If the unit does not wash for some reason, it is likely that the problem is in the breakdown of the valve, which is directly responsible for the water supply. Also, the matter may be directly in the circulation pump. Decreased efficiency is often seen with dirty filters and clogged sprinklers, since there is a strong effect on the internal racks in the amount of two pieces.
Assuming that all elements are functioning correctly, a heavily loaded shelf or errors during loading may be a possible cause.
The most common reasons why a Kenmore dishwasher won’t clean
If the cookware is not being washed at all or not being cleaned as it should be, there are 3 common reasons why this happens:
- malfunction in the area of the liquid supply valve;
- breakdown of the circulation pump;
- clogged filter.
Water inlet valve problem
In the system, the liquid must circulate in sufficient volume so that it can perfectly cope with its functions in terms of washing dishes and keeping them perfectly clean. The liquid supply valve is an internal element that controls the entire process.
If there is really little water, the device cannot fully wash dishes, which is provoked by a breakdown of the corresponding valve, which risks electrical or mechanical failure. There may be a lack of continuity inside the intake system. So, even if the device sends a signal to open the valve, it is impossible to do this. Mechanically, the element may even suffer from mineral deposits or from corrosion processes, which leads to its fixation in the “closed” position and allows for the prevention of filling with water.
Water supply valves are not repaired or cleaned, so they require a complete replacement. You can access them at the bottom of the appliance by placing the dishwasher on its back. After that, the fasteners are removed, the water and electrical connectors are removed too. As soon as the work comes to an end, the replacement can be carried out immediately.
Circulation pump problem
Machines such as this model are designed to provide maximum water savings. That is why they are designed to be reused by filtering out all the pieces of food that are left and other debris. An important role is played by the further redistribution of liquid to continue washing dishes. This whole process of control is precisely the circulation pump.
When an element fails, the water cannot go through a full cycle, as a result, a chain reaction is started when there is simply no water in the sprinkler for washing dishes, as well as for reuse. As a result, it will not be possible to clean the items located inside.
The circulation pump is only accessible in the bottom area of the device. First you need to put and fix the machine front up. Next, it remains to identify the location of the pump and disconnect its wired connector. Finally, it will not be difficult to unscrew the fastening screws and remove the problematic unit in order to put a new system in its place. Next, you just need to fix the pump in place and reconnect the connector.
Filter clogged
This mechanism is located directly in the pallet, to be more precise, at the very bottom of the device. It removes the remaining food particles and debris from the water before proceeding with recycling or draining. If the filter is really clogged, the water flow becomes limited and the appliance is not able to clean the dishes that were loaded.
You can solve the problem quite easily and quickly. All that is required is to remove the filter that has been clogged and also rinse it to avoid normal water flow. This particular model requires removing the lower basket and unscrewing the filter to remove it. After that, the system is thoroughly washed and again installed in the dishwasher.
Why is the top shelf not washable
If suddenly the user sees that the items on the basket from above are not being cleaned, it is likely that the wash arms are damaged, or that tall items were loaded into the shelf from below.
Clogged or damaged washer sleeve
Sprinklers are located on top, they are also located in the center between the racks. The device is responsible for pumping water through these very sleeves, and then spraying it to wash the dirt from the dishes. The force of this water forces the handle to rotate and ensures that the water reaches all objects in the appliance unambiguously.
In a situation where items are not washed as they should, we can talk about clogging or damage to the sleeve. A spray arm that is clogged or broken is unable to spray water efficiently, resulting in dirty dishes at the end of the wash cycle.
All that needs to be done is to remove the sprinkler that has been damaged and then inspect it carefully. Next, you can already clean all the holes that are clogged with a toothpick. Any breaks and cracks cannot be repaired, the atomizer always needs a complete replacement.
Loading items with a high height into the shelf from below
In this case, the bath is blocked, the middle lever loses its ability to rotate and is responsible for cleaning items already in the basket from above. You can prevent this situation by removing or moving tall objects within the rack from below. In addition, it is possible to turn the middle spray arm by hand to ensure that the wash cycle starts accurately.
Why can’t the bottom shelf be washed?
There are several points that must be considered.
Clogged or damaged wash arm from below
This hand is responsible for spinning and spraying, although it is aimed directly at the items that are located in the rack from below. The lower wash arm may also be clogged or damaged. In this case, the hand is not able to properly spray water on objects that are in the rack from below.
Holes that have been clogged can be easily cleaned with a toothpick. However, it is also necessary to remove and replace the lever if it is damaged. This is easy to do without any tools. It will be enough just to grab the hand in the center and pull hard on it.
Overloading or incorrect loading of the bottom shelf
An important role is played in practice by the rational loading of the basket for the device, especially the lower one. If everything is done correctly, each item of dishes will be washed as thoroughly as possible.
In the event of excessive load in the area of the lower basket, water and detergent cannot get on all the dishes, as well as cutlery. This happens for the simple reason that some items protect other items from sprayers and prevent them from being washed.
To solve the problem, you need to arrange the items in the rack from the bottom in accordance with the manuals. It is usually required to provide enough space between objects and maintain an optimal angle of inclination so that the spray can cover the surface of any object.
Reboot Features
There are two ways.
- You can simply disconnect the system from power, that is, remove the plug from the outlet or deactivate the automatic type switch, if any. Next, you need to leave the dishwasher for 5 minutes, and when this time passes, you can turn on the power again and continue using it.
- You can also simply reset the unit. To do this, enter the diagnostic mode, which will reboot the unit and run automatic tests to deal with errors.
It remains only to consider how exactly to start the diagnostic mode. The actions can actually be different according to what buttons are available on the control panel of the model. It is best to use the instruction and test such combinations:
- “drying with heating” – “normal”, this step must be repeated twice;
- “high-temperature wash” – “air drying”.
Also, it will not be difficult to sequentially press any 3 keys.
How to make a Kenmore machine drain water
This can be done forcibly in the middle of the cycle by pressing the cancel button and closing the door. This will cause the current cycle to be canceled and a 2 minute drain cycle will be forced to start.