Yes, because the pressure washer cannot create steady output from an inadequate water supply. The garden hose is feeding the pump, not replacing the high-pressure hose.
The pump still needs flow
Westinghouse tells ePX3500 owners to fully unwind the garden hose and remove restrictions. That warning exists because inlet restriction can hurt performance.
Length adds resistance
A very long supply run can reduce available flow, especially when combined with a small hose, weak faucet, hose reel restrictions or several quick-connect fittings.
Do not confuse the garden hose with the high-pressure hose
The garden hose feeds ordinary supply water into the machine. The pressure washer’s pump then creates the high-pressure output that travels through the pressure hose to the gun.
If you are shopping for a replacement high-pressure hose, do not substitute an ordinary garden hose. The pressure rating and fittings are completely different jobs.
If your washer pulses, simplify the inlet path
As a diagnostic step, remove unnecessary adapters or reels, fully unwind the hose, open the faucet fully and see whether the behavior changes.
Then use the pulsing guide for the rest of the checks.
What creates restriction
Hose length, inside diameter, kinks, small-bore quick-connects, partially closed valves and hose reels can all reduce flow. One small restriction can become the bottleneck for the entire inlet path.
A simple bucket test can reveal a weak water source
If the pressure-washer manual specifies a minimum water flow, you can compare your faucet against that requirement by timing how long it takes to fill a known-size container. Use the manufacturer’s required flow number for your exact model rather than a generic target.
Do not try to solve inlet flow with a high-pressure accessory
A different wand, turbo nozzle or surface cleaner cannot create missing supply water. Fix the inlet side first.