How to Fix a Leak at the Heating Element of a Frigidaire Dishwasher

Disconnect The Power

• Go to your home electrical panel box and turn off the circuit breaker that powers the dishwasher. Most home electrical panel boxes have a schematic of the circuit breakers with the system controlled by each written by their number. Find the circuit breaker marked "dishwasher" and turn off the corresponding circuit breaker inside the panel box. Attempt to start a cycle on the dishwasher. If it starts, the wrong circuit breaker is off. Go back and find the correct one until the dishwasher does not run when you attempt to start a cycle.

Access the Heating Element

• Open the Frigidaire door and pull out the bottom dish rack. Close the door and remove the screws securing the bottom access plate to the dishwasher with a Phillips screwdriver. The access plate is the flat plate at the bottom of the dishwasher. Once you remove the screws, you have access to the bottom of the dishwasher and the ends of the heating element.

Remove the Heating Element

• Shine a flashlight under the bottom of the dishwasher and look up toward the bottom of the wash cabinet. There are two pieces of straight rods with a wire connecting to the end on each side of the pump motor at the center of the dishwasher. These are the ends of the heating element. Pull off each wire from each end of the heating element with your fingers. Twist the nuts securing the heating element to the dishwasher counterclockwise with a wrench. Once you have the nuts off both ends, slide off the flat washers. Open the dishwasher door, and lift the heating element out of the dishwasher.

Inspect Grommets

• Look at the rubber grommets on each end of the heating element. These grommets seal the opening in the bottom of the wash tub where the ends insert through to the bottom of the dishwasher. Most likely the grommets have cracks or tears that are causing the leaks. Pull the grommets off the heating element and purchase new ones that match exactly. Most appliance repair stores carry replacement grommets.

Replace Grommets

• Push the new grommets over each end of the heating element. The top of the grommet should be flush against the washer stop on each end. The washer stop is the portion of the heating element that looks like a washer, and is slightly larger in diameter than the holes in the dishwasher tub.

Install Heating Element

• Insert the ends of the heating element into the holes in the bottom of the wash tub. Close the dishwasher door. Reach under the dishwasher to thread the flat washers and nuts over the heating element ends. Once the nuts make contact with the dishwasher floor, tighten them evenly with a wrench. Push the wire ends over the terminal spades on each end of the heating element. Reinstall the bottom access plate, and turn the circuit breaker back on to power the dishwasher.