Just moved in with my girlfriend over the summer. Her dishwasher has been broken for years. It runs and some water will circulate, but the dishes don't clean much at all.

I called Bosch and they said sending a technician has a base rate of $195 plus $250 per hour.

Should I just surrender and do that or keep trying to fix it myself?

Here's what Gemini says about the issue after some experimentation, if it helps explain the scope of the problem:

📋 Summary for the Technician

Primary Issue:

The dishwasher runs its cycle, but no water is filling the tub, leaving the floor bone-dry. Because there is no water volume, the circulation pump cannot build pressure, and detergent pods are left completely undissolved in the upper tray.

What We Have Already Tested & Ruled Out:

• Dispenser Door: Operates normally; opens and ejects the pod into the top tray as designed.
• Upper Spray Arm & Rack Piping: Detached from the unit and tested thoroughly under external water flow (bathtub test). The upper spray arm, spray jets, and rack supply tube are completely clear and flowing freely.
• Filter Basin: Filter removed and checked; tub remains dry during the fill/wash phase regardless.

Likely Culprits for the Tech to Inspect:

1. Water Inlet Valve / Solenoid: Suspected failure or clogging preventing water from entering the machine during the fill cycle.
2. Float Switch Assembly: Needs to be checked to ensure the flood protection float isn't stuck "up," falsely signaling an overflow and blocking the inlet valve.
3. Internal Water Diverter Valve: Verify motorized diverter operation once fill pressure is restored.
4. Circulation Pump / Control Board: Inspect to verify electrical signals are being sent to open the inlet valve at the start of the cycle.

I live on the Williamsburg waterfront, just West of the Bedford stop. Over the past year, I've noticed that basically every time I go out and walk around the neighborhood I hear people speaking French. This isn't an exaggeration -- think like literally 75% of the time.

In fact, today at Trader Joe's I saw random strangers strike up a conversation in French -- one kid was talking to another kid's Dad.

I don't think I noticed this before last year? Was this always a thing or did Williamsburg suddenly become a French immigrant hub?