KitchenAid dishwasher not cleaning well

[jjsunshine]

Hi everyone!


My mom has a KitchenAid dishwasher from 2007 — model #KUDS03FTSS — and it's having an issue with the top rack not cleaning properly. After a cycle, glasses and dishes still have food residue on them. The bottom rack washes okay, but not great.


I did the cup test by placing an upside-down cup in each corner of the top rack, and after the cycle, they barely had any water in them.


The dishwasher fills for approximately 1 minute and 30 seconds during each part of the wash cycle. While there isn’t a lot of water in the tub, it does appear to be enough — at least visually.


Here’s what I’ve done so far:

• Replaced the water inlet valve
• Replaced the control board
• Completely cleaned the filter and chopper blade
• Inspected the check valve flapper
• Removed and checked the wash arms for blockages

The spray arms are moving during the cycle, but despite all of this, the top rack still isn’t getting enough water to clean properly.


Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated — thank you!

 

[dermacie]

I had a similar problem and my upper arm was really clogged. I have the Kitchenaid dishwasher with the filters at the bottom and the bottom filter was apparently warped. It was letting particles clog the arm. I replaced the filters with new and replaced the upper arm it’s actually ( under the upper rack) and the machine works like new again.

 

[phillymatt53]

Good chance the supply hose from the pump to the upper spray arm is clogged.
Pour a cup of CLR in the machine and run it through a cycle.

 

[lakewebsterkid]

Our supply hose was slightly clogged. I removed the flow restrictor, and the machine performed significantly better. With advanced age, I would imagine that this could be a culprit. Though if she is using rinse aid, it can cause over sudsing as most of these machines add a little rinse aid during the wash for some odd reason.

 

[pstehle]

Mine's about 9 years old, and quit cleaning well a year or so back. Turned out the pump motor had quit, but they're so quiet it was hard to tell by listening. Yours would seem to be running if it's still cleaning the lower rack. Whirlpool wanted $225 for a new one, found an aftermarket replacement from a place in Lancaster I used to buy from. Less than $65 shipped to my door, and it's identical right down to the stamped markings to the original... It's got a brushless DC motor with laminations not much bigger than a bathroom vent fan, and a nice little PC board on it, so they can make sure it craps out before it should. A pre-Whirlpool Kitchenaid would only ever have needed it's 1/3hp motor replaced if the seal failed, and you let it go too long. And there would NEVER have been a question as to whether it was running or not!

 

[phillymatt53]

Mine's about 9 years old, and quit cleaning well a year or so back. Turned out the pump motor had quit, but they're so quiet it was hard to tell by listening. Yours would seem to be running if it's still cleaning the lower rack. Whirlpool wanted $225 for a new one, found an aftermarket replacement from a place in Lancaster I used to buy from. Less than $65 shipped to my door, and it's identical right down to the stamped markings to the original... It's got a brushless DC motor with laminations not much bigger than a bathroom vent fan, and a nice little PC board on it, so they can make sure it craps out before it should. A pre-Whirlpool Kitchenaid would only ever have needed it's 1/3hp motor replaced if the seal failed, and you let it go too long. And there would NEVER have been a question as to whether it was running or not!

My old kitchenaid Dishwasher has, from what I heard, a 1/2 HP motor in it, built like an industrial machine.
....after 50 years, it's still churning out sparkling clean dishes.