How To Repair A Broken Dishwasher
Repairing a dishwasher can seem like a daunting task, but 80% of dishwasher repairs are rated by our customers as “Easy” and on average, take less than 15 minutes to complete. To help get you started, we’ve broken down dishwasher repairs by the most common symptoms, like leaking or noisy. Click on the symptom your dishwasher is experiencing and we’ll show you how to troubleshoot the problem, what parts are at fault and how to get it repaired quickly and easily.
A defective pump could be the reason your dishwasher is making loud noises. The function of the pump is to pressurize the spray arms, and in most models, it is also used to drain the water. The pump sits at the bottom of the dishwasher and typically consists of two separate compartments; one for wash or circulation and the other for draining. The circulation part of the pump will typically consist of the wash impeller and the filter components while the drain portion will consist of a drain impeller and a chopper blade or in some cases, a solenoid operated diverter. The impellers are driven by an electric motor that is attached to the bottom or side of the pump.
How to test a dishwasher pump with a multimeter:
- Unplug your dishwasher before beginning this test; you will be handling electrical components.
- Remove the pump in order to test it. The pump is usually found behind the lower access panel.
- Using a multimeter on Rx1, place the probes onto the terminals to test for continuity. You should receive a reading of zero or nearly zero. To test the ground connection, with one probe still on a terminal, touch the other probe to the bare metal housing of the pump. You should not receive any reading from this test.
- If your test results do not match those above, you will need a replacement pump.
