whirlpool soap dispenser 'clicks' but doesn't open during cycle

Dishwasher Repair
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1

Hi, after 3 years of decent service (we bought a newly built house and this is the dishwasher that came with it, a basic unit but no bells and whistles). Anyhow, after the 3rd yr (just after the warranty ran out, of course! , I started to find that after a wash cycle, the soap dispenser was still closed. Nothing seemed to be clogging it, so I started to just listen to the click signalling that the door ‘should’ have opened, and I would manually open this soap dispenser myself… this worked for about a year or 2, then I started to notice that when I would manually open the door, almost all of the soap was already gone (essentially lost in the prewash that occurs before the initial ‘click’ I mentioned). So I gave up and just decided to wait until this click occurs and dump in the soap into the washer… OK, so now I just want this repaired and now worry about it. Is this a case of replacing the entire soap assembly AP3108078 or is there something else I may be missing? And if so, does anyone know why this silly thing only lasts 3 years???

Thank you for your help!

3

Hi,

Check the spring on the soap dish door. It’s number 10 in this diagram.

http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/model.aspx?model_id=5151840&diagram_id=29228766#d29228766

The spring if working should spring the door open once the latch releases it.

4

I need to clarify, if I push back the latch, the door springs open, I think the latch itself is troubled… I hear something inside click when the door should be opening, but the latch never follows thru and allow the door to swing open… any more thoughts?

Thanks!

-Normand