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What This Guide Helps With
Use this guide when a cleaning cycle will not begin, stops unexpectedly, repeatedly aborts, or remains stuck in one part of the process.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect Processing Continuity
Do not rely on an interrupted or incomplete cycle as a completed cleaning process. Remove affected instruments from the workflow and reprocess them according to department policy using verified equipment.
Expected outcome: No load is released based on an incomplete or uncertain cleaning cycle.
2. Confirm the Exact Cycle Failure
Determine whether the cycle fails before starting, aborts shortly after initiation, stalls during filling, heating, ultrasonic operation, draining, or another visible phase.
Record any displayed message and the approximate point in the cycle where the failure occurs.
Expected outcome: The failure is tied to a specific part of the cycle rather than being recorded only as "cycle failed."
3. Verify the Chamber and Lid/Door Condition
Confirm that the chamber is not overloaded and that racks, baskets, instruments, or tubing are not interfering with closure or any accessible safety interlock.
Inspect the lid or door for obvious obstruction, damage, or misalignment.
Expected outcome: The chamber is loaded appropriately and the closure mechanism reaches its normal operating position. If correcting an obstruction allows the cycle to run normally, troubleshooting can stop after verification.
4. Check Water and Drain Conditions
Verify that required incoming water services are available and that accessible supply valves are open.
Inspect the drain path for obvious external restrictions, kinked hoses, standing water, or facility drainage problems.
Expected outcome: Water supply and drainage are available. If restoring an external utility resolves the cycle failure, verify a successful cycle and stop troubleshooting.
5. Verify Detergent or Chemistry Availability
Check the installed chemistry container, pickup tubing, and accessible connections for empty supply, incorrect placement, kinks, loose fittings, or obvious air entry where visible.
Use only the approved chemistry and handling practices specified for the department and equipment.
Expected outcome: Chemistry is available and correctly connected. A corrected external chemistry problem should allow normal cycle progression.
6. Review Operator-Selectable Cycle Settings
Confirm that staff selected the intended cycle and that no obvious operator-accessible configuration or cycle selection is preventing operation.
Do not alter protected service parameters or undocumented settings.
Expected outcome: The intended cycle is selected with normal user-accessible settings.
7. Inspect External Sensors and Interlocks
Where accessible, inspect lid/door position hardware, level-related external connections, and other visible interlock components for contamination, obstruction, or damage.
Do not defeat an interlock to make the cycle continue.
Expected outcome: No external condition is falsely preventing cycle progression.
8. Attempt a Controlled Unloaded Cycle
If safe and permitted by department procedure, run an appropriate unloaded cycle after correcting external issues.
Observe whether the cycle fills, heats, operates, drains, and completes normally.
Expected outcome: The cycle completes without abnormal delay, abort, or stall. If successful, the issue is resolved and troubleshooting can stop.
9. Compare Repeated Failures
If the cycle fails again, determine whether it stops at the same point each time. Consistency can help separate utility, interlock, chemistry, drainage, temperature, and internal-control categories.
Do not repeatedly run failed cycles merely to force completion.
Expected outcome: A repeatable failure point is documented for service escalation.
10. Remove From Service if Cycling Is Unreliable
If the unit cannot complete a normal cycle reliably after external causes are ruled out, remove it from service.
Expected outcome: Instruments are not processed through equipment with unreliable cleaning-cycle completion.
If the Problem Persists
Common causes such as load interference, water availability, drainage, chemistry supply, external interlocks, and operator-accessible settings have been ruled out. Remaining causes may involve internal valves, pumps, level sensing, temperature control, ultrasonic generation, control electronics, or software.
The device should be:
- Removed from service
- Labeled Out of Service
- Sent for repair or bench evaluation
- Evaluated using appropriate manufacturer documentation and approved test equipment
- Repaired or configured only by qualified personnel
A completed post-repair functional cycle and any required cleaning-performance verification should be performed before return to service.
Knowing when to stop external troubleshooting is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Treat every aborted or stalled cycle as incomplete processing until the instruments are successfully reprocessed through a verified method.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Sterile Processing reported that the CaviWave Pro repeatedly stopped during the fill portion of the cycle."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found the incoming water supply valve to the unit was partially closed."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Restored the water supply valve to its normal operating position, completed an unloaded functional cycle successfully, and returned the cleaner to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Cycle selected
- Exact point where cycle stopped
- Displayed alarm or message
- Load condition
- Water availability
- Drain condition
- Chemistry level and tubing condition
- Lid/door closure condition
- Whether the failure repeats at the same phase
- Result of unloaded functional cycle
- Final device status
Final Thought
Protect instrument-processing integrity first, then determine exactly where the cycle stops. Rule out load, utilities, chemistry, drainage, and interlocks before suspecting internal controls, and verify a complete cycle before returning the unit to service.
That is successful troubleshooting.