I was never able to obtain the service manual (thread).

When I called them for repair info, they asked me if I was a consumer or a pro repair tech. I find the question disturbing. If I lie then I risk them making assumptions about my tools and perhaps willingness to pay for wiring diagrams and service manuals. They probably assume I would have access to some kind of subscription to a pro repair platform that has that info. So I admitted to being a consumer at the risk of being told “call a pro”. They asked what was wrong with the machine, then I got cut off because I ran out of phone credit (after being on hold for a long time). A glimpse of their answer before the call dropped sounded like incorrect speculation.

Google as a repair gatekeeper

I’ve watched a lot of Youtube videos. Also quite disturbed that Google is the gatekeeper of educational repair videos which it blocks me from saving a local copy of. I can only watch at the public library because I do not have an unlimited connection. So I have to memorize steps or take notes.

I don’t give a shit if Google jails viral cat videos. But Google jails knowledge, and it’s knowledge that ecocide avoidance depends on. Maybe we need some #Greenpeace sponsored peertube instances to become a go-to for repair instructions.

Error codes concealed

One of the youtubers said Beko’s PCB stores the error internally but it will not allow consumers to see the error code. Does anyone see a legit reason for this? Even if they intend to block consumer repair, consumers would still have a legit use for the code – to have an idea of the cost of a problem before calling out a costly technician. It would also be sensible to to give the code to the technician in advance.

The Youtuber (fuck I hate that term) gave a secret sequence of steps to get the PCB to disclose the error code. The special sequence has no effect on my particular model. Different models have different secret sequences to reach the diagnostic mode, and no youtuber has covered my exact model. Similar models from roughly the same time period are covered in various non-English languages, but when I repeat the motions I do not reach diagnostic mode.

Do I have a serial port?

The PCB has unused pins labeled 5v, TX, RX, 9v. Apparently this is a serial port for an RS232 cable. What info likely comes from it? My boiler PCB has the same thing and in that case there are mere hints in the docs that it is to attach a device that transmits telemetry data over GSM. Would a washing machine have that? Or is it to attach a PC or proprietary device to get detailed telemetry data?

Secret steps to tell the machine that the fault is gone

A youtuber gave the impression that after fixing the problem (whatever it is, I still don’t know), the PCB will still think there is a fault until steps are taken to clear the error. The video ended before he explained how to do that – although it was not my model and would not have worked for me anyway. But I have to wonder if my problem is merely a false detection of a problem. Or if it’s a real problem that I fix, is it likely that I have track down a special sequence of steps to tell the PCB the fault is fixed?

I think if I could go back in time and mention this experience to Twilight Zone writers in the 1980s, they would simply write this into an episode as-is.