The machine starts, you select a program, but the drum doesn't fill with water or fills very slowly — so the wash never begins. This can be due to the water supply (tap, hose, pressure) or internal parts (inlet valve, filter, level sensor).
Common causes: the tap not fully open; low water pressure in the flat; a kinked inlet hose; the small mesh filter at the hose inlet clogged with limescale and sediment. These are not technical faults and are often fixable at home.
More technical causes: a failed inlet solenoid valve, a faulty pressure (level) sensor, or the control board not commanding the valve. Then the machine tries to fill but no water enters.
Make sure the tap is fully open and water flows normally. Check the inlet hose is not kinked. Unplug the machine, close the tap, detach the hose and check the mesh filter; rinsing out sediment can restore flow. Refit the filter firmly to avoid leaks.
Do not dismantle the inlet valve or board, do not "test" the valve with direct power, and do not over-tighten connections. Water and electricity together make wrong interference a short-circuit and leak risk.
A 166 Usta washing machine technician checks the water-inlet system in order: tap and pressure, hose and mesh filter, inlet valve, level sensor and control circuit, replacing the valve or sensor if faulty, then testing normal filling.
The technician measures water pressure, whether the valve opens, the sensor signal and the board's command, because "no water" can come from a simple pressure issue or from the valve and electronics.
