MDB8951AWQ Maytag Dishwasher - Instructions

I have done two repairs, and both times PartSelect.com came to the rescue! The first repair was a few years ago when the dishwasher would run but nothing got wet. It made all the right noises except the sound of water being thrown around, because no water was being pumped! This resulted from a cheap plastic "chopper" assembly that stripped and wouldn't drive the impeller. PartSelect sold me a solid metal replacement part for under $10 and that fixed the problem for several years.

Recently, we had a different problem where the dishwasher completely haulted and the wash motor wouldn't run. This was caused by a faulty impeller, another cheap plastic part. The wash impeller fragmented around the drive shaft to where it sat uneven and thus created too much resistance for the motor to drive it. I removed the impeller, superglued the plastic parts together so that I could then wrap them in copper wire (about 1mm diameter), and then I hot-glued over the copper wrapping to secure the entire thing and to help keep water out of it. I did this so that we could wash dishes while we waited for the new impeller. Well the new impeller came several days early and so far I have just been too lazy to go remove the makeshift part. I figure it will fail sooner or later and then I will install my new part which should give me at least 9 more years of trouble free washing!

Four screws were removed and new parts were installed. The only problem was that two types of rack adjusters exist. If your dishwasher does not have a lever, part number PS2100470, then the new rack adjuster either left or right side will not work without part numbers PS2100470(lever) and PS2100308(cover). Be sure to order parts for both sides since the original plastic wheel supports have been replaced with steel.

I'm telling this story for my husband who is a pretty handy guy--I watched him do the repair. I had had someone out to look at the dishwasher and they said it would be $284 to fix this one little thing because you couldn't buy the one little part separately, you had to buy a whole new motor. Since the dishwasher is old, it didn't make sense to invest this much in it--might as well buy a new one for that kind of money. My husband did some looking around and found the part on your site and installed it himself. So the cost was under $40. The dishwasher is now working better than it had been for a while.

Took a while to figure out what had to be done. Brackets have to go under the metal frame which involves dropping the compartment. That is done by removing the screws which are hidden under the door gasket. Once I knew what had to be done it was simple.

Remove the water distributor, filtration plastic parts down to the base of the tub and clean of debris. Sometimes a small piece of plastic from the upper glass tray can break off and find its way into the bottom. Once its cleaned this section and be put back. Had to remove the unit from the cabinet and replace the drain motor and also cleaned the drain hose that runs to the garbage disposal. Most times this problem is caused by a blocked drain line or debris in the bottom of the tub constricting waster water from getting into the drain motor.

Slipped it on the upper rail.

Ordered a new basket. Tossed out the old one. Done

Took old one out And placed new one in dishwasher.

opened door---- took out old basket--threw it away. set new basket in its place!!!!

Remove the screws , opened door panel. Removed switch with latch and replaced with new parts. Replaced panel and screws. Install completed.

Pulled the removable end caps off of the sliding track that the wheels roll on and then pulled the top tray out of the dishwasher (works like a sliding drawer in your kitchen). Removed a half dozen hex screws and threw out the old wheel housing. Set the new wheel housing and new wheels in its place and re-inserted the hex screws. Slid the top tray back into the sliding track and re-inserted the end caps. Done.

Unsnapped broken part from DW and snapped in new part.

seeing as how my husband was out of town, I inserted a regular flatware knife in each of the four slots that held the handle in place on the basket. I then slowly pushed down on the handles of the knives on opposite sides of each other to unlock the handle from two slots on the basket and then went on to push down on the other two flatware knives on the opposite sides...sure enough, the handle came right off...less than 5 minutes in all to take the old handle off from the old basket and then snap it into place onto my newly acquired basket.

I removed the screws around the top and halfway down the sides of the inside of the door. I found that you dont have to remove all 10 screws to access the assembly. Reach in and pulled out the assembly, there was enough slack to pull it out above the door. Pull the connectors off and slide the new ones on. Set the new assembly back in place, insert the 2 top screws first, and then the rest. That was it...very simple to change.

Replacement basket did not include handle so needed to pry old handle off broken unit to use on the new one. Used screw driver to pop loose clips which attached to basket. Had to stick tooth picks broken in half under them to hold out until all four clips were opened at once - then handle could be pulled off. Easily snapped it back on to the new basket and repair was done. Can't get any easier than this!