FreeMDU: Open-source Miele appliance diagnostic tools
20 comments
·November 17, 2025wiz21c
what we miss is a universal control computer to control those washing machines. It is very often that part that breaks and that is "so expensive that you'd better replace the whole machine".
Scubabear68
It is still worthwhile to try to troubleshoot something like a washing machine these days before calling someone to service it, or buying new.
We just had a ~8 year old washer start dying with an error code, with digging it turned out it was the hall effect sensor on the drum motor that needed replacing. Cost $12 and change and was over nighted from Amazon.
What would have been nice if we got a detailed diagnostic code and not just "FE" on the front panel.
cbm-vic-20
I fixed a malfunctioning refrigerator by replacing the control board, which happened to be a PIC16-based device used by many brands. This design is as close to "universal" as you can get, and this generic board was around 20% the price of the official replacement part.
Aurornis
I’ve been having good luck buying pieces of part-outs on eBay for old appliances.
Someone will take a machine apart and list all of the pieces individually. It’s a fraction of the price of a new one. It’s a used part so it’s a gamble, but they can be so cheap I just buy two and have a spare.
amelius
Wait, so with a strong enough IR led, someone could disrupt washing machines in their entire neighborhood?
Aurornis
If everyone had a Miele washing machine and put it on their front porch facing the street, maybe.
Did you know that with a strong enough LED pointed through a window into the living room they could also disrupt TVs by changing the channel or even turning them off remotely!
amelius
Yes but I suppose it is more fun to shrink someone's socks than to turn off their TV.
fainpul
TV-B-Gone
kotaKat
Fun fact: Speed Queen also uses IrDA as a communications method on many commercial washing machines for programming and diagnostics.
They used to use a PalmPilot (and a WinMo) app. Nowadays it can be done with a PC with a weird NFC-based interface they’ve built with a wand you hold in front of the control panel in a specific location.
IshKebab
No, obviously not.
alias_neo
I'm both pleased and disappointed.
I love reverse engineering efforts, and like to partake myself from time to time, so I'm very happy to see this; but, for a fraction of an infra-red-wave period I thought Miele had decided to be cool and open source some diagnostic tools for everyone to benefit.
If I'm not mistaken, they were the first (and only?) to open source 3d models for vacuum cleaner accessories.
schrijver
I know HN loves Miele, but they are very Apple like when it comes to repair — they don’t make their parts available to the public and since a few years neither to independent repair shops.
In contrast I had a great experience repairing a Smeg stove and buying all the necessary parts directly from them, so it’s not like it’s impossible.
traceroute66
> they are very Apple like when it comes to repair — they don’t make their parts available to the public
False on both counts.
Both Apple and Miele offer Self Service Repair.
Specifically in the case of Miele (since its the subject of this thread), you can buy spares directly from Miele. They openly show exploded parts diagrams on their website, and if you can't find it, you can call their parts sales number.
nerdsniper
Yeah but also for an upright vacuum I bought they stopped selling parts less than one year after I bought it. They couldn’t even tell me the basic dimensions of the vacuum belt I needed. For a vacuum that was less than a year old.
The instant they stop selling a model, all the documentation is thoroughly whisked away and inaccessible to customers or anyone a customer can reach.
And they never gave me that kind of documentation so it’s not even something I “should have” saved myself.
NoiseBert69
Time for some overclocking... 10k RPM.
Stellar Work!
lifestyleguru
Tune the washing machine chip for aggressive popcorn effect on deceleration, vroooom!
exasperaited
Ehh, you were going to knock out those terrible worktops anyway. It's really saved you a lot of labour.
This is a great project. The blog post explaining how they reverse engineered everything is a good read, too:
https://medusalix.github.io/posts/miele-interface/