My KitchenAid dishwasher, about 13 years old, quit on me yesterday.
Food kept coming out dirty after 3 tries. I got out the manual, ruled out obvious items (float valve, e.g.) then checked the water input since there wasn't any in the bottom. I felt around the hole's exterior, scraped a little calcium? off, re-started dishwasher. Nada.
There is NO discussion of this problem in the manual. I called the help line; got somebody who said he had no idea.
No, I cannot afford a new one. (I washed dishes by hand before and can do it again!). The price of a service call plus parts would easily -- depending on cost of parts -- come to 1/3 the cost of a good though not fancy dishwasher (per Consumer Reports Aug 2008). Which argues for replacing a 13-year-old dishwasher, which I would do if I could.
So, does anybody have suggestions for diagnosing why no water comes in? And is it repairable by unhandy moi or nabe handyman?
TIA