Dishwasher Lifespan
by abigl67Grasshopper writes:
How long do dishwashers last? Specifically a Frigidaire Ultra Quiet I. What is the point (dollar amount) where you would buy a new dishwasher instead of repairing the old? Daughter dropped a glass in dishwasher - pump quit in agony after grinding on glass chips - dishwasher full of water.
I’ve used your website to fix my 20 yr old wash machine and drier. Your wisdom is appreciated.
According to my illuminating and inspiring epistle, “How Long Should Appliances Last?” the half-life for built in dishwashers is about 13 years. You should read the linked article carefully because the concept of appliance half-life originated here at Fixitnow.com and you’ve not heard of it before.
Another salient point to consider in your repair vs. replace deliberations is whether or not you’ll be doing the repair yourself. Obviously, doing it yourself greatly tilts the economics in favor of repair over replace.
All articles on Dishwasher Repair
- Latest Bosch Dishwasher Use and Care Manual
- Maytag Dishwasher with Intermittent Rumbling Noise
- Mystery Water Leak from a GE/Hotpoint Dishwasher
- Flakey Heater in a KitchenAid Dishwasher
- Dishwasher Repair FAQ
- The Samurai Kicks Dishwasher Butt Across the Pond
- Draining Problem with a Kenmore - Whirlpool - KitchenAid "PowerClean" Dishwasher
- Asko Dishwashers in Recall
- Any Good Dishwashers Today?
- GE Recalls 2.5 Million Dishwashers
- How to Reset the Control Board and Run the Diagnostics in a Whirlpool-built Dishwasher
- Maytag Announces Massive Dishwasher Recall
- Blinking Clean Light on Whirlpool-built Dishwashers
- GE QuietPower dishwasher: beeping, blinking, and not running but...
- Locating the Tech Sheet in a GE Dishwasher
- Mailbag: Samurai Appliance Repair Man, God of Appliance Repair?
- Miele Dishwasher - No Water
- Dishwasher Leaves a Film and Gookus All Over the Dishes and Glassware
- Serious Grasshopper Dishwasher Repair Moves
- GE Dishwasher Drainology
- Using Drāno to Unclog a Dishwasher?
- Asko 1303 Dishwasher Won't Start
- Bosch Dishwasher Takes Forever to Complete a Cycle
- Maytag Dishwasher MDBH970 Fills But Doesn't Clean the Dishwashes
- Anatomy of a Whirlpool - Kitchenaid - Kenmore Dishwasher
- Maytag Dishwasher Detergent Dispenser Won't Open on Second Wash
- Maytag Dishwasher Upper Spray Arm Not Spinning
- GE Triton XL Dishwasher Will Not Drain
- Maytag Dishwasher Drain Problem Trick
- Tips for Installing a New Pump/Motor Assembly on Whirlpool - Kitchenaid - Kenmore Dishwasher
- Whirlpool - Kitchenaid - Kenmore Dishwasher: Poor Cleaning
- Maytag dishwasher upper arm not spinning, poor washing
- Whirlpool-Built Dishwasher (includes KitchenAid and some Kenmores) Won't Start, Clean LED Blinks Seven Times
- Running a dishwasher on a GFI circuit
- GE Nautilus dishwasher leaves sandy-looking gunk on dishes
- Powerball cleaning tablets are a Bozo No-No for dishwashers
- GE Triton dishwasher drying light blinks and beeps
- GE Monogram Dishwasher model number ZBD5700D01BB stuck in heated dry mode
- Mystery Leak from a Frigidaire Dishwasher
- Asko 1375 dishwasher - no 2nd fill
- Whirlpool/KitchenAid Tall-tub Dishwashers Won't Operate
- Bosch Dishwasher Diagnostic Procedures; dishwasher repair
- Dishwasher won't run; no power to dishwasher; dishwasher dead; dishwasher no-op; dishwasher repair
- GE / Kenmore Dishwasher Check Valve Assembly; No-Drain or Poor Draining; Check Valve; dishwasher repair
- Repairing a Melted Hole in a Dishwasher; dishwasher repair
- GE or Hotpoint Dishwasher Hums but Doesn't Run; dishwasher repair
- Dishwasher Repair At Your Fingertips
- Replacing the Handle on a Maytag MDBTT79A Dishwasher
- Kenmore/ Whirlpool Dishwasher Not Heating Up
- GE Triton Dishwasher Will Not Drain
- GE Monogram Dishwasher Stuck in Drain and Heated Dry
- Kitchenaid Dishwasher Sequence Messed Up
- Fisher Paykel Dishwasher, DD602, Won't Start
- Too much detergent... dishwasher won't drain!
- GE Triton XL tripped breaker
- Mailbag: Kenmore Dishwasher Not Cleaning Well in the Upper Rack
- Mailbag: GE Dishwashers Flooding
- Whirlpool Announces Dishwasher Recall
- Appliance Repair Revelation, Dishwasher Leaves Dishes Dirty
- GE Announces Recall of Built-In Dishwashers
- Banishing the Beeping Bosch
- Mailbag: Removing Mineral Deposits from a Dishwasher
- Appliance Repair Revelation: Fisher & Paykel DD602 Dishdrawer: F1 code
- Mailbag: Dishwasher Drain Air Gaps
- Online Dishwasher Diagnostic Guide
- Appliance Repair Revelation: Dishwasher Mythology
- War Story: Kitchenaid Dishwasher KUDC25CHWH1, Dead
- Mailbag: Dishwasher Won't Drain When Connected to the Disposal Drain Port
- Mailbag: Asko Dishwasher Meltdown
- Mailbag: Whirlpool Dishwasher Detergent Door Won't Open
- Mailbag: GE Dishwasher Only Hums, Won't Run
- Inspiration from the Master: Dishwasher Won't Drain
- Inspiration from the Master: GE Dishwasher Hums but won't Run
- Mailbag: Using Liquid Dishwasher Detergent in a Dishwasher
- Mailbag: Diagnosing Dishwasher Door Leaks
- Appliance Tip of the Day: Diagnosing Dishwasher Door Leaks
- Mailbag: GE 2200 Dishwasher, "Check Water Supply" Error
- Mailbag: Winterizing a Dishwasher
- KitchenAid Dishwasher Model KUDG25SHBL1 Child Lock
- Appliance Tip of the Day: Kenmore Dishwasher Front Panel Dead or Won't Start or Quits Mid-Cycle
- GE Dishwasher Fire Alert
- Appliance Tip of the Day: Dishwasher Drainology
- Appliance Tip of the Day: Your Detergents Suck
- Appliance Recall Alert
- Appliance Tip of the Day: Properly Loading a Dishwasher
April 7th, 2006 at 11:24 pm
Atypical lifespan, but I have a Maytag WU-600 dishwasher, made in 1970.
I scored it 11 years ago and have been using it continuously ever since.
I have no allegiance to today’s Maytag stuff - like so many things, they don’t built ‘em like that anymore. The WU-600 was overcomplicated, but it was built like a tank and still does a great wash.
Service card:
- Diaphragm-type water level sensor seized up due to hard water deposits. Replacement still available from Maytag (expensive but still around!); instead, I hacked in a float tower using a combination of parts from later (junked) GE and Maytag dishwashers.
My fault:
- Before changing the water level sensor, with the dishwasher’s circuit OFF, I accidentally bumped the sani-cycle thermostat while wiggling the sensor to get the dishwasher to fill. Good spark show when plugged in; scavenged a new thermostat off a junked Admiral dishwasher and installed it.
Restoration:
- I must be crazy, but I love this thing and have moved it three times. The movers think I’m nuts each time. I have one of those woefully underpowered GEneric (capitalization not accidental) plastic tub dishwashers someone paid me $20 to haul away; fixed it in about 10 minutes. When time permits, I’ll put the GE into service, disassemble the Maytag, and have its tub and racks sandblasted and refinished.
(Note that I’ve also got vintage Maytag washers and dryers; until the mid 1990s, most Maytag stuff was built to last and usually worth fixing.)
April 7th, 2006 at 11:27 pm
Oh yeah, and the WU-600. It makes the floor shake. It makes the lights dim when it starts a wash. It uses loads of hot water. It breaks glasses if you’re too stupid to figure out how to load a dishwasher.
And it takes fried eggs off a poorly-seasoned cast iron frying pan.
I swear, I’d marry it if it were legal.