Burning Smell in a Danby Dishwasher

Sniffing it Out

• You need to pull the dishwasher unit out from the wall to gain access to the rear of the machine. For safety’s sake, unplug it while you work. Pop open the front access door and look at the upper interior of the door, where you should see a panel of black mastic insulation material meant to protect the wiring from water exposure. Smell this area. If the burning scent is strong, chances are the wires have gotten too close to the material and are causing the mastic to melt, which in turn causes the smell. Now comes the remedy.

Finding the Wires

• You can find all the holding screws that hold the unit’s front panel to the door by looking around the perimeter. Depending on what exact model of Danby machine you have, there’ll be six to 10 in all. Grab a Phillips head screwdriver and remove all the holding screws to loosen the door lining enough to pry it away. This gives you access to the wiring that lies beneath that black mastic panel.

Wrap Up

• An inspection of the wiring should reveal indication of melting. If there is, this is the culprit behind the burning smell. All you need to do is wrap electrical tape around as much as the wiring as you can. This acts as an insulator against the heat created by the electrical charge, the same charge that's melting the black material. Plug the unit and run it through a cycle. If the smell returns, move on to the next section. If not, you're done.

Other Possibilities

• The drain tube that channels water from the machine to the main pipe via a connection with the sink could become clogged over time. If a clog exists, try unclogging it by using a blast of canned air. If no clog is present or you’ve successfully unclogged the line, check the food trap underneath the swing-arm and clean out any debris. If this doesn’t fix the smell, locate the heating coils (check the manual for their location on your model) and wipe them down with warm water mixed with a mild detergent. If all else fails, consult the manual for warranty information or call a licensed Danby repair person.