WDF540PADM0 Whirlpool Dishwasher - Instructions

removed kick panel with screwdriver, 90 degree turn of screw. Put towel under drain pump. Disconnect drain hose by loosening spring clip with pliers to provide access to pump. released spring clip on old motor while turning counterclockwise to separate pump from drain reservoir. inspect drain reservoir from inside machine to remove any foreign objects. Installed new pump by indexing attachment flanges to notches in reservoir and turning pump clockwise until locking tab makes audible click. reattach drain hose insuring hose is contacting "stop" ribs on drain hose pipe. Run wash cycle on machine to insure there are no leaks. Re-attached kick panel.

Pulled washer out far enough to put 2x4’s under front feet. Removed front panel, I clipped wire connector and unplugged it. Pushed plastic locking lever in and twisted unit counterclockwise. Wiped inner rim and reversed above procedure to assemble.

The top and bottom parts of the lower wash arm were separating. This caused water to spray out the ends of the wash arm and come out the front of the dishwasher. In addition this water was not spraying upward resulting in dishes not getting cleaned. Took me a while to figure this out but the repair was simple.

pushed the new retainers in the holes and we are set to go

Screwed the cap on to the rinse aid receptacle.

The air just unscrews with one twist and the new arm twist right back on. No tools needs. Saved me $100 service call.

I had a common issue on many dishwashers, the final drain cycle was not draining but the pump was trying to turn. Also, the drain pipe was clean. This issue caused a burning smell, like a circuit board heating up. Half plastic smell, half electrical. I bought a replacement pump, followed the pump replacement video instructions from PartsSelect, and it was replaced in under 15 minutes without any tools.

Initial inspection of the issue and research suggested the door latch was malfunctioning / broken. I bought the part and expressed it home. The installation involved removing the door screws on the inside of the door, separating the front and back panels, unplugging the door latch, removing it from its niche and popping in the new one. Reverse the take apart and it was done. Very simple swap. Hardest part was juggling the two halves of the door and preventing the door for trying to close in the process as the bulk of the weight is in the outside half of the door.

The new part did not fix the issue. The door strike was the next part that could be broken / malfunctioning. I ordered that part as well and replaced it. In the process of replacing it I found that the original door strike had been installed upside down. I am guessing it was installed at just the right pitch, or maybe even bent at the manufacturing facility, so that it latched. No idea how it managed two years like that. I installed the new one correctly and the door latches perfectly. Both parts I removed from the unit I will retain if my new parts should fail in the future.

Open door and remove 12 T15 torx screws. Note that the 4 along the top edge are longer than the 8 along the sides. Lift the door panel upwards to remove the panel. Remove 6 screws securing the soap dispenser and metal bracket. Unplug the cable on the right side by pressing down on the locking tab. Note the position of the black plastic sheet that covers the back of the dispenser, and the white insulator on the right side. open the door part way and press down on the release for the dispenser on the outside of the door. The dispenser can now be removed from the inside of the door. Install the new dispenser and snap in place. Put the metal bracket back in place with the insulators and secure with the 6 screws. Re-install the shorter screws first, then the longer ones across the top.

Something had been loaded in the dishwasher that had gone thru the basket - it hit the arm sprayer and broke it off.

Replacement sprayer was exactly the same - the partselect website has very specific identification method so you get the proper part. You must have your model number.

I watched a you tube video which was referred by part select. This was helpful.

I did not realize at first that only part of the arm sprayer had broken off. The arm sprayer broke off, but there is a base to the arm sprayer that was still attached to the dishwasher. So I could not, of course , fit the new arm with its base over the existing base because they are the same size. Once I realized this, it was a simple replacement, following the youtube instructions. You do have to press and turn counter clockwise to get the old base off, but once that was done, the new sprayer arm, which arrived attached to the base, easily fit, and press hard to turn it clockwise to reattach it..

It has worked perfectly. It is a hard turn to get the arm sprayer off or on, which is good so it doesn't come loose during washing, but when replacing it, you aren't sure of why it won't turn. It is a hard turn. Watch the you tube video.

Rubber friction sleeves on each side of the door provide resistance to prevent the door from quickly opening when unlatched. Over time the friction sleeve may crack and fail. Two friction sleeves are required for repair. Install a new sleeve on each side of the dishwasher door near the spring connector at the bottom.

Open dishwasher door.

Remove the screw from the left and right bracket at top of dishwasher door opening. Brackets secure the dishwasher to the countertop.

Gently pull the dishwasher forward to expose the door spring on each side of door at bottom.

Unhook the plastic spring connector from the left door spring hook by pulling the connector slightly forward and lifting from the door spring hook. Remove the old friction sleeve if still in place by sliding over the door connection hook. Discard the old sleeve.

Insert the new friction sleeve over the door spring connector hook and push until the friction sleeve is in position completely past the spring hook. Reconnect the plastic spring connector to the door hook.

Repeat for right side of door.

Close and latch the dishwasher door. Unlatch the door. The door should remain in the nearly closed position held in place by the friction sleeves.

Slide the dishwasher back to the original position under the counter top.

Insert the screws in the top brackets to secure the dishwasher.

I broke it accidentally while trying to get it off and it would either not spin or fall off. I simply removed it out of the box and put it on. 2 turns to the right and I was done!

It was a piece of cake, just slapped together and slid it into place!

The lower dish rack rolls directly out of the dishwasher without problem - there is no permanent attachment. The new rack comes as a kit, which includes the 4 required dish rack wheels (Part # 6 in the diagram). One part (only) from the original dish rack needs to be removed and re-installed on the new rack - the upper spray arm tower (Part #5 in the diagram). That is easily removed from the original rack with a 1/8 counterclockwise turn, to disengage the 'feet', and installed on the new rack with a 1/8 clockwise turn. The kit is designed to allow for use on multiple models, so there are 'extra' parts left over, after it is used for the DU8500XX-2 dishwasher. These can be discarded.

After replacing garbage disposal. I referred to you video you sent me when i received the new replacement hose. That made it look very easy to install. Thank you for all your help and support.