Category Archives: Dishwasher Repair

Whirlpool Quiet Partner II Dishwasher No Longer a Partner: No Washee Da Dishes

Mary wrote:

I have a whirlpool quiet partner II dishwasher model # du1148xtpb9. I installed it 2-2006 it worked great for a little over a year. A little noisy but did the job. Well it has stopped washing all together. It will mist the dishes and fill the bottom of the washer and it will drain when you push the cacle button but when the wash cycle is supposed to start all it does is make noise and no water. So no washing. Any ideas would be greatly apperciated.

You need to install a new motor-pump assembly in your dishwasher. Not too bad a job but the part ain’t ezzacly cheap. On some models with this same design, such as Kitchenaid-branded ones, the motor-pump assembly was covered by a five-year warranty. In reviewing the warranty guide for your dishwasher, however, it appears that the pot-bellied, bald-headed Buddha hath not grinned down upon you ‘cuz your warranty is for just one year on everything. As we say in the Dojo, “Solly, Chollie!”

But, since your dishwasher is only three years old, Whirlpool may send you a new motor-pump assembly at no charge or half price. It could happen. And pigs once flew outta my…

Sadly, this is a common problem with this otherwise highly mediocre dishwasher. Happily, it’s a plug n’ chug job. If you can fog a mirror and use your opposable thumb, you can do dis thang– it’s a scant 12-ounce mug on the world-famous SUDS-o-meter. I even have a step-by-step guide for you ratcheer. So come git you a new motor-pump assembly and do it to it!

To learn more about your dishwasher, or to order parts, click here.

Locating the Series Number on Maytag Appliances

Lots of times, when you’re working on Maytag appliances, you need to know the series number to order the correct part. Not to be confoosed with the model number, the series number refers to different production series within the same model. In the world of manufacturing, it’s common to substitute originally-specified components with upgraded or re-designed ones based on failure reports from the field. Since these component changes may affect other components in the machine, which may have been modified, you need a way to keep track of what component goes with which production run. In the Maytag world, this is done via “series numbers.” Series numbers are simply the first two digits of the serial number, located on the model number tag, like ahso:

ZZ7C73FA40.jpg

If you’re having trouble locating the model number tag on your appliance, come feast your bloodshot squinties on these diagrams.

Kitchenaid Dishwasher Goes Through the Cycles Really Fast

JKJK65 wrote:

Kitchenaid undercounter dishwasher KUDM01TJWHO

When you press start the normal and wash light comes on and sounds like water starts for about 5 seconds then water heating light comes on for 2 seconds then rinse light then the dry light and then the clean light all for about 2 seconds each then the clean light goes right out instead of staying on. It basically goes through all the cycles in about 11 seconds. If I press one of the special options the light will not stay on. The motor all sounds a little like it is binding, but not sure. This all started when my son was pushing all the buttons. Not sure if it is a coincidence or he did something. Any help would be appreciated, Thanks

Sounds like your son managed to put the dishwasher in sales demo mode. There’s a keypad dance to change it’s tune.

Press the following key sequence in less than 3 seconds:

High Temp – Air Dry – Air Dry – High Temp – Air Dry – Air Dry

To learn more about your dishwasher, or to order parts, click here.

Visualize Your Appliance Repair Experience

Appliance Breakdown Diagrams

Grok on these mind-expanding, interactive breakdown diagrams of various appliances so you can see how they’re put together. An indispensible troubleshooting and repair aid! Just click on the appliance you’re working on and run your mouse over the diagrams. It’ll popup pictures of the various key components inside as well as give you insight into how to disassemble. It’s the miracle of Flash!

If you need more detailed help, start a new topic in the Samurai Appliance Repair Forum and we can get you more info.

Air Conditioning

Dehumidifiers

Dishwashers

Disposals

Dryers

Freezers

Ice Makers

Microwave Ovens

Ovens, Ranges, and Stoves

Refrigerators

Trash Compactors

Washing Machines

What Brand of Kitchen and Laundry Appliances Would the Samurai Buy?

John wrote:

I need to buy all new kitchen and laundry appliances. Which brand would you stick with (Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, Maytag). I am looking for a frenchdoor and all appliances should match…Stainless too.

Thanks,

John

Let us open our Appliantology hymnals to the Second Law of the Prophecy wherein it is written, “All appliances break.” With this wisdom firmly implanted in that muck betwixt our ears, we begin to see your question from a new perspective.

Like so many propagandized Ameedicans victimized by the slick marketing campaigns assaulting us in the corporate media organs, we see that you have placed aesthetics ahead of practical considerations, such as repairability. In other words, you have placed more importance on form over function, exactly as you have been programmed to do as a good little consumer.

But fear not, my mushy-headed grasshopper, for the Samurai is here to break the spell that the marketing wizards have placed you under. Lo, with his mighty katana, he shall cut asunder the chains of your programming and free you from the trap of mindless consumerism! Let us begin by re-phrasing your question in the way the Samurai would ax it, “Knowing that all modern appliance brands and models are mediocre at best and that all fall short of the glory of the Samurai, which piece of junk am I going to have the easiest time fixing?”

Ahh, Grasshoppah, now you’re beginning to pierce the veil and to do what we professional appliantologists call, “critical thinking.” Using this new, enlightened paradigm, which emphasizes function over form and recognizes the Second Law of the Prophecy, the question further reduces to, “Which appliance manufacturers make their service manuals and technical bulletins freely and readily available to professional appliantologists as well as Joe Do-it-yourselfer?” Eggzellent question, my querying grasshoppah, domo fer axin’!

Currently, there are only three brands which make their service information freely available: Whirlpool (which includes Kitchenaid, Roper, and Maytag brands), Frigidaire (which includes Electrolux brands), and Dacor (which includes, well, just Dacor). Emphasis on the word, “currently” because Whirlpool is considering restricting access to their technical information to professional appliantologists only– you can thank the over-abundance of lawyers and the bidness-killing tort system in Ameedica for that.

At the other end of the information spectrum are companies that are very restrictive with their technical service information and, for that reason, I would never even consider buying their stuff. The worst offenders in the infowar are Viking and GE. In the case of Viking, they’re not only tight-fisted with their service manuals, but their ranges are the shoddiest on the market. And you get to pay a premium price tag just to have the “Viking” badge in your kitchen. Viking is the poster boy of what I mean by placing form over function.

Awwite, armed with this sacred wisdom and enlightened perspective, gird up thy loins and go git ’em!

Older Whirlpool or Kitchenaid Dishwasher Won’t Wash

Awwite, now listen up: this post applies to the older style Whirlpool / Kitchenaid dishwashers (yes, Kitchenaid is a Whirlpool brand– it’s supposedly Whirlpool’s higher end line) with the motor-pump assembly that looks like this. An example model number is kuds25shwh1. If the motor-pump assembly in your Whirlpool or Kitchenaid dishwasher looks like this, then you’re reading the wrong post; you need this one.

Here’s a typical problem description: the dishwasher will program to wash, it fills, the sensing light comes on, and then just sits there forever. If you hit reset, the motor comes on to pump out. But the motor never turns on to wash.

Since this dishwasher does not have a separate drain pump– it drains by reversing the direction of the motor– you may be seduced into thinking that there’s something wrong with the motor windings, like maybe one of them is burned out. You may even go plunk down some Federal Reserve Notes for a new motor-pump assembly, go through the hassle and pain to install it, and then eat your liver when you discover that, after all that, it didn’t fix the problem. Now perhaps you’re ready to listen to an old Samurai.

Let’s use that swirling muck betwixt our ears for something besides warehousing vaccine neurotoxins. For the motor to run, it needs a valid power supply, in this case, 120vac. So, if the motor isn’t running, your first question should be, “Is the motor getting voltage?”

To check this, you’ll need the wiring diagram (located behind the kickplates in a plastic pouch) and your voltage sensing light stick. When the dishwasher is in wash mode– and should be washing but ain’t– then put your light stick on the wires to the motor. No light, no voltage. Therefore the motor ain’t the problem; you got yourself a control problem.

You can get real anal retentive at this point and check the continuity of the wires going to the motor to make sure they’re all good. Or you can just heed the voice of experience telling you that the problem is almost always the control board (item 19). Easy job, just be sure to cut the breaker to the dishwasher before tearing the control panel apart. Conveniently, you can buy the control board ratcheer!

control board for a whirlpool dishwasher-- come git you one!

To learn more about your dishwasher, or to order parts, click here.

GE Triton Dishwasher Makes Weird Rumbling Sound while Washing

Your GE Triton dishwasher is making a weird sort of rumbling sound when it’s washing, sort of sounds like the spray arm is loose. In your befuddled poking around, perhaps you pulled the lower spray arm out and ran it but, lo, it still makes the noise when washing. You don’t hear the noise during the drain cycle.

Sublime Master of Appliantology Pegi offered this appliance repair wisdom in the Samurai Appliance Repair Forum. Ahh, grasshoppah, can you snatch this pebble from her hand?

The sound is almost always caused by a worn docking cone “O” ring on the main conduit. When the docking cone “O” ring wears, the mid level spray arm conduit is no longer constrained and it can vibrate against the docking cone, making the “growling” or vibrating sound. The recommended repair for this problem is to replace the titanium or gray docking cone.

More Posts on GE Triton Dishwashers

To learn more about your dishwasher, or to order parts, click here.