Correct the filter condition and run one appropriate cycle. If the filters cannot be removed or reseated without force, stop and call service; do not reach into the pump or probe the sump.

   Why this matters

   Why: Smeg says clogged filters can stop the dishwasher functioning and that residues left in the washing pit can block hydraulic components or foul spray-arm nozzles. A clean, correctly seated filter removes that external restriction from the likely causes but does not diagnose the wash pump.

4. Check 4

   Check the consumables and program without changing internal settings: use the detergent amount directed by the product instructions, confirm regenerating salt is present, and select a program suitable for the dish type and soil level. Confirm the full product code is DI613ATP before relying on a program table from any manual.

   Expected result: The load was on an unsuitable or shortened program, detergent or salt was missing/incorrect, or the consumables and program were already appropriate.

   Next step: Run one properly loaded cycle using the suitable program and correctly handled consumables. If the same dishes remain dirty after the arms and filters are clear, stop repeated testing and contact Smeg After-Sales service with the model code and observations.

   Why this matters

   Why: Smeg's poor-cleaning checklist treats detergent, salt, load arrangement and program selection as separate contributors. Correcting one can change cleaning without implying a component failure; an appropriate setup with persistent uneven cleaning needs service assessment.