Troubleshooting guide for Dolce Gusto coffee makers

Dolce Gusto coffee machines are well known in Europe but not in the United States or Australia. However, Dolce Gusto has recently begun to compete head-to-head with Nespresso, Keurig, and Tassimo worldwide, increasing its sales exponentially.

And with so many units in circulation, users will inevitably encounter different doubts and breakdowns with their Dolce Gusto coffee makers. I know this very well, as I have had to fix multiple coffee makers of this brand.

After writing many articles on troubleshooting specific Dolce Gusto problems, I have compiled the main problems in this useful guide. Even if you don’t find the specific problem affecting your coffee maker, this information may help you to fix it.

Useful information on Dolce Gusto coffee makers breakdowns

I have already said it many times in this blog, but I will repeat it here again; if you purchased your Dolce Gusto less than 30 days ago, you should contact the seller to proceed with the return of the machine.

If your coffee machine is more than 30 days old and you keep the purchase receipt, you can return it under the terms of the warranty (in most cases, 2 years). In the United States, the warranty is handled by Nestlé professional, and in the rest of the world, by Dolce Gusto.

If your Dolce Gusto is faulty and the warranty has expired, continue reading this repair guide.

The 5 most common problems in Dolce Gusto coffee makers

Now I will show you the 5 most common problems that affect Dolce Gusto coffee makers, regardless of the model. These coffee makers look very different on the outside but are practically the same internally.

Problem 1. Dolce Gusto coffee maker does not dispense water

Usually, when the Dolce Gusto stops dispensing water, it does not happen suddenly; little by little, the water flow decreases until, one day, nothing comes out.

The coffee maker turns on correctly, the pump sounds, and the light on the power button is green, but the coffee maker does not dispense any water.

If no water comes out of the spout of the coffee maker, there are three possible causes:

Water is not reaching the pump.

The first thing to check, as obvious as it may seem, is that the tank is correctly positioned. Sometimes when we do not place the tank correctly, the tank connection valve does not lift, and the water cannot flow to the pump.

There is a clog somewhere in the circuit.

The second thing to check and what is probably happening to you is an obstruction in the water circuit. If your coffee maker spills some water, you should immediately proceed to perform a descaling; if it does not pour any water, follow these steps:

• Clean the nozzle with the cleaning pin that comes with the coffee maker (if you do not have it, use a sewing needle).
• If using the cleaning pin, you do not manage to disassemble the injector, disassemble the whole disk, as explained in this other article.

If you have cleaned the injector disk and the problem persists, read the following section.

Problem 2. Dolce Gusto coffee maker without pressure

I already showed you in the previous section the main reasons why a Dolce Gusto does not dispense water. However, there are times when the coffee maker does serve water, but it comes out without sufficient pressure.

On the majority of occasions, the amount of coffee that the coffee maker prepares is inferior, and the espressos come out with hardly any crema.

The main reason why a Dolce Gusto loses pressure is due to the accumulation of limescale and other sediments in the water; these accumulate both in the thermoblock and in the pump reducing the water pressure.

➡️ To solve the lack of pressure due to limescale build-up, you should perform one or more descaling procedures as soon as possible.

If the problem continues after descaling and you have ruled out the problems in the previous section, you will need to investigate further. For this, I have created a specific article on the lack of pressure on Dolce Gusto coffee makers.

Problem 3. Dolce Gusto coffee maker leaks

We will see water leaks in the Dolce Gusto in two different areas of the coffee maker; on the one hand, the base of the coffee maker, and on the other hand, the side of the coffee pod holder.

Just as these areas through which the Dolce Gusto loses water are different, the reasons are also very different.

Dolce Gusto loses water through the pod holder

In the previous section, we discussed the problems of obstructions in the injector that caused the coffee maker not to serve water; this problem also causes water loss.

When the injector is clogged, the water tries to escape somewhere when the pressure increases so that the water will drip down the outside of the injector disc. To solve this problem, check the first section of this guide.

Dolce Gusto leaks water from the base

Water leaks from the base of the Dolce Gusto are related to a broken, worn or defective component. To identify the component causing the problem, you should disassemble the casings and prepare a coffee without them to see where the coffee maker is leaking. Here I showed you how to disassemble a Dolce Gusto.

If with this information you cannot solve your Dolce Gusto’s dripping problems, I have prepared a specific article where I deal with this issue in depth: Water leakage problem in Dolce Gusto coffee makers.

Problem 4. Dolce Gusto coffee maker does not heat up

Another classic problem with Dolce Gusto coffee makers is the lack of temperature in the beverages we prepare. This can happen in two ways; on the one hand, the beverages may come out completely cold, and on the other, they may not be as hot as they should be.

• The problem of coffees coming out colder every day is usually related to problems with the accumulation of limescale and other sediments in the thermoblock.

This heating element has a very narrow internal coil through which the water circulates and acquires temperature as it passes. If the scale builds up, it creates an insulating layer that prevents the water from reaching the required temperature. To solve this, a descaling will be sufficient.

• If the water comes out completely cold, we face a much more serious problem since the thermoblock + thermostat set is failing. Although the thermoblock is responsible for heating the water, the thermostat is the one that controls the thermoblock and the one that most often fails.

To see if the thermostat is failing, you should do a continuity test on the thermostat. Its normal state is “closed,” so you should see continuity when you check with the multimeter.

Normally if the thermostat is faulty, the coffee maker will stop brewing coffee immediately, and the light on the power button will illuminate red.

If you want to know more about this problem, I have prepared another article where I talk in depth about this issue: Dolce Gusto coffee maker hot water not flowing.

Problem 5. Dolce Gusto coffee maker does not turn on

One of the most serious problems affecting Dolce Gusto coffee makers is when the coffee maker does not turn on. In this case, we are not talking about the fact that it does not brew coffee but does not even turn on the lights or make any sound.

This malfunction can occur in two ways; on the one hand, when the coffee maker turns on but turns itself off after a few seconds. On the other hand, when the coffee maker never turns on and seems completely inert.

The first case, in which the coffee maker switches itself off, has to do with the capacitors on the control board. When these capacitors are in bad condition, they do not allow the coffee maker to stay on. The only solution is to replace the capacitors or the entire control board.

If the coffee maker does not turn on, it is caused by a fault that is much easier to solve. It is the case that one or both of the thermal fuses of the coffee maker have blown. Check the continuity of the thermal fuses and replace them if blown. You will find two on the thermoblock and one on the side of the water pump.

If you want to know more about this malfunction, check this other article prepared exclusively to solve this problem: My Dolce Gusto coffee maker does not turn on.

Other problems with Dolce Gusto coffee makers

Apart from these 5 common problems found in all models of Dolce Gusto coffee makers, I have written other articles about doubts and more malfunctions of Dolce Gusto coffee makers.

User manuals for Dolce Gusto coffee makers

You will be redirected to the official Dolce Gusto website if you click the button below. There you will have access to all the manuals of Dolce Gusto coffee makers, classified by the model.