Beko wtl104121w - 18 months old clicking noise from behind dial/door sometimes not unlocking

[brokenbeko]

Hello,

 

Annoyingly, just outside of warranty as per with these things, my Beko wtl104121w seems to have developed a fault. The problem can probably be summarised by two main symptoms:

- Sometimes at end of cycle, the machine starts clicking and the door lock will not unlock. It sounds like it is behind the dial but sometimes at the door interlock.

- Even when not in use the machine sometimes randomly starts clicking from behind the dial but only seems to be when in the On/Off position. If I move the dial to a program, the clicking stops instantly.

 

I can normally work around this by powering off the machine at the plug, waiting 5 - 10 minutes and the plugging it back in, Usually the door unlocks and I can then seemingly use it a few times before it all starts again. My initial assumption was that the door interlock was at fault, so I have replaced that but the symptoms have remained the same. 

 

Can anyone steer me in the right direction of which component might be at fault? I'm reticent to throw good money after bad getting it repaired if this is anything to rate Beko reliability by since I've had it such a short amount of time.

 

Any advice appreciated! 

 

Thanks!

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

37 minutes ago, brokenbeko said:

My initial assumption was that the door interlock was at fault, so I have replaced that but the symptoms have remained the same. 

I've seen quite a few people who have had this type of issue, and have replaced the door lock, which did not fix the fault. It's understandable that it would be suspected because the door lock is normally passive, in the sense that to turn it off all they do is stop supplying power to it. Then, a small bimetal strip inside cools down, straightens up, and allows the door to open. This is why turning it off at the mains usually releases it.

So it seems that for some reason power is still being supplied to the door interlock after the wash cycle has finished. I can only suspect some electronic problem with the PCB, or a relay inside the PCB. You definitely can't afford to gamble on fitting a new PCB though. They are very expensive.

If by any chance it turns out to be something expensive like that, then the fact that it's just out of guarantee is inconvenient, but by no means a barrier to you getting it fixed for free. Under the consumer rights act 2015, we are entitled to expect that an expensive appliance should not develop a serious or expensive fault after such a short time. However, you would have to  argue this with the retailer that you bought it from, unless by any chance the manufacturer wants to save face and cover it under guarantee.

The latter, sadly is quite rare. This is because the only people who have any legal responsibility are the retailers. My article here may help - out of guarantee – even by a long time doesn’t always mean you should pay

[brokenbeko]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the quick response. That was what I was unfortunately suspecting it may be! As you say they are expensive so not something I can gamble on. Am I ok to continue to use the washer and just keep following the current cycle of powering off at the plug? It's a pain but at least I can use it. In the meantime I guess I will just have to chase the retailer and see what they can do.

 

Thanks

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

I would have to say that the less time after the guarantee has expired, the more likely you would be able to force them to give you a free repair. 

So if you want to try pursuing  your potential Consumer Rights Act entitlement I would do it ASAP. On the other hand if you think it'd be too much hassle, you could try to make it last as long as possible. 

Bear in mind that faults like this could potentially develop to a point where it becomes unusable though it may not.. I've even known faults magically rectify themselves but don't hold yer breath 😁

[brokenbeko]

Thanks for the advice. AO have offered a partial refund if an engineer comes out and confirms the suspicion of the PCB. Beko didn't want to know but were happy to come and fix for £130!! I captured a video of the behaviour. Unlocked after a cycle then randomly starting trying to lock again and straight away after manually unlocking. 

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

4 minutes ago, brokenbeko said:

Thanks for the advice. AO have offered a partial refund if an engineer comes out and confirms the suspicion of the PCB. Beko didn't want to know but were happy to come and fix for £130!!

This is very typical. The manufacturers have no consumer responsiblity other than to honour the guarantee. Only the retailer is legally responsible.

[brokenbeko]

Hi,

I've been using it today after having fully powered down. First couple of cycles it was all OK. Then this last cycle it is making a very low sound almost like it's still trying to drain?!? I opened the drain filter and more water than I would have expected came out. I had checked the drain hose for kinks and it all looked OK. There is almost a constant very slow drip from the drain filter with it left open. I can't see any blockages. I wonder if this is the real cause of my issue?! I've attached another vid. Hopefully that picks up the sound.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

That constant water running is strange. Is water constantly running into the soap dispenser? Try removing the soap drawer to look.