I have dishwasher problems...need diagnostic help please!

Hi everyone ~

Dishwasher does not start but motor hums - the thing is about 9 years old, Kenmore, and has had no issues until this morning when I tried to run a load. I latched and re-latched the door, clicked through the cycle slowly to see if it would engage, and I got nothing but the motor hum. After 5 minutes, even that stopped. (thermal shutdown?).

What do you think? Motor shot? something jammed that need to be freed?

Thanks in advance,

Bluesman

Reply to
hotblues20
Loading thread data ...

Is water coming in? Go to

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and
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for some steps to diagnose. Cold be a bad motor if you have water but nothing else.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Could be the motor, or other things as well. Does it fill with water? It won't run until it has filled. Perhaps the issue is the water supply or inlet valve...?

More help here:

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Reply to
jackson

No water, no nothing...just the humming noise.

Something to do with the starter sequence? Door latch? Timer motor? WTF?

THanks,

Bluesman

Reply to
hotblues20

check grinder for something stuck jamming motor.

Reply to
hallerb

check grinder for something stuck jamming motor.

Reply to
hallerb

I'm a software guy, not an appliance repairman, but I think the water has to fill enough to raise the internal float switch before the rest of the cycle can run.

I would suspect the electrically controlled valve that turns the water on and off.

If there's voltage to the water valve but no water, replace the valve. No voltage to the valve, work backwards from there.

Jerry

Reply to
jerry_maple

Thanks for the replies, I found this:

GE - Hotpoint, McClary, Moffat style dishwasher just hums (some Kenmore, Jenn-Air ): If this style of a dishwasher sits unused for a period of time the seals in the motor and pump can get frozen together. Sometimes high minerals in the water also can stick the seals together and the motor cannot turn on, often the dishwasher will fill with water and just sit there "humming". Usually this is fairly easy to repair and get going again. Remove power and access panels....reach in with your hand and turn the cooling fan blade a turn to break it free, reinstall power and try the unit. If this "sticking" keeps reoccurring, the motor and pump assembly will probably need to be replaced.

So I am going to check out the motor...while I am down there I will check for things that might be sticking as well.

I don't mind buying another dw if I have too, but I will feel better if I can fix it.

Bluesman

Reply to
hotblues20

The above indicates that the dishwasher will fill with water, but the motor doesn't turn.

In an earlier post in this thread, you indicated the dishwasher was not filling either.

Still think you need to look at the water inlet valve.

And, the following link,

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that the float switch is another possibility. If the float switch is bad or stuck, it could be telling the inlet valve that the tub is full, so no more water for you.

Just another possibility.

Hope this helps, Jerry

Reply to
jerry_maple

If the fill valve solenoid is sticking, it can buzz also.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

you can always add a bucket of water to see if the unit runs with water in it.

good diagnostic step

Reply to
hallerb

Yup - that's a good plan. It won't run until it has water. Could be a controller, the water inlet valve, who knows, but it sure doesn't sound like the motor at this point....

Reply to
jackson

Just wanted to do a follow-up. The issue was stuck motor seals. I removed the lower panel, broke free the motor fan, and it fired right up!

Thanks for your help everyone. It would have been a shame to ditch a d/w for something so small.

Later,

Bluesman

Reply to
hotblues20

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