MDB8951AWW10 Maytag Dishwasher - Instructions

I first listened carefully and noticed that during cycling, the electric motors could be heard starting, stopping, and apparently running normally during both wash and emptying cycles. However, no water was being pumped around during the wash cycles, while emptying (which uses a different motor) worked normally throughout all cycles. Thus it seemed to me that the electronic programming was working correctly in turning both motors on and off as necessary. So I figured somehow the wash motor impella was not turning and pumping water, despite the fact that the motor was indeed running correctly. So I removed all the plastic housings, the screwed on impella, and the metal chopper at the base of dishwasher. Then I was able to easily pry the old plastic chopper sleeve right off of the electric motor shaft (normally it is screwed on and cannot be pryed off). Since the plastic threads inside the chopper sleeve were completely stripped, the motor shaft would turn but the impella would slip on the shaft and not be driven. The replacement sleeve was much better constructed (metal not plastic). It could be easily screwed on to the motor's driveshaft after lifting the old rubber seal and gently holding the motor shaft with a pliers (carefull to avoid scratching the shaft). I removed the old rubber seal nd replaced it with the new one from the kit, right over the newly installed metal chopper sleeve. Next, I easily centered the metal chopper sleeve and pressed in the new seal after reinstalling the plastic/metal chopper screen, using the temporary jig included in the kit. Then the jig was discarded and the impella simply screwed onto the chopper sleeve (using the appropriately threaded hold-down screw provided in the kit). Finally, the rest of the plastic hardware is screwed in place. Waahhlaa...now impella is motor driven again and blows water hard into the dishwasher during the wash and rinse cycles. Total cost of job to do-it-yourself, $29.50 including shipping (which only took three working days). Estimated job if down by appliance repairman, $140 (assuming the repairman didn't first erroneously blame the problem on faulty electronics then charge you hundreds of $$'s to replace circuits which were not broken to begin with, only to find the dishwasher still not washing/rinsing after his expensive electronic circuit replacements. The actually mechanical fix was cheap and simple. Truthfully, there is no excuse for Jenn Aire to ever use a plastic Chopper Sleeve in their dishwashers to begin with.......carefully planned obsolesence if you ask me. Oh well, it works perfect now. I doubt if even the four marbles my 4 year old had tried earlier to wash in my dishwasher (stripping out the original chopper sleeve) would do any damage to the metal replacement. However, I don't plan on testing my hunch. A simple fix, but a slightly challenging diagnosis which relied on a keen sense of hearing and a quiet workplace. Seems many people in these blogs have had the very same problem with their Jenn Air/Maytag dishwashers, and have made the same diagnosis and the same simple fix. Thank you mucho, PartSelect.

Removed the bottom tray. Removed the two clips in the top tray guides and removed the top tray. Removed the top spray arm and transfer tube by unclipping it from the top and at the back and then rotated it down and out. Removed the six screws around the upper pump housing and removed it along with the bottom spray arm. Removed the three screws holding the filter protector plate and removed it. Removed the two screws holding the accumulator / flow plate and removed it. Put it back together in reverse order careful to not over tighten the screws.

Unfortunately, my experience was unlike that of the other people who posted. While everything did go back together it was very difficult to get it all to press down tightly enough to tighten each set of screws. The project took about 2.5 hrs and I still don't think it is exactly right. I'm still going to have a professional out to finish the job. Also, the tool needed to complete the job was nothing fancy, but also not in everyone's home tool kit.

First I watched the repair video provided at your site. Once I got the right part, it went like a breeze. Just a phillips head screw driver and 5 minutes of my time. Speaking if the right part.... I would suggest that you remove the 'LATCH-DOOR-NO Handle' from your parts list.It only cause confusion in ordering the part I needed, and a loss of several days time in the repair cycle.
All in all, a good repair experience. I would reccommend you to my " Do It Yourself" friends.
Thanks,
Harold L.

The original piece is 100% plastic (with metal shields only to prevent burning). The bushing of the arm was badly worn out in one side. The arm was no turning properly or at the end no turning at all. I decide to drill the new part in order to fit a brass bushing inside (1/4" ID, 5/16" OD, about 2" long). I expect it will last considerable longer. I would say this is a typical "defective by design" problem.

The repair was much simpler than I had anticipated. I just started removing screws, remembering what screws went where, and carefully removed the parts I needed to until I could get to and remove the filter unit. Installing the new unit was a snap, then it was just a matter of putting everything back together.

I remove the inner door panel, disconnected two quick release connectors, unscrewed the old part from the inner panel and installed the new one.

The new part arrived quickly and was the perfect match.

from inside the door remove torx screws down each side and top , pull panel back , removed 6 screws from back of dispenser ,unplug 1 wire connection ,reverse procedure , real easy repair.

1.Disconnected the electricty 2. pulled the dishwasher from under the cabinet 3. tilted the washer on it's face (water supply was long enough and did not need to disconnected.)4. unscrerwed the 2 plastic nuts that hold the heating eliment in place. 5. tilted the dishwasher back upright and removed the old heating element. 6.put the new part in place had a helper tilt the washer forward while i tightened up the two plastic nuts to hold the part in place.7 reattached the elecrtic conectors to the heating element. 8. pushed the dishwasher back in place. 9 hook the electricity back up. During step 4 i had to remove the electric connectors from the old heating element.

Switch was not the same switch as what was in the unit, similar but switch was normally closed instead of open, so had to take the switch apart and change sides with the contacts! should be the same, but was not, so in the end worked fine after an adjustment!

I followed the you tube video exactly. Very easy to do. I did not tighten the screws sequentially as shown in the video, rather I did the opposite ones to make sure nothing was skewed. Very easy, about 20 minutes.

with dishwasher running I would open the door and notice the lower spray arm was not turning. I removed all parts in the tub and clean off all the accumulated gunk (likely combination of food and soap scum - like a white paste) . The accumulator screens where more than 50% clogged with no way to clean the inside. I replaced the accumulator part and the lower spray arm because 2 holes had gunk in them that would not come out. dishes are now getting clean and I am switching to liquid - no more powder as I suspect it caused the build up over time.

Impeller bolts to plastic chopper mount which is screwed to the top of the motor. Threads on chopper mount were stripped causing impeller to not spin fast enough (replacement mount, which is part of the chopper kit, is metal). Installtion was not difficult.
You have to reach underneath the washer and wedge a screwdriver on top of the motor to hold the shaft from moving.

I thought the door springs were broken so I ordered both springs and cables. After the parts arrived I removed the six screws that hold the dishwasher in place and slid the dishwasher out about five inches. Neither of the springs were broken but one of the cables was broken. I changed both cables, slid the dishwasher back in place and replaced the screws. The whole job took about 20 minutes. It was a very easy job.

First, I removed the screw, then I took off the old wash arm, then I replaced the wash arm, and replaced the screw. Nothing could be easier!