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Dishwasher Troubleshooting & Repair Welcome
to 411ApplianceRepairs.com where you can buy parts for your Dishwasher
and get free Dishwasher repair advice for all major brands of Dishwashers
including Admiral, Amana, Caloric, Estate, Frigidaire, GE, Gibson, Glenwood,
Hotpoint, Insinkerator, Jenn Air, Kelvinator, Kenmore, Kitchen Aid, Magic
Chef, Maytag, Modern Maid, RCA, Roper, Tappan, Thermador, Westinghouse,
Whirlpool, and more.
It
doesn't work at all
Note:
If your repair problem isn't listed, click
here
to email the RepairGuru. He will give you the help you need. If
your dishwasher doesn't work at all, check these:
Is
there power getting to the dishwasher? This can be difficult to
test, because dishwashers are usually wired directly to an electrical
circuit, rather than plugged into the wall. But at least check for
a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker.
The
door switch is important because, if it's defective, the dishwasher
won't work at all. To reach it, you need to remove the control panel
cover, or sometimes the interior liner of the door. If it's defective,
you need to completely replace it.
Often
the main wiring connection from the house, at the dishwasher, burns
and breaks the connection. If that's the problem, the wires must
be repaired/replaced as necessary. If that's not the problem, check
the wiring to the door switch, the wiring between the door and the
lower part of the dishwasher, and the wiring to the timer. Repair
any broken, burned, brittle, or defective wiring, using the proper
appliance-grade wire and connectors.
Although
it's uncommon, the timer or the selector switch may be defective.
If so, you need to replace the defective part, because neither of
these can be repaired.
If
your dishwasher is cleaning poorly, check these:
Most
cleaning problems are caused by the dishwasher not getting enough
wash water, so the water-inlet valve is often to blame. This valve
is usually at the bottom left or right of the dishwasher, behind
the lower access panel. It's the device with the main water line
from the house, a rubber tube to the dishwasher, and two wires attached
to it.
Every
dishwasher has some type of filter to keep large food particles
and foreign objects away from the pump assembly: If
your filter is clogged, it may be causing the cleaning problem.
Some
dishwashers have a valve (or gate) that should open only during
draining. If debris lodges in the valve, it can't close properly,
so water drains out during the wash cycle. Most dishwashers drain
into the garbage disposer. If yours does that, listen for water
flowing into the disposer during the wash cycle. If you can hear
it then, the drain valve may be clogged.
There's
a spray arm at the bottom of your dishwasher--it may have a tall
spray tube mounted to the center of it. There may also be a spray
arm located directly beneath the upper rack of dishes and/or above
the upper rack.
To
get the best cleaning results, the water entering your dishwasher
needs to be hot enough. Try running the hot water in your kitchen
sink for about 30 seconds before starting the dishwasher, to pre-heat
it. Also, if your dishwasher lets you select a higher wash or rinse
temperature, try that to see if it helps.
Dishwashers
don't perform their best if detergent is introduced only at the
beginning of a cycle, so add detergent to both parts of the cup.
If
there's no water entering your dishwasher, check these:
The
water-inlet valve lets water enter the machine. If this valve is
defective, you need to completely replace it. It's usually located
behind the lower access panel on the left or right side. It's the
device with the main water line (usually copper) from the house,
a rubber tube to the dishwasher, and two wires attached to it.
The
float switch is a small electrical switch that's located right below
the dishwasher "floor." Above the switch, on the inside of the dishwasher,
is a plastic cylinder that floats up as water fills the dishwasher.
If this switch is defective, or if the plastic float gets caught
or trapped in the raised position, the water can't enter the dishwasher.
If the float switch is defective, you need to replace it.
If
the water doesn't drain from your dishwasher, check these:
A
clog in the drain line or air gap (if there is one) is the usual
reason that a dishwasher won't drain. Often the problem is at the
point where the drain line attaches to the garbage disposer or household
drain line. If you remove this line, you can clear any debris from
the hose or hose connection. Be sure to reattach the hose before
starting the dishwasher again.
Your
dishwasher pump ejects the water. The pump is usually mounted directly
to the motor, then attached to the bottom of the dishwasher. You
can reach the pump from inside the dishwasher, but first you need
to remove the lower rack, the spray arm, and the spray arm support.
Many
dishwashers use a drain valve with an electric solenoid. When electricity
flows to the solenoid, the valve opens and diverts the water to
the drain. Sometimes the solenoid, or the diverting lever, sticks
and prevents the dishwasher from draining or filling properly. Try
to free up the solenoid to lubricate the lever. Otherwise, you may
have to replace the solenoid or pump assembly. With these systems,
the motor always rotates in one direction. When it's energized,
the drain valve diverts the water.
One
brand of dishwasher uses a belt to drive the pump. If this belt
is broken or has fallen off, replace it.
If
the motor isn't turning or working, the unit won't drain. First
check to be sure you have power to the dishwasher. If not, see the
section "It doesn't work at all." If the motor hums but doesn't
turn, it may need to be replaced.
Part
of what the timer does is control the motor and drain valve. If
the timer doesn't work properly, the water may not drain and you
need to replace the timer. This problem is uncommon.
If
your dishwasher seems noisy, check these:
An
aging water-inlet valve can sometimes fail slowly, rather than all
at once. It can shudder on and off rapidly, causing the incoming
water lines to shake, rumble, and rattle--sometimes violently. If
yours is doing this, replace the inlet valve.
If
it's the motor that's noisy, either of these may be the "culprit:"
If
the heater fan bearings are rusted or worn, they may squeal, or
scrape loudly during the drying cycle. If this is the problem, replace
the fan motor. Alternatively, the fan blade may be loose. If so,
you need to replace it.
Small
fruit pits, toothpicks, and fragments of glass sometimes get stuck
in the pump. When this happens, open the pump and remove the debris.
The pump is usually mounted directly to the motor, then attached
to the bottom of the dishwasher.
If
your dishwasher leaks, check these:
Note
If the main motor of your dishwasher is mounted vertically, beneath
the center bottom of the dishwasher, the following instructions
probably apply to you. But if your motor is mounted horizontally,
the pump isn't serviceable--you need to replace the entire pump
and motor assembly. Then
pry the seal out of its housing and replace it.
Over
time, door gaskets and seals harden and lose their ability to seal
properly. You can't repair the seals. You need to replace them if
they've begun to leak.
The
water-inlet valve, itself, seldom leaks. But, the water-supply line
from the house and the rubber tube leading from the valve to the
inside of the dishwasher may leak. Tighten or repair/replace these
as necessary.
Behind
the lower access panel on your dishwasher are several rubber or
plastic hoses. If the leak appears at a connection, try a new clamp.
If that doesn't work, replace the hose.
If
the dry cycle has a problem, check these:
Your
dishwasher has an electrical heating element that helps to dry the
dishes. If the element is burned out, the dishes won't dry properly,
and you need to replace the element.
Many
high-priced dishwashers have a small fan that blows air or heated
air into the dishwasher to speed up the drying process. If the fan
is defective, you need to replace it.
Some
dishwashers have a thermostat that monitors the drying temperature.
If the thermostat is defective, the heating element may not cycle
on or off properly. If that's the problem, you need to replace the
thermostat.
When
your dishwasher door has a problem, check these:
The
latch on many dishwashers is adjustable. If your door is easy to
close but difficult to latch, adjust the latch to let the door close
more easily. If you can't see any way to adjust the latch, yours
may be fixed in a certain position. Check for other reasons for
the latching problem.
Your
dishwasher has two springs that counterbalance the weight of the
door. If either or both of these are broken, the door feels quite
heavy and you need to replace both springs.
The
hinges are important to the door closing properly. If they're bent
or deformed, you probably need to replace them. Once bent, only
rarely can they be straightened well enough.
If
your dishwasher is new--or if you have just replaced a door seal--the
door may be difficult to latch for a week or two. If the tightness
persists, though, try adjusting the latch, if it's adjustable. If
it's not adjustable, there's probably nothing you can do immediately.
But try running the dishwasher on the highest heat cycle to help
the seal conform to the door. Otherwise, the seal should compress
over time.
If
the cycle doesn't complete, check these:
Many
dishwashers heat the wash and/or rinse water to a higher temperature,
as the cycle calls for it. In these cycles, the dishwasher pauses
after it has filled with water, waiting for the water to reach the
pre-set temperature. What happens next, depends, as follows:
Timers
don't often fail. But if every other part of the dishwasher seems
to be working properly and the timer knob seems to be stuck in one
place--doing one function continuously--the timer may be at fault.
Dishwasher timers can't be repaired. If yours is defective, replace
it.
If
your dishwasher has a digital readout and you see an error code,
it may indicate a problem with the unit. If this happens, look up
the error code in your owner's manual to find out what the problem
is.
When
the detergent cup doesn't open, check these:
On
many dishwashers, a plastic actuator arm mechanically links the
timer to the detergent cup. When the timer reaches the proper time
in the cycle, the timer activates a lever that opens the detergent
cup. If the linkage is broken or defective, the cup stays closed
after you've closed it. Check the link and repair or replace it,
as necessary.
A
bi-metal switch is a simple electrical device that deforms when
electricity is applied to it. The degree of this deformation can
be engineered to concise standards.
The
detergent cup itself can become clogged with old dried detergent
that prevents it from opening. Sometimes just cleaning the cup takes
care of the problem. If not, you probably need to replace the entire
cup assembly
If
your dishwasher's cycle times are too long, check these:
Your
dishwasher may pre-heat the water. If so, and if the water entering
the dishwasher is cool, the heater may take up to half an hour to
heat the water.
See
"The cycle doesn't complete" section.
Warning!
To avoid personal injury or even death, always disconnect your appliance
from its power source--that is, unplug it or break the connection at
the circuit breaker or fuse box--before you do any troubleshooting or
repair work on your appliance. Also, because some components may have
sharp edges, use caution while working on your appliance. |
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