WDF545PAFM0 Whirlpool Dishwasher - Instructions

First I identified the problem by checking the plug ends of the heater coil with an ohm meter. I quickly odered the part and when it arrived a few days later, I simply pulled off the electrical connectors, unscrewed the two bolts, removed the old/broken coil, put in the new coil and tightened down the nuts snuggly.
Nothing to it. I then had to reset the error code and it is working like new.

Removed old part and replaced with new part

remove 2 locks on metal roller guides. remove top basket. turn upside down on counter.remove spray arm by pryng one side in and lift out then push other side down and the out. install same as removal. line spray arm and turn clockwise til you hear a click.install basket and install locking plugs.

Removed the old hose, after loosing metal looking rings. Installed new hose ad finally tight firmly the looking rings, using wrench and socket.

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.

1. Shut off water valve
2. disconnect water hose(wrench-adjustable)
3. Disconnect drain hose (screwdriver)
4. Pull dishwasher out from under counter
5. Put down towel to soak up residual water that drains out of dishwasher
6. lay dishwasher face down; electronics is located underneath dishwasher.
7. locate faulty drain pump
8. remove electrical connector from drain pump by first pressing on connector retention tab with screwdriver while sliding connector loose.
9. twist drain pump body while using screw driver to depress drain pump retention tab.
10. remove old drain pump body and insert and twist new drain pump body into old location (use screw driver to assist retention tab engagement)
11. attach electrical connector.
12. Return dishwasher to upright position, slide it under the counter (with its cotton cover); reconnect hoses AND turn water supply back on (make sure you remember to turn the water supply back on)

Located drain pump under dishwasher disconnected electrical from wall and pump twisted pump to remove, and installed new pump. Great customer service from Parts Select, helped to make sure i was ordering the correct part.

Removed the bottom plate/cover. Unscrew top from bracket. Lucky,had just enough room to pull washer out. Only 6 in. Sleeve had broken off. Needle nose plyers to unhook spring. Slide sleeve over hinge. Hard Part///. Pull spring back into place. with door shut. good luck.

First I got online to troubleshoot issue to save mysel from a service call. One of the first UTube videos, a young man said usually the main issue was the lever. He pushed down on the floater. If it didn't click, than the lever below needed to be replaced. Most important to turn off the circuit breaker before beginning the repair. I got on whirlpool.com, Part Select, ordered the lever, which was under $10. And once delivered, was able to switch out the old lever with the new replacement. Part Quote video took me through the process step by step. The lever package was marked that usually it was only 2% of the time that replacing the lever fixed the issue. Of course, I was thrilled, my dishwasher was up and running again. Thank you.

I removed the lower front panel of the dishwasher to expose wheels and opened door and removed two screws holding washer to cabinet. After raising leveling feet pulled washer out to expose bnotton ow dishwasher. Removed the electrical wires form the heating element and removed screw caps holding the heaqting element in place. Removed the old element and inserted the new, then reversed process to get it back together. It was very easy to do following the instructions I received when I ordered the part.

Turned off power to the dishwasher. Removed the front panel via the screws on the inner wall of the door. Lifted and pulled out the front panel. Disconnected cable connections to fully remove the front panel. Pressed down on the latches to the left and right side of the door latch. Pulled out the door latch. Put in new door latch until it clicked into place. Reattached cable connections. Put the front panel back on with the screws. Turned back on power to the dishwasher.

I simply had to hook up the power cord to the dishwasher so i could plug it into the outlet rather than direct wire the appliance. Everything went very smoothly. Everything needed for installation other than tools was provided. Easy to follow instructions if you know a little about electrical wiring.

Did the repair, but needed one extra step not described in video:

I followed the directions on the PartSelect Youtube video - very helpful! I do believe the heating element was the original culprit, as it had a "burn" area about the size of a dime that caused it to almost break into two parts. Obviously a point of failure.

BUT - after replacement, it still did not solve the problem of the dishes not drying.

After much web searching, I tried the diagnostic mode on the dishwasher, and that did a hard reset of the logic board and FIXED the problem.

So in all, it required both a new heating element AND a hard reset via diagnostic mode.

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.

thought it could be due to the overfill control switch,so ordered one and replaced one in the washer. However, it did not solve the problem. Having a repair company coming to look at the dishwasher. Tipped the washer on its back and switch was readily accessable. Only had to open plastic covering over the switch, disconnect the wires and install new switch and reconnect the wires.