VERIFIED
When plastics tell the story
Open the dishwasher and find a container twisted out of shape, a lid with a melted corner, or a measuring cup that has gone soft. Plastics on the bottom rack, close to the heat source, will warp if the water or the surrounding air is hotter than expected. If E39 is on the display, the two together are worth taking seriously. The bottom rack sits closest to the heating element that warms the wash water, so heat damage shows there first.
What we do not claim
E39 has no single confirmed meaning across all Bertazzoni dishwashers, so no failed part is named here. The warped items and the hot door are the evidence, and they stand on their own.
Stop-and-call signs
- Plastics melted or stained brown against the bottom of the tub.
- A door front that is too hot to touch comfortably.
- A smell of hot plastic or scorched dust.
- A faint crackle or pop from beneath the tub.
Immediate steps
Switch the dishwasher off at its breaker. Let it cool. Once cool, you can take out the warped plastic if it is just resting on the rack, but do not scrape melted plastic off anything inside the tub with a tool. Leave the door open, and keep children and pets away.
Please do not run another cycle to test it. The point of stopping is to prevent a heat fault from repeating.
Is it always a fault?
Not always. Some plastics are not dishwasher-safe and will warp even in a healthy machine, particularly thin containers on the bottom rack. A single warped item with normal temperatures and no code is a laundry-list problem, not a repair. The combination with E39 is what tips the balance. A dishwasher in good order heats within limits held by its sensing and control, which is why heat damage together with a code is treated differently from one soft container.
What the technician examines
The heating element and its wiring are inspected first, followed by the temperature sensing and the high-limit device that cuts power when things overheat, and then the control output. All of this requires powered testing, so it is not a homeowner job. Powered testing shows whether the element stays on longer than it should, which a visual look cannot reveal.
We diagnose first, give you a written estimate, and replace nothing without your approval. Tell us what melted and where it was in the tub.
What to prepare for the visit
Photograph the warped items and any marks in the tub before you clean up. Note which cycles you ran in the days before, especially hot or sanitize ones, and where the plastics sat. This information helps the technician judge whether a heat fault is likely or whether the plastics were simply unsuitable.
Frequently asked questions
No. Some plastics are not rated for the dishwasher. The code and heat symptoms together are what matter.
It is better to leave the machine off until it is checked if you saw signs of overheating.
Stop use and switch off at the breaker if you smell burning or see smoke. Contact the fire service if there is smoke or flame.
Model compatibility: Bertazzoni reuses codes across series and model years, so E39 may mean something different on another appliance or generation. Confirm this against your model’s documentation and record your full model number before acting.
