Plugged KitchenAid Dishwasher

[speedymike]

My old KitchenAid Dishwasher, KDC-17, is plugged and water isn't draining out of it. The way to get it open isn't very intuitive and so I'd appreciate information on how to get to the filter or place that could be plugged and stopping it up. It sprays a little bit of water out when it goes through it's cycle but when the cycle is finished there is quite a bit of standing water left in the bottom.

It was in the house when I bought it and there was no owner's manual.

Thanks ahead of time.

Mike

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Remove the spray arm by lifting it off.

Clean around the screen in the center, then lift that off to clean it better.

Some models have a snap out piece of plastic under the screen, remove and clean.

Check the operation of the drain valve. It may either be now working or plugged. I had a cherry pit plug mine. That has to be done from the underside of the machine. Remove the bottom front panel.

[Art Todesco]

[Doug Kanter]

That last thing - the drain valve: On my Sears machine, it was clogged with just a little bit of some sort of vegetable stem that had turned into a little ball of fiber. The valve was white, and had a black rubber flapper inside. I removed just the drain hose and, assuming the flapper was part of the clog, ended up ruining it by sticking a hemostat through it. Don't make this same mistake. Remove the entire valve and check for clogs from the machine side, in really good light.