Whirlpool dishwasher

[GMFan]

Most dishwashers are fairly simple appliances and are not complicated to repair. One of the best things you can do for your dishwasher is pre-rinse dishes so there’s not much food stuff left on them when you load dirty dishes.

 

[Pablo]

Get a Bosch and be done with it.

I am all for repairing items but with most all 10 year old or more dishwashers it will just be part after part.

 

[repairman54]

Get a Bosch and be done with it.

Ha ha ha. Nothing like having to pull the entire tub off the frame to change a wash motor, heater or their sensors. Big POS.
Not to mention the one-color wiring bundles of brown and yellow.
Only Whirlpool built stuff in my house.
On the no fill issue the float switch may or may not cut power to the fill valve. Wiring diagram / tech sheet should be attached to the back of the toe panel.
That odd ball raised installation is a nightmare '80's thing. Along with cabinet makers trimming every little crack and crevice due to OCD.

 

[SatinSilver]

Have you tried cleaning/replacing the water filter(strainer)? It might be so clogged up from gunk preventing it from filling with water. They can get nasty quickly. Similar to their ice maker's on refrigerators. If you don't replace the water filter frequently enough the ice maker will stop making ice because the filter is too clogged up. You will notice the water flow slowing down when you fill a cup with filtered water from the fridge.

 

[Pablo]

Ha ha ha. Nothing like having to pull the entire tub off the frame to change a wash motor, heater or their sensors. Big POS.
Not to mention the one-color wiring bundles of brown and yellow.
Only Whirlpool built stuff in my house.
On the no fill issue the float switch may or may not cut power to the fill valve. Wiring diagram / tech sheet should be attached to the back of the toe panel.
That odd ball raised installation is a nightmare '80's thing. Along with cabinet makers trimming every little crack and crevice due to OCD.

Calling a Bosch DW a big POStuff?

Only brand I don’t have to work on in 6 years or whenever. I got tired of Whirlpool croaking prematurely frankly. Interesting perspective.

 

[repairman54]

46 years as a on-site tech working on Bosch appliances gives me gravitas.

 

[Pablo]

46 years as a on-site tech working on Bosch appliances gives me gravitas.

Multiple homes, rentals, relatives, friends experiencing death of Whirlpool and others in 50 years has driven us to Bosch DWs.

 

[Pablo]

46 years as a on-site tech working on Bosch appliances gives me gravitas.

The thing you speak of is not necessarily reliability. Your earned respect is relative MTTR. I have zero knowledge there because I’ve never had to repair a Bosch.

Are there better DWs? Of course yes.

 

[Donald]

Ha ha ha. Nothing like having to pull the entire tub off the frame to change a wash motor, heater or their sensors. Big POS.
Not to mention the one-color wiring bundles of brown and yellow.
Only Whirlpool built stuff in my house.
On the no fill issue the float switch may or may not cut power to the fill valve. Wiring diagram / tech sheet should be attached to the back of the toe panel.
That odd ball raised installation is a nightmare '80's thing. Along with cabinet makers trimming every little crack and crevice due to OCD.

Well the house was built in 2000 or 2001 and I think the kitchen was redone at some point.

 

[97prizm]

My Whirlpool dishwasher will not fill with water. It's run fine for years. Then this started. It happened a week or two ago and I fooled with cycles, moved float up and down (was down and not stuck) and it worked for a few days. Now it back to not filling. Don't have little kids who might hide under the sink and turn water supply off.

So it does seem to move through the cycles and ends. Display goes off. But no washing of dishes.

Replaced the fill valve solenoid and no help.

So there is a float valve micro switch, door micro switch and control board.

I think if the door micro switch were not working it would not move through the cycles.

So float micro switch or control board. I ordered both.

I can test float micro switch with ohm meter. I am guessing when the float is down the micro switch is closed. So if the micro switch failed open then it would never let in water.

Assuming that's not the issue then control board. There are three control boards. But two handle the display and buttons.

I cannot find a real appliance tech trouble shooting guide. Talked to Whirlpool and they do not have one, at least not that they will share with me.

Other ideas.

I'm thinking the float or the timer. When I worked maintenance we had dishwashers fail repeatedly. It was usually the timer which would cause the diverter valve to overheat and fail.

 

[Donald]

Well it's not the float micro switch. I pulled it out and it tests open/shorted as expected depending if button is pushed or not.

 

[Donald]

So is the float and associated micro switch the way the dishwasher determines it was enough water to start the cycle or more of a safety to prevent the dishwasher from overfilling. If it's a safety to prevent overfilling then how does the dishwasher determine it was enough water to start the cycle? Timed?

 

[kschachn]

Well the old one was not open nor a dead short so coil is probably OK. Since new one did not fix the problem an educated guess is that they are both OK as far as coil and valve go.

And you’re getting voltage to the solenoid when the dishwasher is supposed to fill?

 

[Donald]

And you’re getting voltage to the solenoid when the dishwasher is supposed to fill?

I can hear the water coming and the slight bang in the water system when the valve closes.

It seems like not enough water comes in.

 

[MParr]

Welcome to the disposable appliance era. Today if you get 10 years from a dishwasher, you're lucky.

I guess that I’m a lucky one. I have a 10.5 year old Whirlpool and it’s still going strong.

 

[Donald]

I guess that I’m a lucky one. I have a 10.5 year old Whirlpool and it’s still going strong.

Ok. I am unlucky. In past month, dishwasher broke, lawn mower half broke, root canal, colonoscopy and the absolute worst thing, my Mason dog (another thread) had to be put to sleep.

 

[Donald]

The top 10 dishwashers in Consumer Reports are all Bosch. Whirlpool is there but down aways in the rankings.

 

[Pablo]

The top 10 dishwashers in Consumer Reports are all Bosch. Whirlpool is there but down aways in the rankings.

Because they are quiet and they last. Some models rinse better than others and all have the same drain mesh that cannot be neglected

 

[Rand]

side story new gas water heater that plumber installed at the MIL's leaks.
Plumber moved the expansion tank to a 3 way right on top of the water heater.
Old location plugged and drips.. for 10days before I got over to look at it.

Off topic The plumber came back and replaced the whole pipe with new.. including a ball valve that was crusty and should have been replaced anyway.
but charge was $0.00 which is why I still am ok with this particular plumbing company.

although the week plus of it dripping on the floor could have been bad.. its on slab so not super bad.

So maybe repairman is saying when bosch does break it is terrible to fix.. I can relate to that on the deere tractors I work on.
engine has to come out for a starter replacement on the one.

but to me if I was paying someone to fix it I'd want the one that rarely needs fixed.

if any of this stuff is 5+ years old and I cant fix it.. Its going to the curb.

My maytag(whoever makes that now) has been very nice and a huge improvement over the builder grade 100% plastic the house came with.

 

[Donald]

Because they are quiet and they last. Some models rinse better than others and all have the same drain mesh that cannot be neglected

Whats in an $1800 Bosch vs a Bosch series 300 for $1000?