My Kitchenaid dishwasher is not cleaning good at all, leaving soap residue and some food on the dishes. It used to clean great. There is also an orange and white film all over the dishwasher. The water is not hot, nor is the element when I touch it. Do I need to replace the element? or is something else the problem? Is there a thermostat or fuse that could be the problem? Where do I start? I looked up the element part and it comes with a computer board that needs to be replaced also, are they having problems with this? Does this involve pulling my dishwasher out?
Thank you for your help.
Here are your parts
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/modelsearch.aspx?model=KUDI01FKWH0
Here is the tech sheet
[https://secured.whirlpool.com/Service/SrvTechAdm.nsf/2cd44500d572193285256a45004fd9d6/4e8b0d2df77cd7e585256cd800643b6d/$FILE/KD01.pdf](http://www.servicematters.com/docs/wiring/Tech%20Sheet%20-%208531259.pdf"]http://www.servicematters.com/docs/wiring/Tech%20Sheet%20-%208531259.pdf[/URL]
And a tech bulletin on this kit
http://servicematters.com/docs/doc_main.htm
And finally a manual
[URL="https://secured.whirlpool.com/Service/SrvTechAdm.nsf/2cd44500d572193285256a45004fd9d6/4e8b0d2df77cd7e585256cd800643b6d/$FILE/KD01.pdf)
Do I need to replace the element? or is something else the problem?
Could be the element, the high-limit thermostat or the control board.
May even be the thermistor if your unit has one.
Where do I start?
I would check the heater for resistance, should be 20 ohms approximately.
Then check the hi-limit thermostat, should be 0 ohms.
Then is the control board providing voltage to the element when it should, should be 120 volts.
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I looked up the element part and it comes with a computer board that needs to be replaced also, are they having problems with this?[/COLOR]
I am assuming that yours is a stainless tub and yes there have been problems.
Does this involve pulling my dishwasher out?
Yes
Thank you for your answer. Now just need the time to try these things out.
— Begin quote from lheidema;263591
Thank you for your answer. Now just need the time to try these things out.
— End quote
OK, I ordered the new element with control board and replaced them both. The old element tested no good. Checked the thermostat and it was good. Fired up the dishwasher, but still no heat to the water. Now what? You said it could be the thermistor. What is the thermistor? Looked at parts and there is a thermister listed for this dishwasher. Is that the same part? Will replacing this part solve the problem?
Thanks for your input, lheidema
OK, I ordered the new element with control board and replaced them both. The old element tested no good.
I amk assuming then that your unit is stainless and the heating element included the board as part of the kit.
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What is the thermistor?[/COLOR]
A thermistor is a temperature sensing device, it changes resistance with temperature (see the tech sheet). The control board then uses this resistance to tell it when to heat the water.
Looked at parts and there is a thermister listed for this dishwasher. Is that the same part?
Yes, Item 25 in Section 8.
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Will replacing this part solve the problem?[/COLOR]
Cannot say it has to be checked with a meter.
You will notice that the resistance drops as temperature rises.
If there is a short in the wiring going to the thermistor the unit then thinks it is already hot and will not turn on the heat so also check the wiring from the control board to the thermistor.