What F87 Means
Miele’s G1000 service documentation lists F87 as a softener sensor problem. Every Miele dishwasher of this era has a built-in water softener fed by the salt reservoir, and this code says the sensing that governs it is not reporting correctly.
Common Causes of F87
- Softener sensing element failed
- Wiring to the sensor damaged
- Salt reservoir run empty for a long period
- Scale or salt residue affecting the sensing
🔧 One Safe Check You Can Try
Check the salt reservoir is topped up and that the machine’s water hardness setting matches your actual supply — your water company publishes the figure. Both are things you can put right yourself, and a softener set for the wrong hardness underperforms even when nothing is broken.
⚠ Why You Shouldn't Go Further Than That
- A softener that is not regenerating correctly puts scale through the whole machine, including the heater, so the cost of leaving it shows up elsewhere later.
- The softener sits under the tub alongside the water path, and its sensing is checked in service mode rather than by inspection.
- Wrong hardness settings and a failed sensor produce similar complaints, and the settings have to be confirmed before a part is fitted.
Opening a panel to inspect or repair something yourself doesn't automatically cancel your manufacturer's warranty — but it can risk accidental damage, and some manufacturers do have specific service conditions. Check your product's warranty terms, or ask us, before deciding.
Technical Reference
- Code
- F87
- Appliance
- Miele dishwasher
- Maker documentation
- Miele owner manuals and use & care guides
- Checked
- September 2026
Code meanings can change between control generations. Before acting on a code, match the full model number on your appliance's rating label against the manual for that model. We are an independent repair service, not affiliated with Miele & Cie. KG.