Miele Three dashes on displaywhat it means
Miele publish two completely different meanings for three dashes. On the website it is a water leak; in the manual it is the wifi being off. The indicator lights tell you which.
Take care
What this means
This is the most confusing display Miele produce, because they publish two contradictory meanings for the same thing and never cross-reference them. On miele.co.uk, a dedicated article headed "Dashes - - - on display and indicator lights flash" states that three dashes with the Check inlet and Check drain indicator lights flashing means the Miele Waterproof system has been activated — a water leak.
Their instruction is to close the water inlet and disconnect the machine from the mains, after which the drain pump will stop running. In the operating instructions for segment-display machines, the same three dashes in the time display mean the wifi has been switched off. One is an emergency and the other is a network setting. The thing that distinguishes them is the indicator lights, and this is the detail to hold on to: if Check inlet and Check drain are flashing alongside the dashes, treat it as the leak and act on it.
If the dashes are sitting there on their own with no warning lights and the machine is otherwise behaving, you are looking at the connectivity message. When in doubt, assume the leak — closing a stopcock costs you nothing and being wrong the other way means water in the cabinet overnight.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproof system activated by a leak | The meaning published on miele.co.uk, identified by the Check inlet and Check drain lights flashing alongside the dashes. | Common |
| Wifi switched off | The meaning published in the operating instructions for segment-display machines. No warning lights accompany it. | Common |
| Misread of a similar display | Miele also use a dash-zero-dash display, which has its own two meanings and is easy to confuse with this one at a glance. | Occasional |
What to try yourself
Look at the indicator lights before anything else. Check inlet and Check drain flashing means the leak reading, and you should act on that.
If those lights are flashing, close the water inlet stopcock and disconnect the machine from the mains. The drain pump stops once you do.
Wait until the drum is completely stationary before reaching in. Miele warn that reaching into a moving drum is extremely dangerous.Get the laundry out with the emergency release Miele describe on the dashes article: open the access panel for the drain pump, use a screwdriver to unlock the door, and pull it open. Then look underneath the machine and at the drain filters for the source of the water, and contact Miele rather than running it again.
If there are no warning lights and the machine otherwise behaves normally, this is the wifi message: the manual shows the dashes when the WiFi is switched off in the MobileStart programme, and says the connection is reset to factory default, so a new connection has to be set up if you want Miele@home back.
Get a qualified appliance engineer to look at your Miele washing machine
We do not pass enquiries to a repair firm, so there is no form here. When you book a qualified appliance engineer, tell them the make, the model and the exact code or message on the display, and ask whether they carry parts for this make — that is what turns one visit into a repair rather than a quote.
What it costs to fix
Typical repair cost
£0–£300
Time on site
10 minutes
Nothing if it is the wifi message. If it is the Waterproof system, the cost is whatever is leaking — a hose or clip at the low end, a sump or tub seal at the high end.
Typical UK prices including parts and labour, updated September 2026. Your quote may differ.
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Related Miele fault codes
- F138Get it checkedThe Waterproof system has found water in the floor tray. Close the stopcock and unplug — the drain pump keeps running until you do.Related: leaks and overflow
- F373Get it checkedA leak at the drain filter. Miele give one cause and one remedy: the filter has not been screwed tight. Usually seen the day after cleaning it.Related: leaks and overflow
- F220Get it checkedMiele say the machine is leaking — and then say the fault may be displayed erroneously when it is not. Check before you panic.Related: leaks and overflow
- F11Get it checkedThe drain is restricted. Miele publish a maximum drain height of one metre, and they warn that straightening a kinked hose can weaken it enough to split later.Related: same brand
- F10Get it checkedWater is not getting in. Miele point at the stopcock and the inlet filter, and both are owner jobs on their own guidance.Related: same brand
- F34Get it checkedThe door could not be locked. Miele’s manual says close the door again and restart; their website adds an overloaded drum and a two-minute power-off. Try those before calling.Related: same brand
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Related guides
Technical review
Not reviewed by an engineer
No engineer has read this page. Severity follows what the manufacturer publishes, and we would rather tell you that than let a byline imply a sign-off.
Sources and how we verified this
We establish the facts from the sources below and then write the explanation ourselves. We do not copy manufacturer wording and we do not host their manuals.
- Manufacturer support portal
- Manufacturer technical and service documentation
This page has not been reviewed by an engineer, and we would rather tell you that than imply otherwise. The severity rating follows what the manufacturer publishes: where they say isolate the appliance and call someone, so do we.