How to Troubleshoot KitchenAid Garbage Disposals

KitchenAid offers several garbage disposal models. While they are good at grinding most food materials, items such as clam shells, large bones, glass, china, plastic or metals should not be put down the disposal. A steady stream of cool water should always be run down the drain at the same time you are operating the disposal. Even if you are careful, a bottle cap or other object will occasionally slip into the drain, causing a jam. Sometimes dislodging the item is all that needs to be done to get the garbage disposal running again.

Wooden mop or broom handle
Wrenchette

Instructions

- 1
  Turn off the garbage disposal and faucet.
- 2
  Insert long metal tongs down the drain to see if an item is stuck in the disposal and causing the problem.
- 3
  Remove the item with the tongs.
- 4
  Use a wooden broom handle to gently un-jam the item if necessary. If there is nothing stuck in the drain or you have removed the item and the garbage disposal still does not work, go to the next step.
- 5
  Turn off the garbage disposal and faucet if you turned them on after removing the stuck item.
- 6
  Insert one end of the wrenchette into the hole at the bottom of the disposal. A wrenchette is a small hand tool shaped somewhat like a Z and will typically come with the disposal.
- 7
  Move the wrenchette back and forth until it has turned a complete revolution.
- 8
  Push the red reset button located on the bottom of the disposal, after the motor has cooled, to reset. It should take about 5 minutes to sufficiently cool before resetting.
- 9
  Check for blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers if the garbage disposal continues to not function.

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