Repairing a KitchenAid Dishwasher's Pump Motor

Verify the Dishwasher Has Power

• Always verify that your dishwasher has power before deciding to replace or repair anything. If a breaker shut off in your home, the pump motor may be affected and the dishwasher won't fill or drain properly. If other components on the dishwasher are working, lights are lighting up or you hear the dishwasher making mechanical noises, it is getting electricity. If it stopped in midcycle and isn't working at all, a short or a blown breaker may be responsible and need investigating.

Access the Pump Motor

• Once you know the dishwasher has power, disconnect it or turn off the breaker while you work on fixing it to eliminate the risk of electrical shock. Remove the access panel at the bottom of the dishwasher by unscrewing it. Once the panel is off, open the dishwasher and pull out the lower rack, the spray tower and the spray arm. These are usually held in place with a bolt that needs undoing. You'll now have access to the pump and its motor. Unhook the wiring harness from it and disconnect the drain hose. Lift the pump out of the housing to examine the motor.

Inspect the Motor

• The motor sometimes gets debris from the dishes stuck in it. Broken glass, food refuse and other small items can jam the motor and impede its function. This type of damage may break the motor entirely, but you might be able to restore function to the motor by picking these pieces out of it and rinsing the motor off thoroughly. If the rubber seal on the pump motor has been breached and the motor looks to be leaking water, it is safer to replace it outright instead of trying to repair it to avoid the risk of leaks.

Replacement

• With the old pump motor already removed, everything is already setup for a replacement installation. Replace the entire pump as well as the motor to avoid the risk of a leak from trying to connect the old pump with the new motor. Plus, the old pump may have contributed to the motor failure, so it's more effective to replace the whole unit. Slide the new pump and motor into the dishwasher and reconnect the drain hose and the wiring harness. Put the spray tower and arm back in and bolt them back in place before resetting the rack. Restore power to the dishwasher and run a test cycle. If the motor works, put the access panel back on the front. Call KitchenAid directly at 800-422-1230 if you still have problems.